Inflation in D2R Item prices?!

Hi all,

ofc i know that "real" inflation has absolutely nothing to do with "virtuel" item prices, but it happens that i am a DayTrader in RL, and I trade a lot in D2R as well using the lobby most of the time.

Well, ofc everything balances between demand and supply (like it does in the real world too), but i came a cross a lot of (and i mean several hundreds) of so many garbadge offerings, people demanding astronomically high prices for avaregly ok items and stuff like that, I see prices exploding for normal PGM's from a fair 20 for 1

Pul down to 15 or even 10 for a

Pul.

Well, don't get me wrong, if demand is high and supply is low, like it is for

Perfect Amethyst atm, and people are crafting Caster Amu's like crazy, I understand that prices are rising.

But I so often see people trying to sell some under average unique item for an

Ist or more, maybe thats because I look at all the offers in the Lobby, and spreads are rediculously high compared to d2io, but most of the offers are on the higher end.

People are demanding

Ber Runes like its nothing and mostly offering not an even close to equal valuable item in return.

I feel like people don't value Runes anymore, or not as much as they should be valued.

So, is it just my subjective perception, or did you guys had similar experiences in the past?

Thanks for clarifying.

Greetz

Flipchart

It happens all the time.
Especially on non-ladder or at late ladder when people are not in a rush to sell.

IMO they lose nothing for asking such price.
And if they find an innocent guy who don't know the real value of rune. Well!

I would wager an educated guess that there's 2 things playing into that or rather that you're describing 2 different categories.

1) PGems and other crafting mats:
As folks get done gearing and covering the basics, a lot of them switch to nothing but crafting/cubing because..well, trading for that 45 life combat skiller directly is next to impossible as there's never any even up for sale. Buying countless gems to cube that and others along the way however..entirely doable. As a result, folks get more and more "cash" and gems and the like get an ever-increasing demand, driving up their pricing.

2) "Ridiculous asking price":
A lot of people just sit in game, trying to get as much as possible for whatever item they may currently be sitting on. (Knowingly) Asking massively inflated prices isn't that unusual as they try to get everything they can out of it and since it doesn't hurt them in any way to do that as they're just sitting in their game anyways. And eventually, those do tend to work out. At the same time, seeing those game names may well influence those folks who truly do have no clue what something is normally traded for to go "Oh damn! I found that (worthless) thing that I saw that game for selling it for

Ber! So it must be worth

Ber! OMG I CAN ASK A

Ber FOR THIS! WOHOO!!". As a result, asking price goes up massively for no reason other than someone tried to get more than his find was worth.

Concur with the above posts.

Also, for the supply/demand side, let's face it, the game is almost a year old. I know there are folks out there who will play this for 20 years, and others that say since there aren't 30 million people playing right now the game sux, is dead, and Blizzard is terrible, but, population decline happens. I put the game down for a months. That means less people farming the consumables like gems.

Schnorki wrote: 2 years ago

2) "Ridiculous asking price":
A lot of people just sit in game, trying to get as much as possible for whatever item they may currently be sitting on. (Knowingly) Asking massively inflated prices isn't that unusual as they try to get everything they can out of it and since it doesn't hurt them in any way to do that as they're just sitting in their game anyways. And eventually, those do tend to work out. At the same time, seeing those game names may well influence those folks who truly do have no clue what something is normally traded for to go "Oh damn! I found that (worthless) thing that I saw that game for selling it for

Ber! So it must be worth

Ber! OMG I CAN ASK A

Ber FOR THIS! WOHOO!!". As a result, asking price goes up massively for no reason other than someone tried to get more than his find was worth.

Thats exactly my point, thanks for your opinion.

I entirely understand the crafting aspect, because it strictly involves a demand - supply circle that can go in one ore the other direction, depends ofc.

Since I use d2.

Io for checking prices and spreads for specific items, i got the bigger picture about price developments more and more, like a 3x3

Key set is about 3

Ist +/- in Lobby people try to sell it for 2

Vex,

Ohm +

Ist and stuff like that, I've seen people offering Shaco's for a

Vex or an under avarge Anni for a

Ber, or a +22 Mara's for a

Jah, just because its an Elite late game item.

I know that there are people who kinda "gamble" on that "one innocent person having no clue about anything" who is willing to pay the price, but I feel like this gets more and more popular.

And, in addition to the above, I feel this kinda goes down to the "normal" player base and makes them feel like they can demand "anything they want" for their avarage unique Item.

there r several types of sellers/buyers:
- newbie a - donno avarage prices and how to find em, doin stuff in trades that to experienced traders look as total nonsence or insult
- newbie b - somewhat understands market from previous experiences, but tryin to get what he can since its starter
- real currency newbie - spent some real money on various rune and gear, will do it again, sometimes doesnt care what something is worth and what will he give for that
- semi experienced trader a - knows stuff about d2r trading and trying to be nice, but still lacks exp in with various high end runes and gear, so mistakes r possible
- semi experienced trader b - knows stuff about d2r trading and dont give a f about it, will do anything to get more and give less
- experienced trader a - informed with 90% of market, following unwriten rules, 99,9% no mistakes (will ask 27

Ist and offers for

Ber knowing that will go for 25, but maybe gets 2 more)
- experienced player b - informed with 90% of market, dont care about nothin and will do anything to get more and give zero, 99,9% no mistakes (will ask 35

Ist for

Ber and wait for some rc newbie)

now, i belong to 1 of semi categories (which one, can tell only those who traded with me).

the most (i would say at least 2/3) of overpriced stuff on market is result of being greedy. also there r some categories such as rare items that r sometimes really hard, if not impossible, to set price or offer that would make sence.

donno if this does make any sence. at least i see it that way.

In d2 classic after 15 years it was possible to get

Ber for 5

Ist So thats normal.

There has to be an inflation, because more and more people have their best in slot gear and runewords and there are still more and more runes and uniques in the market. There is nothing in d2 mechanics to prevent that. That's basic economy. The only way for that not to happend would be a massive influx of new players to pump the demand, but thats not going to happen.

So now if you want a good rune value for your gear, the only option are gg rare quality items better than runewords and uniques (which are much rarer ).

Also, there are no "serious" or "unwritten" trading rules, this is just a game and I don't get why people sit on the game for hours a day, make arrangements, connections etc and try to get close to 100

Ber or much more. What for? There should be some limits.
Also posting items three times a value and selling them is a kind of sport and entertainment for some people, I wouldn't take it seriously. xD Even when I fall for that, trading it's just an extension of the game for me. I even think this can be a really good place for people to learn how basic economy works in a safe space and it should not be fought against.

I wish there was some mechanic in the game to get rid of uniques and runes. Maybe crafting with

Ber,

Jah and unique items that gives 0.0000001% chance of the gg item that world has not seen before. Or some super secret farming area that requires 5

Ber to open. That would burn down items from the market and prices would not go up/down as much (or at all)

I really like the idea of some mad expensive crafting recipes that have a tiny chance of giving you something amazing.

You guys do make good points on the item prices.

Just want to say, price is subjective. Most people would pay crazy price for some crappy items

There might be a value in which players agree to for ones that get traded often, however, there are some niche or obscure items, i can see why seller want to ask for outrageous sums for those

Things are more expensive because a shit ton of bots were banned. Simple as that.

louner wrote: 2 years ago

Or some super secret farming area that requires 5

Ber to open. That would burn down items from the market and prices would not go up/down as much (or at all)

I like the idea a lot, with the chance of getting super rare items only available at that area, that would increase the value of runes even more.

Maybe this is directly tied to the number of players, so 2 players need 2

Ber runes to open that level, but have inferior MF in this area compared to 8 players who open the "gate" to that area with 8

Ber runes.

Damn, that's actually a pretty awesome idea imo

But coming back to the "inflation" i get the point that people try to demand what ever they can for selling an item, I've seen people trying to buy sorc torches for a

Vex, and I am asking myself "bro, everyone who is in posession of a sorc torch knows the prices, there cant be anyone out there who doesnt", or on the other hand, trying to sell a druid or necro torch for a

Ber.

And yes, I get it, if there is only one "innocent" player who doesnt have a clue about anything and is willing to pay for it, who could blame the player who demanded the

Ber, excellent trade for him, so far so good.

But overall I get the feeling that the absolutely super average stuff which is good to have but nothing special at all is trying to be sold around an

Ist or more.

People try to sell 20 PGEM's for an

Ist, or 5 for a

Pul, or demanding a

Vex for a Shaco, I see all that stuff on a daily basis when scrolling through the Lobby, and thatswhy I am curious what you guys think about it.

Much appreachiate the reactions so far

Flipchart wrote: 2 years ago

People try to sell 20 PGEM's for an

Ist, or 5 for a

Pul, or demanding a

Vex for a Shaco, I see all that stuff on a daily basis when scrolling through the Lobby, and thatswhy I am curious what you guys think about it.

That is just a plain scam to me and abuse of new players, but on the other hand if you manage to buy Griffons for 3

Ber and sell it for 4

Ber later then good for you, that's just a nice trade. So as with everything, there should be some limits, extremes are bad