Merchanting...a True Skill?

[megadedhed]

Merchantingâââ¬Ã¦a True Skill?

 

 

 

Iâââ‰â¢ve seen a lot of debate over how merchanting is bad, how merchanting isnâââ‰â¢t a skill, ECT...

 

 

 

Well, I would just like to state my position on this. In my opinion, merchanting IS a skill, just not in the normal in-game style.

 

 

 

First off, merchanting is not as simple as it sounds. When merchanting you cant just say, âââ¬Ãâoh I buy and sellâââ¬Ã¦free moneyâââ¬Ã

[Kryptic]

Well, I would just like to state my position on this. In my opinion, merchanting IS a skill, just not in the normal in-game style.

 

 

 

Amen.. the mesiah has returned.

[RaggyTramp1]

brilliant speech dude plus you spelt falador wrong

[Leesters]

Although merchanting may "take skill", it is not "a skill".

[Captain_Shiv]

Although merchanting may "take skill", it is not "a skill".

Agree'd.

[CWolf2]

It takes "skill" to know where to merchant? No it doesn't, there are guides all over the place of where to do this stuff, it takes no skill. And you can merchant without even knowing that stuff. The definition of merchanting is not making 5m, but it's only making SOME profit. Even if you made 1gp, it's still merchanting. Granted, you may not be considered the best at it, you have still merchanted. As for the price changes... again, no skill involved. Just look at the official forums, boom, there you go.

 

 

 

 

It takes skill to be able to predict when prices will rise and fall, and have to buy and sell accordingly.

 

 

Actually, you can't "predict" when this will happen, unless you decide to sell everything on Sunday, or Monday. You have no proof that you can "predict" these types of things. It's like a suicide bomber. You can't predict when, and where he will attack, it just happens.

 

 

 

 

merchants have to constantly battle value changes and glitches in the economy.

 

 

Again, just look on the RS.com forums, and you'll stay up to date with them. No skill involved other than clicking and reading.

[Giordano]

It takes "skill" to know where to merchant? No it doesn't, there are guides all over the place of where to do this stuff, it takes no skill.

 

 

 

And Clicking 1000 times at a rock, with guides, takes skill?

[CWolf2]

It takes "skill" to know where to merchant? No it doesn't, there are guides all over the place of where to do this stuff, it takes no skill.

 

 

 

And Clicking 1000 times at a rock, with guides, takes skill?

 

Did I EVER say that?

[cookins2506]

i agree merchanting is a skill... its about the hardest skill there is in this game...

 

 

 

- And to Cwolf... it may not take a great genius to figure out where to buy them but u also left out other factors such what time of day to buy and sell items making most profit. And lets not forget the rare market the biggest and hardest market to master out of all of them. Now if u can merchant santas and party hats and say its easier then clicking a rock or chopping a tree all day i would like to know... like the person said.. anyone that has ever truly merchanted knows its not as easy as everyone makes it out to be

[urza1488]

It is very lazy. If all you do is manipulate people to make profit, that is sad.

 

 

 

:? :x

 

 

 

Skills are more fun. We don't play to get big numbers on our coin slot.

 

 

 

We play for fun.

[cookins2506]

It is very lazy. If all you do is manipulate people to make profit, that is sad.

 

 

 

:? :x

 

 

 

Skills are more fun. We don't play to get big numbers on our coin slot.

 

 

 

We play for fun.

 

 

 

- manipulate?? ummm have u ever wanted maybe 1000 coal or maybe some cowhides? One form of merchanting is buy small amounts alittle cheaper then normal and selling a big bulk of it for alittle higher making money. Now how is it manuplating if u say buying coal 150 each and the person trades u. Then u say selling 1k coal 200 each.

 

 

 

- People like u obviously have not merchanted because u put merchants and scammers in the same category which in totally untrue

[urza1488]

How dare you?

 

I bought up 30K nats planning to get 85 smithing with gold, and sold for 10% more. Didn't mean to merchant, but I've bought from my fair share of merchanters. They do anything just to make that extra cent. It's obscene and absurd.

[Makoto_the_Phoenix]

IÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢ve seen a lot of debate over how merchanting is bad, how merchanting isnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t a skill, ECT...

 

 

 

This is because it doesn't appear on the skills list. You gain no experience from it, therefore by definition of the game it can't be a skill.

 

 

 

First off, merchanting is not as simple as it sounds. When merchanting you cant just say, ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬Åoh I buy and sellÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâæfree moneyÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[cookins2506]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever hear of 'right place, right time'? Again, that's not skill, that's more luck. You've got to quit confusing the two.

 

- um its not really luck its studying the market and seeing when the items sells for most and when it sells for least. How that is luck is hard to believe.

 

 

 

 

All merchanting takes is a lot of patience, coffee, eye drops, quick hands and luck on your side. Nothing more.

 

- funny u should say that except i can say the exact same thing about any skill on runescape without the luck part. Anyone and i mean even the dumbest person on this game can get all skills to 99.. just takes patience and eye drops as u like to say. Merchanting takes knowledge of the market and patience, not to metion negoation skills. try merchanting and see how easy it is... and make more than a couple k.

[Bubsa]

I fail to see the skill in quitting for 2 years and coming back with a rare in your bank and being mega rich.

 

 

 

However, in many of the buying processes, particularly raw material merchants, I think it requires the most skill in the game. Instead of *click, click, click*, you're actually required to, shock horror! THINK!

[stevepole]

i dont think that it takes skills. its more of a luck thing then anything. Find a guy to buy/sell for the right price is mainly what it is.

[Adam007]

I think to answer your own question you need to redefine what you're asking. Some people might think you're asking if merchanting is as hard as in-game skills. Others might think you're asking if it should be a skill. It could be whether or not it takes any skill.

 

Obviously merchanting takes more skill than training up most skills. Most skills you don't even need to focus on while raising, so obviously it does take skill.

 

In itself merchanting isn't a skill in terms of stats you raise obviously. I doubt that was the question.

 

I do think merchanting nowadays takes less skill than it used to. Although in certain areas it takes more skill. I'd say overall it just takes different skill though. I can't merchant anymore because I just can't stand dealing with those people anymore. I don't have the patience for them and how they act, and you need a lot of it to merchant nowadays.

[megadedhed]

I think to answer your own question you need to redefine what you're asking. Some people might think you're asking if merchanting is as hard as in-game skills. Others might think you're asking if it should be a skill. It could be whether or not it takes any skill.

 

Obviously merchanting takes more skill than training up most skills. Most skills you don't even need to focus on while raising, so obviously it does take skill.

 

In itself merchanting isn't a skill in terms of stats you raise obviously. I doubt that was the question.

 

I do think merchanting nowadays takes less skill than it used to. Although in certain areas it takes more skill. I'd say overall it just takes different skill though. I can't merchant anymore because I just can't stand dealing with those people anymore. I don't have the patience for them and how they act, and you need a lot of it to merchant nowadays.

 

 

 

I'm actually not asking a question, im just attempting to point out how merchanting is not a lazy mans way of making money..

[Adam007]

I think to answer your own question you need to redefine what you're asking. Some people might think you're asking if merchanting is as hard as in-game skills. Others might think you're asking if it should be a skill. It could be whether or not it takes any skill.

 

Obviously merchanting takes more skill than training up most skills. Most skills you don't even need to focus on while raising, so obviously it does take skill.

 

In itself merchanting isn't a skill in terms of stats you raise obviously. I doubt that was the question.

 

I do think merchanting nowadays takes less skill than it used to. Although in certain areas it takes more skill. I'd say overall it just takes different skill though. I can't merchant anymore because I just can't stand dealing with those people anymore. I don't have the patience for them and how they act, and you need a lot of it to merchant nowadays.

 

 

 

I'm actually not asking a question, im just attempting to point out how merchanting is not a lazy mans way of making money..

 

Well by the replies it seems like they're debating the question your title implies, that being, whether or not merchanting really is a skill. But yeah, your original post was what you said - explaining why merchanting isn't brainless.

[r2-pleasent]

To say Merchanting takes no skill is just an ignorant statement. There are many things a player can do to increase the amount of profit he/she makes when buying and selling items. One example would be good communication skills. There are numerous situations where the only way you can get the deal you want is if you can talk someone into it. Now, don't get me wrong, it's not rocket science, but you still have to keep your cool and make sure not to take anything too personally.

 

 

 

Anyways, I could banter on about millions of things that a skilled merchant does to increase his/her success. The bottom line is, if you put two players in Varrock Square with 100K each, and tell them to merchant all day, one of them is going to have more at the end of the day. There is obviously a luck factor, which is apparent in nearly every game, but that doesn't mean there's not a skill factor as well.

[red_hydra]

Requires a crap load of patience and knowledge of prices. Also, there is a little bit of psychology involved.

[RAHK]

To me there are several types of merchants and therefore varying degrees of "skill" involved.

 

 

 

The Skiller/Accidental Merchant - They are focused on skilling and purchase or use skills to raise their levels. After a few months they notice that they have acquired a large amount of something useful and either sell it for a nice profit or try to buy more and end up selling when they get an insane offer on their goods. This is how I made my first merch-esque trade. I was buying d bones everywhere I could for 2-2.5k each and wasn't paying attention. I bought about triple what I was originally intending and was kind of mad at myself. Then I get a pm asking how many bones I had. After telling them about 3.5k d bones they offered to buy them all at 2.6k ea. I told them that I really didn't want to sell them all and they said 2.7k ea. I did the math and was sooo close to taking it but I still wanted 72 prayer so I declined again. She then said she would pay 2.8k ea and I couldn't refuse. I sold them all and bought the bones I needed again at 2.6k each. Both of us were quite happy though.

 

This group does not have any specialized merchanting skills other than the knowledge of prices and locations to merchant. An honest group that simply want the full price for their goods and pay what they can afford for others' goods.

 

 

 

The Needy Merchant - Not a negative classification. They simply sell what they have and rebuy cheap things to reach a short-term goal. Like selling all of there ores/bars then buying any deals they can find and reselling them for the normal price. Not serious players in the merchanting department but still have an effect. If I had bank space I would probably do this on the side whenever I have time at a bank.

 

More skilled than the above merchants due to the fact that they have to be able to buy/sell many different items. Not a huge difference though and can easily merch themselves into the red without patience.

 

 

 

The Greedy Merchant - They lie, scam, trick, manipulate, and try to get you to sell/buy for less/more than you agreed on. These people use their willingness to be "evil" as a weapon. They try to buy something for 18,987 gp instead of 20k because they "only got this much". They will basically abuse others for their own benefit. A large portion of people who nearly exclusively merchant in the game fall into this category (perhaps 35%).

 

 

 

The Long-Term Merchant - Anytime they can afford it they buy a rare and bank it until they need the cash or their is a huge surge in it's price. Nearly all higher leveled players do this at one point in their gaming career.

 

Not really skilled per se. They simply know that gp loses value and rares gain value.

 

 

 

The Professional Merchant - Buys low sells high but on a much larger scale than the above merchants. 90% of what they do is merchant. Usually deals in rares and HUGE amounts of consumable goods. These are the people who can have the biggest impact on the economy by flooding the market with 200 santas or making rumors to manipulate prices. With this amount of gp around in their banks that they could never completely use in training flat 99s greed can make it quite easy to stray from their original morals. I don't know many but would assume that most are fair traders with a few being straight manipulators and incredibly greedy.

 

This is by FAR the most skilled form of a merchant. They know to diversify thier assets. They know which days and which times of the day to buy/sell any item. They know the value of a good rare and use them to thier advantage. If anybody can predict market changes it would be this group since they can single-handedly alter prices by flooding the market or buying all of one rare up.

 

 

 

 

 

Eh, that's my take. All merchanting involves SOME skill but most of that skill is using common knowledge to their advantage. Merchants are important to the economy for several reasons and are detrimental for others.

[Unitedite]

Although merchanting may "take skill", it is not "a skill".

Agree'd.

 

 

 

What's with the pointless apostrophe? :P

[Rebdragon]

Although merchanting may "take skill", it is not "a skill".

Agree'd.

 

 

 

What's with the pointless apostrophe? :P

 

 

 

Was there really an point in posting that?

 

I think to answer your own question you need to redefine what you're asking. Some people might think you're asking if merchanting is as hard as in-game skills. Others might think you're asking if it should be a skill. It could be whether or not it takes any skill.

 

Obviously merchanting takes more skill than training up most skills. Most skills you don't even need to focus on while raising, so obviously it does take skill.

 

In itself merchanting isn't a skill in terms of stats you raise obviously. I doubt that was the question.

 

I do think merchanting nowadays takes less skill than it used to. Although in certain areas it takes more skill. I'd say overall it just takes different skill though. I can't merchant anymore because I just can't stand dealing with those people anymore. I don't have the patience for them and how they act, and you need a lot of it to merchant nowadays.

 

 

 

I'm actually not asking a question, im just attempting to point out how merchanting is not a lazy mans way of making money..

 

IMO its pretty easy. Back when I used to Merchant (hate the smell of merchants now, I'd rather walk to the Mage Arena in Blue Phat skulled then stay in World 2 Fally for 2 hours) I made a lot of cash merchanting new things. When Dagganoth Hides came out I made an easy 15-25k profit PER HIDE. When Obby stuff came out is was extremely easy to make a quick 100k merchanting a shield or set. And back when Guthan helms ranged from 3.4-4.2 I made 3mil in an hour buying on the forums and selling in game. IMO merchanting is and extremely easy and fast way of making money, and investing takes no skill at all (as Bubsa stated).

[Risen_The]

I agree, although merchants are not a skill in-game, it takes a lot of patience, and it's actually really boring. :lol:

 

 

 

Only if I knew how to merchant. :?