Trading in POE2: market manipulation

Just wanted to put in my 2 cents on the trading situation!

Currently, the scarcity of items is leading to what are already "insane" prices for items that are objectively better than others. If you take a look, you'll see it's partly due to areas of the market being cornered by individuals selling ALL of that type of item. If you want to see it for yourself, just lookup the early guides that exist, and see the items they suggest, then search for those specific items. You will see the same one or two names with ALL of that item. Anywho, that's just a consequence of markets to a degree; supply and demand economics.

I posit, however that the problem could be solved by simply making items tradeable ONCE, then the items gets marked as "soulbound" or whatever. There's no ability for middlemen to corner a market, and it doesn't impact anyone being able to sell their items as individuals. Consequently it applies DOWNWARD pressure on prices as 100 people selling their items leads to price competition. Your item sells for 10 orbs based upon market price, so you want to make yours cost 9 so your item sells first. The next guy makes his cost 8 etc.

Anywho, just a thought, but the system currently leads to price and market manipulation and is allowing people that "no-life" the game to just buy their way to best gear, while it is perpetually out of reach for casuals or the less hardcore. There's no way a casual like myself can come up with 40 orbs for each slot or to have even ONE best in slot item unless it appears in our game. For some reason this idea was attacked vociferously in game when discussing it, so I'm curious as to what the more considered forum users might say about the idea. I'm sure there's a downside somewhere, but I'm failing to see it off the top of my head.

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M3tallius#0343 wrote:

could be solved by simply making items tradeable ONCE, then the items gets marked as "soulbound" or whatever.

You new here?

Probably one of the strongest and most important pillar that this game is created upon, is open trade and a free market (in GGG's eyes). Soulbound will never be a thing in PoE, at least when it comes to gear.

On top of that, we have Jonathan saying "it's OK for the best players to be a thousand times more powerful than the rest". They WANT to reward you for being further ahead.

But yes, the price difference between "the best" and "the rest" of the items are crazy right now. If you want a ring with life and two good resists, you have to bankrupt yourself. But this is what happens when A LOT of new players, that (by choice or not) are "stuck" in the acts, sometimes with no interest of ever playing the endgame - where the rewards are.

big agree with Phrazz#3529, its the way its always been and its the best way.

The actual solution is to itch ditch stupid ass trade site the and have an in-game marketplace.

You list the item, give it a price, then someone can come along and buy it for the price listed.

No fake listings, no scamming with substitutions.

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Xenus_Paradox#7530 wrote:

The actual solution is to itch ditch stupid ass trade site the and have an in-game marketplace.

You list the item, give it a price, then someone can come along and buy it for the price listed.

No fake listings, no scamming with substitutions.

This, I don't know why they're so against it. If Last Epoch can do it then there is no reason for PoE to not have it. Marketplace system has literally 0 negatives for the players. No scammers, fixers, afk seller, etc. It's baffling how the players spend most of their time calculating numbers and and buying items OUTSIDE OF THE GAME, than playing the game itself. Please keep that thing on PoE1.

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M3tallius#0343 wrote:

I posit, however that the problem could be solved by simply making items tradeable ONCE, then the items gets marked as "soulbound" or whatever.

That will never happen. This isn't WoW/Blizzard/Diablo.

I agree, that there are some no-lifers, especially a handful of people on TFT discord who tend to control the market on a lot of items.

I'm hoping once the game is released crafting is in a much better place so players are less reliant on market manipulators.

At least in PoE 1, if you understand every crafting mechanic, use crafting sites, you can make great gear on your own.

The solution is simple, AUCTION HOUSE. I know they don't want it so they keep saying, look how good the currency one works.... They just need to stop being so PIG HEADED about it, it's worked in the past, it works now and it will work in the future.

It would stop people posting stupid crap for high prices because there would be an investment to do so.
It would stop people from scamming newer players when they list expensive items for cheaper than they are because it would sell and they would lose it.
It would also be better for EVERYONE when they want something cheap because most people even a week or less into league will not waste their time trading those items anymore, those items would now just sit on the AH until someone buys it, no additional effort for the seller after the initial posting.
It would also mean a first in first served no BS system.

The only downside I can think of is BOTs sitting there trading all day buying low selling higher which could be somewhat fixed by limiting trades, monitoring accounts that have large numbers of trades etc.