Ethics of undercutting

[milliam]

Is it right or wrong to undercut friends or guildies in the AH? If not then what are some ways to make it fair for everyone?

[Elfred]

I rarely look at who else is selling on the AH. I use auctioneer, on a lot of items I just hit undercut and post it. If you feel, personally, that you don't want to undercut a friend, just match their price.

[WernerCD]

I rarely look at who else is selling on the AH. I use auctioneer, on a lot of items I just hit undercut and post it. If you feel, personally, that you don't want to undercut a friend, just match their price.

^ Agree

I rarely look at names. Auctioneer is da debil.

Kriis

[Nilinor]

Undercutting is to sell immediately, if you post higher, your still will probably sell, and in the end you will make more money, but it will take longer to do it.

Just look for the avg price thats kinda what I do, then post a little above it. Ill still sell mine :P


Remember, not everyone use auctioneer, so they dont always see the best deals.

[Mulldrifter]

Not to split hairs, but it seems to me that undercutting often results in a lower yield for your goods, especially if your speaking of trade goods. Personally, I tend to evaluate how often something sells and determine whether or not to undercut. For things like world drop Blues (that are not PvP twink items) I price those lower, almost never sell greens (unless again if they qualify for the twink category). But for things like Epic recipes, trade goods, gems and so on, your better off not undercutting at all. Also just knowing general values of things helps tremendously. For instance I recently sold a pair of Spellshock Leggings for 15k, but for something like that you just have to know where to find a buyer. As to if it's wrong to undercut, well you just have to look at it on a case by case basis. In the case of a friend or a guildy, if they are selling too low or some such, give them advise. But, ultimately I don't know of anyone that's gotten particularly offended for being undercut, its all a game after all.

[Falos]

If you got undercut, you wanted too much and the reality is that your good/service isn't actually worth as much as you wish.

[velnoris]

What if the undercutting takes place in a very profitable market? Undercutting someone could cause them to lose 500-600g per day.

[ant1pathy]

What if the undercutting takes place in a very profitable market? Undercutting someone could cause them to lose 500-600g per day.

Oh noes its just a game?

[topfer]

undercutting is part and parcel of the biz. supply and demand. economics 101

[Offhand]

What if the undercutting takes place in a very profitable market? Undercutting someone could cause them to lose 500-600g per day.

And you made 450g. This is plain market forces at work here guys. Not much to do about it.

Goes both ways too, I once bought a ton of primal earth and then realized a couple hours later it was my roommates :P

[Theene]

If someone doesn't want to be your friend because you undercut them, then they are not a friend anyway. No ones owns the right to set a price, nor should anyone expect their friends and guildmates not to undercut them.

I undercut everyone and get people mad at me all the time. Someone whispered me today and called me a "greedy bitch" because they priced a glyth at 50g and I priced it at 20g. They told me they charge what people are willing to pay and that I don't know anything about making money on the AH. I told them I charge what I think even more people are willing to pay, and I wasn't the one being the greedy bitch.

I asked this person how much they had made selling glyths and they said 10k. I told them I had made over 50k, so my plan of undercutting was smarter. They called me a liar, so I went to Org to show them I was not lying. We compared achievements (it's under the Statistics tab, Char, wealth). It turns out they had made 5k total and I had made over 60k, they were the liar.

Just because 10 people will pay you 50g for a glyth or whatever, doesn't mean 100's wouldn't have paid you 20 for it. No one has the right to set a price for anything so high that tons of people simply won't buy it. If you want to undercut someone, go ahead. If they don't like it they can undercut you again or go sell something else!

I have sold nothing but glyths on the AH, all around 20g or under. I started charging more for a few of them when WotLK came out becuase I wanted to go level and got tired of ppl buying out my glyths and then putting them back up for double what I had charged, while I wasn't looking. There are only a handful of them that I had to do that with though, the rest are still 20 or less.

[Yerbury]

I undercut everyone and get people mad at me all the time. Someone whispered me today and called me a "greedy bitch" because they priced a glyth at 50g and I priced it at 20g. They told me they charge what people are willing to pay and that I don't know anything about making money on the AH. I told them I charge what I think even more people are willing to pay, and I wasn't the one being the greedy bitch.

Someone called you a 'greedy bitch' when they themselves priced a glyph at 50g on the AH? That is certainly a pot and kettle conversation.

Their point is so ridiculous, it isn't worth getting bent out of shape about it.

Working the AH is a matter of common sense and perseverance (which you clearly already know, judging by your posted numbers). Undercutting occurs in all avenues of commerce, and certainly is not therefore limited to WoW. It is the right of everyone to set prices as they wish. Anyone looking to maximise their profits by charging a high(er) price for their item must appreciate the risk in being undercut by the next person in line.

[TheSuperSnow]

The people who complain about undercutting are people who obviously don't understand the way the supply and demand model of economics work.

[Aknot]

If someone doesn't want to be your friend because you undercut them, then they are not a friend anyway.

meh maybe it is just me. However I would "check" and or try to talk with the friend. Finding out why he/she may need the money.

Maybe I can wait a day or 2.

The friend street goes both ways. You just "assuming" he/she wouldn't mind you undercutting them is just as asinine as assuming that it is ok just cause you are friends.

Again people this is about friends and or guildies.... not joe nobodies. I could care less if I undercut them.

[Deleted]

I don't care. They should learn how to play the AuctionHouse the way I do.
That said, I am always willing to help out my fellow guildies, if they ask for things.

[b37x]

Undercutting stops price fixing. So shine on you crazy undercutters, because when I go to the AH for a stack of Medium Leather it shouldn't cost 20g.

[jesse_h97]

Hallelujah! Brother! To hell with you jackasses that post the same price as everyone else, You never had to grind all night for 40 clefthoof leather, just to make one piece of crap that no one wants to buy. Same goes for selling I’d rather sell my product for one less G and make a profit than have to keep posting it until mine is the only one left. Besides what the hell kind of question is that anyway? “Ethics of undercutting” Pssssst…. Its not real money.

[frankster]

Is it right or wrong to undercut friends or guildies in the AH? If not then what are some ways to make it fair for everyone?

I don't undercut friends or guildies, only ppl I don't know

[milliam]

Besides what the hell kind of question is that anyway? “Ethics of undercutting” Pssssst…. Its not real money.

That's exactly my point. WoW is a game where your reputation and social networks are worth more than your fake money. So would it be worth undercutting someone you know and spoiling the relationship?

[Deleted]

That's exactly my point. WoW is a game where your reputation and social networks are worth more than your fake money. So would it be worth undercutting someone you know and spoiling the relationship?

I can undercut anyone I want, since I am clever enough to have a bank-alt that nobody knows and gets to know.
All my AH business go trough one character and one character only