RyanB
Legacy of Elijah Guild Leader
So, I've spent a lot of time on the trading post this past weekend. As in...more time trading than playing. I've learned a lot of things that I feel could be very helpful, so I thought I'd share.
TL;DR: It's very easy! Read the bold points below for your TL;DR.
Let me know if you have any tips to add that I hadn't found yet!
You can find crafted weapons/armor on the TP for VERY cheap, often far cheaper than the ingredients!
This may change at max crafting levels, but for example I bought any level 20 (masterwork) items that I couldn't craft...for about 49 copper. People craft items for the XP and sell for just above merch cost. My level 25 gear cost ~70c. No more running around in gear that's more than 5 levels behind for me!
The quickest way to find appropriate gear is to click search filters, put your level, and select what you want (weapon, armor, etc). Note that crafting recipes generally run every 5 levels, so if you're level 23 you'll probably want to look for level 20-24 items.
Making Offers is usually much cheaper and often just as fast for many items
For those who don't know, you can buy outright...or you can make a "custom offer" on an item. Buyers list items and wait for you to come buy them. Offers list offers on an item...and wait for a buyer. However, for high-volume items...there are so many people trading them that offering 1 copper over the next offer comes back instantly. Why pay 110s to get a stack of something that I can pay 80s for and still get instantly? This works best on high-volume items: crafting materials
You get charged when you offer, but there is no fee to do so. Also note that you can withdraw an offer by going to My Transactions -> Items I'm Buying -> Remove item. This will give you your money back. (thanks to whoever gave this tip in chat, forget who)
The same goes for selling - being the lowest seller on most anything will get you a near-instant sale for maximum dollar. In general, buy with offers; sell with listings.
You can search, buy, or sell items from anywhere, anytime
The only restriction is picking up the item or coin. For that, you have to go to a trading post and go to the Pick Up tab (or use a black lion agent item - 40 gems). Listing an item has a 5% charge, so be careful not to list too high. There is also a 10% charge on the sale, regardless of whether you list an item or take one of the listed offers. If confused and you just want to sell fast, sell for 1 copper below lowest seller or just match them to possibly avoid an undercut war.
If you are offering on something that doesn't sell quickly, like a rare mini or item, and want to stay top bid...you can check back from the field and make a higher offer if you get outbid. Bear in mind you need enough cash to cover both offers. IE: If I bid 50.0s on an item, and see someone bids 50.01, I can bid 50.02 and remove my 50.0 offer...but I can't pick up the 50.0 until I can do a Pick Up.
Buying refined crafting materials or insignias is generally cheaper than buying materials and refining them yourself
For example, armorsmith uses a lot of bronze ingots. They are made with two copper ore. However, copper ore goes for ~19-21c, whereas you can buy the ingots for ~29-32c. Cheaper to get ingots if you don't need the xp, which they usually stop giving soon anyway. Compare prices! Need a Mighty Jute Insignia but out of Weak Blood? No problem - you can get the insignia for less than the cost of 1 Jute, let alone the Weak Blood.
You can also score some ~free crafting experience buy buying ore (offer!), refining, and selling (wait for a buyer). The better price you get when selling instead of taking an offer makes up the difference and listing fee.
You can get merchant-only materials on the TP for much cheaper!
You can save a lot of money buying things like Tin and Jute Thread on the auction house. Tin runs 8c each at the merchant; I've gotten it for as little as 3c on offer on the auction house. And it was near-instant. I do not know why people are selling materials for less than the merchant price, but the only thing I can think of is they are moving to the next crafting discipline and dumping scraps. Benefit from their loss?
You can make good money on the market
I won't tell you my secrets, as that would make them worthless for all of us, but there is money to be made here if you are enterprising. Buy low (offer) sell high, find things to craft that have a margin, you name it.
Dyes are very cheap!!!
Many of the Fine dyes are listed anywhere from 40-100 copper, and you can often get them on offer for as little as 15c or below. Why are you walking around in ugly armor? For this reason, you may also consider selling any unid dyes you have. While you may get lucky and get a black or abyss dye, they are a gamble that is just not worth it mathematically. Unid dye currently sells for ~5s
Also note: you can Mystic Forge those Fine dyes to get other Fine or even Masterwork! I've been buying bucketloads of them and have lots of colors. Worst case you get one you already have and just re-forge it, so you only lost ~45c. Better case you get a newer, more expensive fine or masterwork dye. I've gotten a masterwork dye about once every 4 forges. You could even throw 4 greens in there for a chance at a yellow.
Mini Pets are cheap!
"Cheap" is a term relative to how much gold you currently have, how much you like minis, and the future. The cheapest minis go for as little as 2-5 silver, and it is my belief that they will get more expensive over time.
Also note: Same as with dyes, I will say you're definitely far better off buying minis from the TP than buying gems with gold (or money) and buying a mini pack. Buy mini packs only if you get excitement from the gamble. You can not get an Exotic from the mini packs, so you will not strike it rich. The most expensive Rare on the market right now is Eir, and she goes for about 1g. For comparison, it currently takes about 75s to buy enough gems to buy 1 mini pack. So even if you get very, very lucky, you will not come out much ahead. If you're looking to throw your wallet at some minis, consider buying gems -> convert gems to gold -> make offers on minis on TP. You'll get the most bang for your buck that way.
Last note on minis: you can forge 4 of the same rarity, like with dyes or weapons. You will likely get the same rarity, but could also get one level above. Final last note, I'm looking to buy exotic minis (or rare for forging to exotic) if you have them!
------------------------------------
Did I miss anything? Drop some knowledge!
TL;DR: It's very easy! Read the bold points below for your TL;DR.
Let me know if you have any tips to add that I hadn't found yet!
You can find crafted weapons/armor on the TP for VERY cheap, often far cheaper than the ingredients!
This may change at max crafting levels, but for example I bought any level 20 (masterwork) items that I couldn't craft...for about 49 copper. People craft items for the XP and sell for just above merch cost. My level 25 gear cost ~70c. No more running around in gear that's more than 5 levels behind for me!
The quickest way to find appropriate gear is to click search filters, put your level, and select what you want (weapon, armor, etc). Note that crafting recipes generally run every 5 levels, so if you're level 23 you'll probably want to look for level 20-24 items.
Making Offers is usually much cheaper and often just as fast for many items
For those who don't know, you can buy outright...or you can make a "custom offer" on an item. Buyers list items and wait for you to come buy them. Offers list offers on an item...and wait for a buyer. However, for high-volume items...there are so many people trading them that offering 1 copper over the next offer comes back instantly. Why pay 110s to get a stack of something that I can pay 80s for and still get instantly? This works best on high-volume items: crafting materials
You get charged when you offer, but there is no fee to do so. Also note that you can withdraw an offer by going to My Transactions -> Items I'm Buying -> Remove item. This will give you your money back. (thanks to whoever gave this tip in chat, forget who)
The same goes for selling - being the lowest seller on most anything will get you a near-instant sale for maximum dollar. In general, buy with offers; sell with listings.
You can search, buy, or sell items from anywhere, anytime
The only restriction is picking up the item or coin. For that, you have to go to a trading post and go to the Pick Up tab (or use a black lion agent item - 40 gems). Listing an item has a 5% charge, so be careful not to list too high. There is also a 10% charge on the sale, regardless of whether you list an item or take one of the listed offers. If confused and you just want to sell fast, sell for 1 copper below lowest seller or just match them to possibly avoid an undercut war.
If you are offering on something that doesn't sell quickly, like a rare mini or item, and want to stay top bid...you can check back from the field and make a higher offer if you get outbid. Bear in mind you need enough cash to cover both offers. IE: If I bid 50.0s on an item, and see someone bids 50.01, I can bid 50.02 and remove my 50.0 offer...but I can't pick up the 50.0 until I can do a Pick Up.
Buying refined crafting materials or insignias is generally cheaper than buying materials and refining them yourself
For example, armorsmith uses a lot of bronze ingots. They are made with two copper ore. However, copper ore goes for ~19-21c, whereas you can buy the ingots for ~29-32c. Cheaper to get ingots if you don't need the xp, which they usually stop giving soon anyway. Compare prices! Need a Mighty Jute Insignia but out of Weak Blood? No problem - you can get the insignia for less than the cost of 1 Jute, let alone the Weak Blood.
You can also score some ~free crafting experience buy buying ore (offer!), refining, and selling (wait for a buyer). The better price you get when selling instead of taking an offer makes up the difference and listing fee.
You can get merchant-only materials on the TP for much cheaper!
You can save a lot of money buying things like Tin and Jute Thread on the auction house. Tin runs 8c each at the merchant; I've gotten it for as little as 3c on offer on the auction house. And it was near-instant. I do not know why people are selling materials for less than the merchant price, but the only thing I can think of is they are moving to the next crafting discipline and dumping scraps. Benefit from their loss?
You can make good money on the market
I won't tell you my secrets, as that would make them worthless for all of us, but there is money to be made here if you are enterprising. Buy low (offer) sell high, find things to craft that have a margin, you name it.
Dyes are very cheap!!!
Many of the Fine dyes are listed anywhere from 40-100 copper, and you can often get them on offer for as little as 15c or below. Why are you walking around in ugly armor? For this reason, you may also consider selling any unid dyes you have. While you may get lucky and get a black or abyss dye, they are a gamble that is just not worth it mathematically. Unid dye currently sells for ~5s
Also note: you can Mystic Forge those Fine dyes to get other Fine or even Masterwork! I've been buying bucketloads of them and have lots of colors. Worst case you get one you already have and just re-forge it, so you only lost ~45c. Better case you get a newer, more expensive fine or masterwork dye. I've gotten a masterwork dye about once every 4 forges. You could even throw 4 greens in there for a chance at a yellow.
Mini Pets are cheap!
"Cheap" is a term relative to how much gold you currently have, how much you like minis, and the future. The cheapest minis go for as little as 2-5 silver, and it is my belief that they will get more expensive over time.
Also note: Same as with dyes, I will say you're definitely far better off buying minis from the TP than buying gems with gold (or money) and buying a mini pack. Buy mini packs only if you get excitement from the gamble. You can not get an Exotic from the mini packs, so you will not strike it rich. The most expensive Rare on the market right now is Eir, and she goes for about 1g. For comparison, it currently takes about 75s to buy enough gems to buy 1 mini pack. So even if you get very, very lucky, you will not come out much ahead. If you're looking to throw your wallet at some minis, consider buying gems -> convert gems to gold -> make offers on minis on TP. You'll get the most bang for your buck that way.
Last note on minis: you can forge 4 of the same rarity, like with dyes or weapons. You will likely get the same rarity, but could also get one level above. Final last note, I'm looking to buy exotic minis (or rare for forging to exotic) if you have them!
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Did I miss anything? Drop some knowledge!
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