If you prefer the whole FAQ is set out below.
What is "The Goods"? Is it a traditional guild like BES? Or is it a regional chat meta-guild?
"The Goods" is an Egypt-wide trade guild whose purpose is to bring together "The Goods" customers. Good topics for discussion include setting up trades, getting the attention of a Teller (politely), 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 or an account of the journey you make on your way to making a non-Goods trade), adult humor, politics and Teller-abuse (such as repeatedly demanding that a Teller answers your request before giving them time to answer).
Where is The Goods' website?
The Goods is at: http://www.atitdhosting.com/thegoods
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. The price changes at "The Goods" happens pretty much automatically and in a precise and predetermined way. You know what the price of grass/Medium Stones/Tilapia/whatever is going to be when you want to buy at "The Goods".
I know it’s automatic but how exactly are the prices worked out?
Well you asked for it…
The value we assign to a commodity depends on one thing only: the amount of that commodity we have in stock. The basic unit of our pricing is the First Good, which is the value we assign to the first unit of any commodity we add to our inventory. It doesn't matter what the good is. As far as we're concerned, the value of a diamond is the same as the value of a carrot, if we have only one diamond and one carrot in stock.
For the mathematically inclined here is how it works:
The value The Goods assign to having n units of a commodity is log2(n+1) First Goods. Suppose we have j units of a commodity. If you want to sell us k more, we will value those k items at a total of log2(j+k+1)-log2(j+1) First Goods; if you wish to buy k of the j items we have in stock, we will ask for log2(j+1)-log2(j-k+1) First Goods in return.
For the rest of us:
The first unit of a commodity has the value of 1 First Good. The next two units together have a total value of 1 First Good. So do the four after that, the eight after that, and so on.
We will always pay exactly 1 First Good for one more than our entire stock of an item. (For example, if we have 437 coal, we will pay 1 First Good for 438 coal.) Likewise, if you want to buy more than half of our stock of an item, it will cost at least 1 First Good. The value of a unit does not "plateau". If you buy 100 glass rods, you will not be simply paying 100 times a base price; the price per unit will always vary with the quantity. We have a calculator that will work out the price.
However, constant proportions of our stock will tend to converge to a constant value. For example, 10% of our entire stock of an item will be worth about 0.152 First Goods, regardless of how much we have in stock.
Consequently, relative prices will tend to remain stable as absolute quantities vary. If we have n times as many of item A in stock as item B, then the price of item B will be approximately n times the price of item A. The more units we have in stock, the closer the approximation. There is no limit to the quantities we will buy. With the formula given, it will in theory always be possible to buy anything we have in stock with whatever listed commodity (except for herbs which we no longer buy but still sell) you can provide, as long as you can provide it in sufficiently large quantities.
Prices are self-correcting. If we value an item too low, we will tend to sell more of it than we do other goods, increasing its relative price. If we value it too high, we will tend to buy more of it, lowering its relative price.
Confused? Wondering what the heck we’re on about?
Don’t worry you won’t need to work out the math to do a trade as we have provided a calculator tool for you to use at:
http://www.atitdhosting.com/thegoods/valuation.php
Really all you have to remember is that:
The more we have of a commodity, the less value we assign to it.
I have a hard time accepting that one deben of straw has the same worth as one Black Syrup Fertiliser....
If that situation occurred it would encourage players to sell more straw 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 or new items being entered. 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.
How is a new item added?
Slowly. It will be discussed by the board and only after it has been agreed by at least three TGBoD Elders that the item is generic, not complex or unique and that carrying it will benefit The Goods as a whole, then donations of a new item are accepted prior to listing it. The level of donations to be solicited for each new item introduced in game will be on a item by item basis. An elder will usually post in the guild forum details of the donations. Note that new items will not be immediately available for trade. Badgering Tellers or Elders into adding a new item will only slow the process down. Further note that canvassing Tellers and Elders to add items that have been considered and rejected will NOT result in us changing our minds.
Trades are submitted using the evaluate a trade section of the Valuation/Inventory page.(This is found at the top of the page above the inventory list.)
What happens to the GS that is positive in my trade?
Any extra Goodscrip in a trade is deposited to your account, whether or not you explicity 'buy' the GS.
Why can I not click the 'Checkout' button?
There are three reasons why your evaluation page is not showing a 'Checkout' button:
1) You have not entered your name into the top left-hand field next to the 'Submit Query' button. Enter your account name and you will be logged in.
2) Your trade is negative. The value of the goods you are buying is more than the value of the goods you are selling. See 'The Teller says my trade is negative. What does that mean?' section for how to correct this.
3) If you are buying more of a commodity than we have in stock. Please check the stock level and redo your trade.
What should I do after checking out?
After the trade has been checked out, it needs to be completed in-game. A trade isn't final until any goods are exchanged and a Teller validates it. Thus to actually buy or sell things at "The Goods" you will need to find a Teller. All Tellers belong to the "TGBoD"(The Goods Board of Directors) guild, known also as Tellers chat. Currently the Active Tellers are: Arpallan, Balthazarr, captdanjou, CaveCub, Deeva, Deohotep, Erika, Heathy, MeryetDjehuty, mosen, Neophant, Orchid, Ping, Squiranha, Thurgret, TpcT and Yendor. Everyone authorized to make trades (using the webpass login) is listed on "The Goods" main wiki page, web site and in-game guild info pop-up (use the /info command for this). It is best to /info a teller to find out if they are AFK or if they have just logged on, in either situation you are likely not to get a positive response. Also please try not to only chat those at the top of the list. If you chat a teller and get a negative response please don't then work your way through the whole teller list instead ask that the teller makes a request for you in Tellers chat so that next Teller who is available will make contact with you if you are still online. 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 then often one of the Tellers can ask TheGoods (the Tellers' official mule) to help you. So it is in your interest to be patient, don't open up chats and close them quickly because no-one answers within a couple of mins or you are informed that the Teller is unavailable. The Teller may be busy trying to find you some help. Please do not just turn up at "The Goods" compound (at 1433, 1973) the Tellers aren't psychic and you may have a long wait until someone shows up.
How do I make a trade once I have arrived at The Goods?
Once you've arrived at the Store compound at 1443, 1974 (North Seven Lakes) you may be asked to stand in line based on your arrival order. Follow the Teller's instructions but DO NOT give anything to the Teller until they have asked you to. The Teller may seem slow but he/she is just making sure that everything is in order.
Why didn't I get the price I was expecting?
Inventory prices may change before your order is validated. This is why we recommend that you only submit your trade after contacting a Teller and arranging a time for you to be both at The Goods. If you rely on a trade request that has been submitted some time before you may find that the terms of the trade no longer suit you. If there is a lot of trade activity prices may fluctuate within minutes of you submitting. It is your responsibilty as a Trader to check that you are happy with the prices in your trade, not the Teller who is responsible for seeing that any exchange of goods matches the quantity and type specified in the trade. The Teller has no interest in how much you are selling or buying things for he/she is only interested that the trade is valid. We cannot advise every trader of every price change after every trade, that is what the valuation page is for. Although we will advise if a trade request is negative and therefore impossible. See the section below called 'I want to change my order or delete it. How do I get it back?' for details of how to recall your last outstanding trade.
It is entirely acceptable for you to only submit your trade just before beginning to trade with the Teller. However if you do so then please realise that the trade itself may take much longer to complete as any inventory you may be buying will have to be found and transferred to the trade chest.
The Teller says my trade is negative. What does that mean?
For the system to accept the trade it must balance. This means that if you are selling items to buy other items then the value of the items you are selling must equal that of those you are buying, if it doesn't a minus sign comes before the "Total value" figure. Once you have added one item to your trade a new page appears with a new column in the inventory table called "Trade Cost". This shows you how many of each item you must sell to balance the trade. If you have enough virtual Goodscrip you can use this to make the trade, this needs to be inputted into the trade just like any other item as the system will not do it for you. You can tell when the trade is balanced because the "Total value" figure is no longer negative.
I want to change my order or delete it. How do I get it back?
On the "Inventory/Valuation" page go to the top left-hand corner and under "The Goods" banner is an input box with the button "Submit Query" next to it. Type in your name and press the button. If there's an oustanding trade the web page for that will appear and you can start again or delete the trade by pressing the "Clear All" button. If there is no outstanding trade your virtual Goodscrip account balance will be shown above the input box.
Do you deliver?
No. Sorry but we don't deliver. In Tale 1 where we were right next to a mega that provided a global way point, when we had 7 personal nav points and warping used less of our travel time and where we had access to cheap uber carry food that stayed fresh in the kitchen forever we offered the option. Even then this rarely happened. Now with increased costs both in terms of time and carry food we no longer offer the option.
But I'm busy and my compound is only a short run for your tellers and its only a small trade, please can't you deliver?
Yes we could deliver small trades to nearby traders but that would be unfair not only on tellers to expect them to do so it would be unfair on those who have to undergo a long run and several Chariot Stops to get to us. It would be far too time consuming for us to deliver to them. Thus we don't deliver locally.
What are trade chests? Can I buy a trade chest?
When we refer to 'trade' chests we mean the three chests in the main Goods compound that the Tellers and Traders both use to exchange goods. We don't supply such 'trade' chests to Traders but we do allow Traders to maintain 1 huge storage chest per Trader in the Traders compound. If you would like such storage facilities please chat a teller who will (upon being given the materials) will build you a chest and transfer ownership to you. NOTE: Having a chest built in the Goods Traders compound will not mean that you can conduct trades without the need to be at the store when a Teller processes your trade. Trades are only ever validated (that is completed)in the presence of a Teller who needs to check that both sides of the trade are valid.
How do I create an account?
First of all you need to have set your in-game password. "The Goods" uses the same password system as the ATITD Wiki and ATITD.net to validate users. To set your in-game password type in /webpass <atitd.net> <password>
NOTE: you have to be in-game to do this.
Once this is done "The Goods" site will recognize you when you input a trade and type in your in-game name at the checkout page.
How do I check my trade or account?
If you type in your name on the inventory page you can recall a previous trade or check your account Goodscrip balance.
I'd like share my account with my friends and/or guild. How do I setup a guild account?
There are two acceptable methods for sharing your account.
The first is a personal shared account. A personal shared account is setup in your name. You then edit your /info text to include a line that says "PlayerA, PlayerB, and PlayerC have permission to use my account at The Goods". Then when PlayerA wants to trade, they setup a trade under your name and when they show up they let the Teller know that they are trading under your account and that you have given them permission in their /info text (the Teller will verify before doing the trade). Please keep in mind that if you give a player permission to use your account, they can spend every last Goodscrip you have. Don't expect the teller to make any judgements about if they are abusing your account.
The second is a full guild account. You create a full guild account by creating a new account at "The Goods" using the name of the guild, a colon, and the guild level required. So for example, if you wanted to create an account for "The Goods" that is useable by all initiates, you just setup a trade under "The Goods:initiate". When you show up, let the teller know you are trading under the "The Goods:initiate" account. The teller will verify that you are at least an initiate in The Goods before doing the trade. If you wish to change the permission level, create a second guild account (like The Goods:kinsman) and transfer the funds between the two accounts.
Keep in mind that shared accounts are rarely used and some Tellers may not be trained on how to handle them. If the Teller doesn't understand what you are trying to do, please be patient with them and possibly see if there is another Teller who can help you both out.
How do I transfer funds to another account?
The easiest way to transfer funds is to setup trades to buy and sell scrip. No physical scrip has to change hands 0 instead use the 1,000 Goodscript notes listed alphabetically under Scrip on the Valuation page. For the seller, you will have to put two lines in your trade -- one to sell your virtual Goodscrip, and another to buy Scrip:Goodscript-1000. For the buyer, just sell the same number of notes to the store. Contact a Teller, explain that you are transferring funds, and have them approve both trades. Doing the transfer this way does not require that you (or the Teller) be at "The Goods", since all items involved both start and end in the same chest.
Example: I want to transfer 60000 Goodscrip from "The Goods:initiate" to "The Goods:kinsman". I setup a trade for "The Goods:initiate" to use 60000 Goodscrip to buy 60 Scrip:Goodscript-1000. I then setup a trade for "The Goods:kinsman" to sell the same 60 Scrip:Goodscript-1000. Having entered both trades, I contact a Teller and explain. If both trades are for the same amount, the teller can finalize the trade.
What's a Teller?
The strict definition is someone who deals with customers' transactions in a bank. Here in the weird world of ATITD it means someone who processes the trades entered into "The Goods" web site and who conducts any necessary admin.
So The Goods is a bank? I can get a loan?
There's a thought but sorry we're not a bank. The term "Teller" seems to have become the standard term for any one who offers a guilded trading service in ATITD. Yes it's confusing but the term "Vendor" might cause people to believe that what we're offering is a NPC service. (The term "Teller" was used to refer to traders for the "Bank of Phoenicia", a long-lost trading company in the land once known as Seven Lakes in the last Age.)
How do I know who is a Teller?
In-game you can do a /info command on "The Goods" guild to see the list there. "The Goods" web site also has a list of all Tellers. Not everyone on these lists will be active. The most current list is found at the main Goods wiki page and here: Arpallan, Balthazarr, captdanjou, CaveCub, Deeva, Deohotep, Erika, Heathy, MeryetDjehuty, mosen, Neophant, Orchid, Ping, Squiranha, Thurgret, TpcT and Yendor.
I asked for a Teller in The Goods main chat but no one responded to me!!! WHY??? I demand service!
It's important to note that due to the amount of chat in "The Goods" chat window the Tellers sometimes miss requests. It might just be that all the online Tellers are busy doing their own chores or attending an event. One time to avoid is shroom-time (the period between 1:30 am - 5am game time), during this time Tellers may be collecting mushrooms. It goes without saying that a GM run event or the release of a long-awaited tech or test is likely to result in few Tellers being immediately available. Also, your name might be too hard for them to spell resulting in a delay to contact you as they struggle to open a chat. If "The Goods" chat channel is busy your name might even scroll off before they can successfully open a chat so your safest bet is to /chat one of the Tellers directly. If no-one is immediately available they will leave a message in the Tellers chat to let the other Tellers know you are waiting. Remember that tellering is voluntary; Tellers are not NPCS, not even TheGoods avatar. We do share our pleasant experiences with customers in the main tellers chat. Your patience and kind words are appreciated.
I asked for a Teller in a guild/regional chat but no one responded to me!!! WHY??? I demand service!
Although Tellers and senior members of "The Goods" are members of many other guilds they don't spend all their time searching numerous chats for calls for Tellers. If you are not in "The Goods" and a Teller isn't chatting in the non-Goods chat channel then chat an online Teller. After all you wouldn't go to your local fast food store, demand attention from your dentist and expect the absent dentist to come to you. Also note that The Goods is an all-Egyptian guild and as such has tellers from many regions so asking for a Teller in a regional chat may be a rather fruitless exercise.
I sent a request for a teller to a mic but no one responded to me!!! WHY??? I demand service!
No teller is required to monitor any microphone. If you ask for a Goods teller in a mic you should be aware that it is pure luck that you will find a teller this way. Also please bear in mind that not everyone cares to know how urgent your teller request is so please be polite and show respect for the rest of the people who use the mic and the call board operators.
A Teller said he/she was too busy too teller even though I told him I needed the stuff I was buying for a Vigil/Tower/any test or principle!!! WHY??? I demand service now!
Please remember that Tellers also want to complete Tests and Principles and sometimes they will be genuinely too busy to help, maybe they will be running an MCB or mixing cement with a group they can't leave. If it is a tower hour then they too might be building towers and won't have the time to stop their tower building. Please note that Vigils do not get preferential treatment. Please do not plan your Vigil on the assumption that should you get a sacrifice that none of your particpants can fulfill that you will always be able find a teller able to help at short notice.
I can see a Teller near the 7Lakes chariot stop but he/she won't go to "The Goods" to complete my trade.
Just because a Teller is at or near "The Goods" don't assume that they are there to trade. Several Tellers live in the Seven Lakes region, some even have compounds close to "The Goods". So it follows that they might be busy with camp chores, tests, visiting schools/universities, running through to reach their compound elsewhere in Seven Lakes or using the chariot stop to move about Egypt.
Why doesn't TheGoods avatar 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 TheGoods then a /tell or two might work since she does not accept chats. Although if the Teller using her is busy with trading he/she might not notice a tell immediately or be too busy with a trade to reply at once so be patient. She can chat to you if she so chooses. (Note: We 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 TheGoods by secure chat with the real teller before completing the trade.)
Why haven't you Tellers providing a service 24/7?"
Because Tellers aren't NPCS. They're unpaid volunteers who also wish to have fun and play the game.
Well get more Tellers then. I'll be one if you want.
That's very nice of you but even if we made every player in Egypt a Teller we still wouldn't be able to offer a 24/7 service. There are just too many players in different timezones. Being a Teller requires a certain amount of commitment. Whilst tellering or waiting to make trades the Teller won't be able to do certain things. They also have to be prepared to stop something they may be doing in order to conduct a trade. They often have to leave events early or stop helping out with their main guild/camp chores. If you really want to make such a commitment then chat with an Elder about it. If your application is turned down don't take that to mean that your not trusted or liked it will simply be that the people who make the decision don't know enough about you. Due to the high level of trust needed to be a Teller (The Goods' reputation is only as "good" as its Tellers) a new Teller must have a good in-game reputation. So if you want to become a Teller work on that. Being polite to Tellers and encouraging others to do so also helps.
What is the fee for admittance to the Goods guild?
The admittance fee is 200 bricks and 100 boards. The quickest way to get admittance is to find an online Goods elder and give them your payment. If you stash in one of the guildhouses or even a donations chest then we may not know who has paid. If there are no Goods elders online then you can make your payment to any online Teller, who will then put you on the list we have at the TGBoD private wiki. (Remind them to do this as sometimes we forget things). In recognition of your donation you will be made a member. Note that the normal rules for conduct and for clearing dead or offline accounts will still apply but if you return after an absence and find yourself no longer in the guild chat an elder and you will be readmitted as a member.
Can you make me a kinsman etc?
Unlike some guilds there is no promotion path, working your way up the rankings won't lead to you becoming a Teller, we use other criteria to recruit our Tellers. For non-Tellers rank has no use. "The Goods" guild channel is there to facilitate requests for Tellers, to offer help to traders who may be having problems with their Goods trade and for Goods Directors to make Goods announcements. Any Goods admin is done via The Goods Board of Directors (aka Tellers Chat).
My friend is a trial account, why can't he/she join The Goods?
Once he/she is a paid account he/she can apply but given the nature of "The Goods" we need to know that a player will be around more than the free 24 hours game time a trial has access to.
I left the game for a short while and now my Goods chat channel is gone? Why have I been removed from The Goods.
Due to the high demand for places in "The Goods" if you do not log on for 28 days or more you will be removed from the guild. Exceptions are made if you have notified a Elder about a long absence prior to this. Quit accounts are removed as soon as an Elder notices. Expired accounts get a weeks grace to allow for billing errors.
The Teller says I've been rude and won't serve me. He's got to serve me, isn't the customer always right?
Nope. Tellers do their job to help out and their main motivation is fun. It's not fun to have to put up with abusive traders thus a Teller has the right at his/her discretion to refuse to trade with someone who has been rude to them.
Why has the Teller asked me to take my non-Goods trade to private chat?
We usually ask traders to take a non-goods trade to a private chat channel once initial contact with a trading partner has been made. We do this because it is easy for Tellers or other traders to be confused by the subsequent conversation. We have had cases of both Tellers and traders stopping what they were doing to come to the Goods. Yes it's silly that we have to point it out, still very often people don't think :-) If you want to conduct a non-Goods trade then use the following example as a guide: 'I'm looking for x, will trade for y, /chat me'. It's short and simple and what's more it's likely to attarct more potential traders as it won't get lost in a deluge of chatter.
I've been booted out of The Goods!! They can't do that, right?
The elders reserve the right to remove from The Goods any member who is felt to be a disruptive influence over the chat channel, for example by being abusive towards a fellow member in the guild.