WoW Rookie: The art of conducting business in [2:Trade]
by Lisa Poisso 
Apr 29th 2009 at 7:00PM
Just spent half an hour fruitlessly spamming the Trade channel in hopes of getting your new gear enchanted? Maybe (just maybe) the players on your server aren't the most unfriendly, unhelpful people this side of Silithus. Maybe you simply haven't figured out the most effective way to use [2:Trade].
According to loyal WoW Insider reader Sarabande, there's more to successful in-game transactions than simply advising someone to "use the Trade channel for trade." We agree – so this week, let's cover some basic tactics to get your sales sold, your portals ported and your enchantments enchanted.
Link it. Links get noticed. Whether you are buying or selling an item, linking entices players to click. Once they click, you've caught them in your (nether)web. To insert a link into a chat channel (which works in whispers, party chat, guild chat, raid chat and Trade), hold down Shift and left-click on the item. Other players can click on that link to bring up the item's tooltip. You can link anything you can see an icon for: items other players have linked, tradeskill items or enhancements from your own or another tradesperson's professions UI, items being worn by others, items displayed as rewards in your quest log, anything in the Auction House ...
When you want a specific player-made item or enchantment -- again, link it. Don't periodically interject a forlorn "Can anyone do Enchant X for me?" into Trade chat. First, ask in Trade for an Enchanter to link their profession. (Preferably, you'll have used wowhead.com or another database to look up what you want beforehand and be able to specify the minimum skill level the Enchanter needs to be in order to perform what you're looking for.) What you'll see in chat is a gold link saying nothing more than the name of the profession; click that, and you'll see every item/skill the tradesperson is capable of producing. You can scroll through that list in order to look up mats and to find links to the items you want.
Know your mats. Before you start asking around for a craftsperson to make something for you, know what materials ("mats") are necessary. Use wowhead.com or a similar database site, or ask someone to link their profession.
Specify whether or not you are providing mats. If you don't have your own mats, know the going market value (check the Auction House).
Know when to not to try to sell something in Trade. If you suspect other players might flame your item or question your sale for any reason (it's grey, it's a novelty item, it's an item you can buy from a vendor), use the Auction House instead of Trade.
Advertise that you're ready to pay up for services. Don't merely ask for an item or service; be clear that you're willing to pay. "WTB port to Exodar, please" or "Need port to Exo; tipping 5g" earns you a better response from Mages who are wary of port-and-run cheapskates.
Be willing to travel. When you want to buy something, it's up to you to get to the store. Have your hearthstone up and be ready and willing to travel.
Don't fume about non-Trade conversation in the Trade channel. Yeah, it's annoying. Yeah, it's going to continue. Conduct your business (with attention-grabbing links, remember?) and people will respond accordingly.
Read more about using (and abusing) the Trade channel:
WoW Rookie feeds you the basics to get you off to a good start in the World of Warcraft. Find more tools you can use in the WoW Insider Directory and WoW Insider Leveling Guides.Filed under: Items, Tips, How-tos, Features, WoW Rookie, Making money
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
Irshalthra Apr 30th 2009 2:28PM
Thanks for the tips Sinthar & ken. I like to link, but of course do not have the profession - if I did have the profession and recipe then I wouldn't need to advertise eh ...
I have seen blue links before and am assuming one of these mods is how they do it. I will be trying these out. I buy a lot and people do not seem to mind /2. trade: lf lw to create "Giantmaim Legguards" in Org - my mats will tip.
But providing an actual link is worth downloading a mod.
Cile Apr 30th 2009 2:54AM
The magic words when looking for someone with a tradeskill: "Have mats, will tip."
As an enchanter I've stopped responding to people who simply ask for enchanting to be linked, or even say 'can anyone do x' after all the times I've had people expect me to provide the mats for free. And all the times that I've taken the port to Org, have the blow my Hearth, and not get a tip.
Sure, tipping's not required... as long as you come to me and bring the mats. I have no problem clicking the trade window, create, and trading again. But if I have to go out of my way I expect to be compensated.
Neyssa Apr 30th 2009 5:32AM
Yeah and also, please download Atlasloot. Most of the profession items with the required mats are in it, not to mention that linking from Atlasloot is way much easier than looking it up on wowhead, copying and pasting the link.
Microtonal Apr 30th 2009 6:26AM
My policy in dealing with trade chat (also general, local defense, guild recruitment, and LFG) is to mute them all and do as I please.
Really, if you're willing to put in the time and effort, there's no need to ever see any of the global channels at all. Between my high-level toons, I have most of the crafting professions maxed or almost maxed, and for the ones that aren't, I have guildies and the auction house. The only time I ever have any trouble is if I'm looking for old-world stuff, especially alchemy.
MDC Apr 30th 2009 11:14AM
My biggest pet peeve is this:
"LF Blacksmith to make X"
me: I can make X, *link to mats*
them: Great
...
them: "u got mats rite"
.........
Yes, because at level 80 I have silver bars and rough stone in my bags/bank, just for your convenience.
Seriously, I'm as patient and kind as anyone to new people (wasn't long ago I was one), but I am seriously at my wits end with people expecting me to put up materials for (typically) old-world crafting items. (I say typically because in my experience, people requesting BC or Wrath items have materials and are much less likely to stiff you on a tip... the exception is DKs 58-70. They're as bad as the 20-40 crowd.)
--
On a related note: tipping.
If you're buying, or someone is providing a service to you, know what its worth. Any enchanter who visits the trainer can do Icewalker for you. Not every enchanter can do http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=27837 (agility to a 2h, no level req.) The scribe is not going to want to make that brand new glyph he just paid 2k gold for the book to learn, with your mats, and get a 5g tip, when he could AH the glyph for 200g. If its a reputation, rare drop, or purchased plan/recipe/enchant, keep that in mind when tipping. That person went out of their way to learn that, just to provide a service.
The other side of the coin: If you're crafting, if someone offers you a tip, don't whine about it. A person who is generous or well-off will tip well. A person who is frugal or struggling to earn money will not, and there's nothing you can do about that. Always give him the benefit of the doubt: if he had more, he'd probably tip you better, but he doesn't, so just accept, throw a /ty, and be on about your business.
--
Other random politeness tips:
If you're not in the same city as your buyer/servicer, offer to travel, if its at all possible or feasible. With the new 30-minute hearthstone cooldown, its not bad to pop down to Ironforge for something. If the person travels to you, take that into consideration for a tip.
Buyers: If you purchase materials for something, and you can't get a flat amount (say, you need 6 infinite dust and the smallest stack is 10), you can throw the extra in and let the crafter keep it as part of (or the entirety of) the tip.
Crafters: if you're not completely anti-social, and your customer seems happy with your work, offer to have them friend you, as they will likely need your services again in the future. The amount of income from crafting-for-tips for returning customers is not negligible, at least for me.
Crafters: help your customers out. It makes the whole process easier and faster. Most people who aren't a blacksmith themselves have no idea what a Heavy Grinding Stone is, or how to get it. Just a simple "Hey, I'll need 4 Heavy Stone to make the grinding stones, if you can't find them at the AH" goes a long way towards saving time and frustration. Same goes for stuff like flux, or stocks for engineers. Flux is a vendor item, but again, no one who isn't a smith has a clue where to get it. A nudge in the right direction benefits both of you :)
Buyers: your blacksmith/engineer/jewelcrafter sometimes needs an anvil. Your smelter needs a forge. Your tailor may need a loom (TBH really not sure anymore). Please don't stand in front of the mailbox and expect your Titansteel Destroyer right there. Don't freak out when I run off to go to said anvil and call me a ninja, pretty please :)
Himarl Apr 30th 2009 2:51PM
There really does need to be a function that eliminates all the meaningless, worthless, trash chatter that goes on in Trade. It has gotten to the point that people turn off trade because of what its become, and that is bad for business any way you look at it.
Perhaps if there was a function or tool that could only be displayed in Trade, no more random chatter. Like a new interface window that opens up when you want to trade something. With options to link the item and quantity you want to sell, your objective: WTB WTS WTT etc etc. and your price wether it be a range or specific price. Then a selection of times you want it to go off in trade....say every ten minutes, or five whatever.
Then restrict the ability to communicate in any other way in Trade. For those that want to chatter away a new channel called factional for citywides could be created seperate from trade and can be turned off.
Just some stupid ideas, I know that the chatter definately HURTS trade.
Evil1 May 1st 2009 12:32AM
My personal wish is for my friends list to have a comments section and an ability to share between all of my toons on that server. I have 10 toons on my main server, my wife has 10, a lot of my friends who aren't all in my main guild also have 10 (or close to) toons and so I find it annoying when I can't remember which of my friends' toon is which if they haven't played it for 3-4 months and are taking some time off to play an alt. Then also that Blacksmith I bought some sweet mail off of ages ago on my warrior, was that or or maybe it was ... come to think of it why did I make or or a friend??
dameblanche May 1st 2009 8:08AM
What drugs are you on, Worcester? Me wants em too, must be great to be able to rant on and on like that.
Aubergenne Jul 13th 2009 5:14PM
Worcester, I think you're hilarious. If you were to rant in my trade channel, I'd stop, laugh and read it. Keep on fighting the good fight. I'd join with you!