Just a bit about "The Goods"
- Where is The Goods' website?
- The Goods
- What is "The Goods"? Is it a guild like BES? Or is it more like our regional chat meta-guild?
- Yes, "The Goods" is a guild, but mostly because having a guild makes communication a lot easier. Ultimately, "The Goods" is an Egypt-wide meta-guild whose purpose is to bring together The Goods customers, usually people who are interested in trade. Good topics for discussion include setting up trades, getting the attention of a Teller, policies of The Goods, new goods, scrip, shrooming, herbology, and economics. Poor topics include drawn out conversations that interest only two people (such as when you are building a quarry), and "adult humor". If you are looking for a general chat channel, please consider applying at The Nileside Lounge just a few steps down the road. For Adult Humor please check out Promiscuous's guild just behind the Lounge.
- Why do the prices keep changing?
- Pricing at "The Goods," unlike other places, is determined directly, specifically and solely by the amount on hand of that item. If we have 20 units of copper on hand and 20 units of grass, we'll pay you the same amount in Goodscrip for 10 more copper or 10 more grass. That's an "if" -- because of the pricing structure and our volume of trades, the inventory corrects itself pretty quickly.
- That's confusing!
- Yes it is. But can you say with any honesty how the price of Oreos at your local Safeway is determined? Beyond the fact that it's not like pricing at "The Goods" (i.e. when you buy a bag of Oreos the price on the shelf doesn't automatically change.) But indeed, the price at Safeway does change over time, in sometimes hard to fathom ways. The biggest difference, I think, is that the price changes at "The Goods" happens pretty much automatically and in a precise and predetermined way. Now, all things considered, isn't that better? You know what the price of grass/Medium Stones/Tilapia/whatever is going to be when you want to buy at "The Goods"; can you say the same for Safeway when you have the jones for an Oreo?
- I have a hard time accepting that one mud granite has the same worth as one screwgear....
- Sure - I do too! Which is why, if that situation occured it would encourage players to sell more mud granite to "The Goods" until the price they got by selling was acceptable to them. (Thus making a killing, but only that one time for that one person.) This is a desired side effect of How Things Work at "The Goods." Wild pricing variations caused by changing game conditions on "old" items ("oooh! Dung is actually worth something now!!") or new items entering ("Wow! Oreos!! 10kGS for me!!!") When either thing occurs, the customers of "The Goods" then act as "rational actors" (i.e. greedy capitalists) and buy or sell the items until they feel the time/effort/value of getting the item approximates their (self defined) value for GoodScript. Until a number of people "vote" on where that price is, it will fluctuate. At some point, however, the price will stabilize at the "generally accepted price" and stay there. People can make (or lose) GoodScript while that stabilization is going on, but as you always know what the price is (or will be after you make a trade) there's no surprises.
- Ok, I'll admit it. It is better. But it's harder to buy stuff at "The Goods" than at Safeway. Where are the checkout lines? Is there a 10 items or less line?
- Sorry, no special checkouts. But to buy things at "The Goods", you will need to find a Teller. All Tellers belong to the The Goods Tellers (name?) guild. Currently they are <Alis, branco, Erika, Hirokache, Kinniken, Ledara, Neophant-II, Oxi, Ptenkhet, Sord, Thurgret, Tialaramex, TpcT and Xeres>. Everyone authorized to make trades (using the webpass login) is listed on The Goods web site. When you chat a teller, let them know whether you have entered your trade, or are having trouble using the web site. Also, let them know how long it will be until you can meet someone at the store. If there are no tellers available at the RSO chariot, often one of the tellers can ask Mrs. TheGoods (the Tellers' mule) to help you.
- I asked for a teller in The Goods main chat but no one responded to me!!! WHY??? I demand service!
- Hmm. Its important to note that due to the amount of chat in The Goods window, the tellers sometimes miss requests. Also, your name might be too hard for them to spell. Your safest bet is to /chat one of the tellers directly. Remember that tellering is voluntary. We do share our pleasant experiences with customers in the main tellers chat. Your kind words and gifts are appreciated.
- Why doesn't Mrs. TheGoods accept chats?
- TheGoods is a mule of the Tellers. Usually she is assigned a specific trade and then logs off. If you need to get the attention of Mrs. TheGoods, a /tell or two might work, since she does not accept chats. She can chat to you if she so chooses. **W have specific permission from Teppy to run this mule from many different IP addresses. The most paranoid of our customers should be sure to identify which teller is controlling The Goods by secure chat with the real teller before completing the trade.