i was going to post something about entitlement in video games, but i figured i may as well scrap that and instead, once again, make a general plea for everyone to stop using the outdated and incredibly impractical concept of "tipping," and instead just call it what it is: a Fee. there's nothing wrong with fees, we pay fees all the time in WoW, whether we're paying a fee to use flying mounts in Northrend, or a fee to unlock dual talents, up the cap on our skills, or what have you. we pay fees all the time, and there is no reason for people to not understand that things other players do to help your character are also accompanied by fees.

but in the interest of simply making things easier, if you expect a 200g FEE from someone, you need to be upfront about that. it doesn't matter if you think it's "worth" 200g. it doesn't matter if the other guy thinks it's "worth" 2g. you want 200g? you have to say something, AND you have to be civil if the other guy isn't interested in paying that, for whatever reason. how would you react if you sat down at a restaurant and were handed a menu that had no prices? "oh we'll just charge you whatever we feel is fair after you order, sir" the waiter explains. haha no.

the answer is simple. when i need something from a craftsman in the trade channel, it's always "LF [tradesman] to craft/cut/enchant [Name of item/enchant], my mats, PAYING XXg, PST." i'm not tipping, i'm PAYING. if someone sees my tell in trade and the price i'm PAYING is acceptable, they whisper me. if not, they simply move on. it's that easy.

running to meet some stranger in IF, burning your hearthstone, and crafting his item without EVER discussing payment, then throwing a temper tantrum when he didn't tip you what you felt was fair is childish. TELL the other player what payment you expect before you do anything else.

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