I hope this entry finds you enjoyed the afterglow of the Christmas holidays. Preparations for the New Years bash has begun as well in your future. Nothing like spending the new year nursing a hangover and exploring the world of gold making in Azeroth.
Something that both new and experienced crafters learn quickly; there will be a time that you expect a large tip for your efforts. Only to find that the person thanks you with a tip of the cap and a thank you. Somehow not realizing just how much you invested in the pattern, and leveling your profession to its maximum ability. Their newly crafted items equipped and ready for action.
The definition of a "tip" is a gratuity. By definition it is optional to give a tip if you have an item crafted for you. Etiquette would say that if you have a task performed, then a tip should be offered. Problems arise many times when the 10g tip that used to be a large amount of money in game during the burning crusade expansion is no longer appropriate in cataclysm. Inflation of quest rewards and easier availability to obtain gold has raised the expectation of crafters. But many times those asking for the items have not changed with these times. Multiple times i have taken the time to answer a request for an epic item crafting in trade, only to be offered 5g in tip. In my mind I jokingly will say 'I do not even go over to the other side of orgrimmar for less than 100g'.
If your tips have not been to your expectation, it may be time to go ahead and explain that there is a crafting fee for your time and effort. Sometimes where there is a large amount of competition for items (Rare Gem cuts etc) this might not be the best technique to use. Finding yourself with one of the only trained crafters with a specific pattern would change the idea of asking for a 100g or more crafting fee. Just be careful to know what your server population will support. Making sure that you do not quickly drive yourself out of the market.
Supply and demand should be your main drive in understanding when to ask for a crafting fee. And when to just invest your own mats and put the item up on the AH and not worry about non tipping customers at all.
Want to get in contact with me? . Email me at Dragonbearjoe @ gmail. dOT com or find me on twitter at "@Dragonbearjoe" or leave a comment here. You can find me hanging out on the Shandris Server, chat me up and I will buy you a glass of juice.
Past articles by Mommar:
Tis the season to be goblins
My rod shall comfort thee.. and make gold
6 comments: on "Tip the light fantastic"
Anonymous said... December 28, 2011 at 12:10 PM
I would much rather post an item on the AH and let it go unsold than try to explain to your average /2 troll why my time is worth something.
The average WoW player will act like they're entitled to have you craft something for them, and a tip is nothing but an afterthought.
While there are a few people left on Azeroth who understand that "time is money, friend" and will tip generously - this is usually more of the exception than the rule, and lucky for me the AH works just fine! I choose how much I want to get paid, and instead of getting into an argument I either sell an item - or I don't.
If somehow you encounter a person who tips you 50g or more - congrats! It just seems rarer and rarer to find a decent tipper these days.
Anonymous said... December 28, 2011 at 12:29 PM
It's pretty simple for me. I sell tons of stuff on the AH so it's not really worth too much for me to meet with individual players to craft for them. So, I respond to those who offer a tip in trade chat, and I ignore those who don't. Even when they're spamming and I'm clearly the only crafter on who could fulfill their order.
So pro tip to those who want something, include your tip offer in your request! If no one's answering you, you're probably being ignored because you're trying to be a freeloader.
Fex said... December 28, 2011 at 4:43 PM
Good post, i personally am always dissapointed with tips. I'm collecting high volumes of sales in the auctionhouse and having to go to someone, wait for them to browse through my professions, nitpick about the benefit of one gem over another ( and expecting me to have the stat priorities of every single class / spec in the game at my fingertips ) to find out that my customer thinks that a 50g tip next to the materials for the 10 gems i just cut is enough, has been quite dissapointing.
That kind of money isn't worth the 20 minutes i just spent for you. The same applies to enchants. I'm the only one selling the strength and agility enchant to bracers. No one else on my faction has it. But players show up with the materials expecting the scroll for a 50g tip has been annoying to say the least. Even after explaining the source of the pattern, time investment needed, being the sole provider, they still go "but all you gotta do is click a button"
i don't use trade anymore, Only for certain enchanting scrolls and i'll tell themin advance that i expect a 200g fee for my service, wich usually results in them haggeling me down.
Coreus said... December 28, 2011 at 5:05 PM
I do not even go over to the other side of orgrimmar for less than 100g
This is exactly my attitude to people looking for a crafter. I link them the item, I invite them to a group and I continue my cusiness while waiting for them to fly to me or to the anvil. At least in that case I'm not out any time and any gold they decide to pass me is pure profit.
In my experience an explicit request for a crafting fee is usually not well-received. I once had a guy berate me in /w when I gave him the gold figure I required in order for me to switch toons to craft him a PvP set.
Some people just have no concept of what other people's time is worth. Or I suppose how little gold is worth to people who play the AH. Most of the time trade crafting is just not worth the effort.
Anonymous said... December 29, 2011 at 6:26 AM
I've always been really amused by WoW's crafters. A tip by definition is not something that's required, yet crafters always get angry they don't get tipped. If you want to ensure a way of getting paid for taking your time and effort to craft an item for someone, just ask for a fee. Tired of crafters QQing because they some how didn't get tipped when it's well within their right to charge a fee.
J.E. Douglas said... December 30, 2011 at 5:15 PM
@Anonymous #1
I agree completely. I generally don't advertise on trade, but I will occasionally respond to a request for a link. But when I had just started playing and crafting (before I really understood the AH system) I would run quickly to get that craft and that tip.
Most of the consumers on warcraft are kinda spoiled to the idea that time is money. They are used to having 10 crafters fight over giving them items so they can undercut on a "tip" because I can just go somewhere else to get the item.
There is another frame of thought on this is the idea that you get your bonus money on the Ah sales so that you don't have to be as concerned about sales from direct crafting. But I wrote the article from a complete goblin frame of mine. Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money
@Anonymous #2
I agree with the idea that you don't answer unless they have a tip amount listed. There was one person that was trying to give a 20g tip on someone making them a Mechano-hawg. Ignoring the needing to level your rep to get the recipe, that's 12.5g you have to put up of your money just to get the BOP parts, That one I'm not even talking to someone without 500g on the table.
thanks all for the comments. I appreciate them
Post a Comment