Post by steelandardour on Jun 3, 2022 8:02:10 GMT
I can see that the current solution for ongoing buying is mainly looking at refactoring contracts. I have an alternative/ something that could sit alongside this.
Quick summary: Framework purchase orders - a company can raise a purchase order for a good at a certain price & quantity, and it is displayed on their company profile page. Anyone can fulfil the purchase order if they so wish until the purchase order is exhausted.
The detail:
Creating the order:
When creating the order, a player can choose the good they want to buy. They set the quantity of the purchase. They set the price of the purchase. The minimum quality of the purchase. Then the purchase period is set (recurring each day/ 1 day only/ x days etc). So each day the order will be regenerated according to the order setup. On creation, the funding for the current day is taken from the player wallet and put in escrow. The escrow funds are used to fulfil the purchases.
Uncompleted orders/ end of day cleanup.
At the end of the day, any escrow funds remaining are returned to the player. If the order is to regenerate the next day, new funds are placed in escrow AFTER bonds payments have gone out. If there are not enough funds available, then the new order fails to generate and sends a notification.
Selling to the order:
On the purchaser's profile there will be a list of outstanding purchase orders (similar to how exchange orders are shown currently) providing the detail on what is being purchased (good/ price/ qty/ quality). There will be a quantity box allowing the seller to define the quantity, and a sell button. On sale, the goods are deducted from the seller (along with any transport) and they are immediately reimbursed from the escrowed funds. Post-sale, the purchase order quantity will be updated.
Sharing orders:
It would be nice to be able to link to the framework orders in chat (i.e sales chat).
Editing orders:
The price/qty/quality should be amendable for an order. Perhaps it requires the current order to be cancelled and remade. Perhaps there is a transaction tax associated. Maybe it only comes into effect the next day.
Private/public:
The orders can be issued for fulfilment by one company in particular if private, or if public can be fulfilled by anyone. They can be hidden or displayed on the company profile by choice. This can hide commercial terms for ongoing suppliers.
What do I think will be improved by having this?
So, this cuts down on the manual contract admin each day for daily purchases, especially when at a defined price. In the event of lack of funds, it doesn't result in building liquidation. It allows a wider spread of suppliers to fulfil a purchase contract. It is a quicker way for a player to sell to another player without requiring them to be online.
But what about...
People will still want to use sales chat to publicise their purchase orders (and naturally their sales). Existing supplier relationships can use these to cut down on admin, although it's likely where uninterrupted supply is important, the new ongoing contracts would be a better fit. What if price changes render the purchase price too high/ low/ etc - well that's the risk you take - log in daily to make sure the order is still fit for purpose
Any comments/feedback appreciated - let me know what you think.
Quick summary: Framework purchase orders - a company can raise a purchase order for a good at a certain price & quantity, and it is displayed on their company profile page. Anyone can fulfil the purchase order if they so wish until the purchase order is exhausted.
The detail:
Creating the order:
When creating the order, a player can choose the good they want to buy. They set the quantity of the purchase. They set the price of the purchase. The minimum quality of the purchase. Then the purchase period is set (recurring each day/ 1 day only/ x days etc). So each day the order will be regenerated according to the order setup. On creation, the funding for the current day is taken from the player wallet and put in escrow. The escrow funds are used to fulfil the purchases.
Uncompleted orders/ end of day cleanup.
At the end of the day, any escrow funds remaining are returned to the player. If the order is to regenerate the next day, new funds are placed in escrow AFTER bonds payments have gone out. If there are not enough funds available, then the new order fails to generate and sends a notification.
Selling to the order:
On the purchaser's profile there will be a list of outstanding purchase orders (similar to how exchange orders are shown currently) providing the detail on what is being purchased (good/ price/ qty/ quality). There will be a quantity box allowing the seller to define the quantity, and a sell button. On sale, the goods are deducted from the seller (along with any transport) and they are immediately reimbursed from the escrowed funds. Post-sale, the purchase order quantity will be updated.
Sharing orders:
It would be nice to be able to link to the framework orders in chat (i.e sales chat).
Editing orders:
The price/qty/quality should be amendable for an order. Perhaps it requires the current order to be cancelled and remade. Perhaps there is a transaction tax associated. Maybe it only comes into effect the next day.
Private/public:
The orders can be issued for fulfilment by one company in particular if private, or if public can be fulfilled by anyone. They can be hidden or displayed on the company profile by choice. This can hide commercial terms for ongoing suppliers.
What do I think will be improved by having this?
So, this cuts down on the manual contract admin each day for daily purchases, especially when at a defined price. In the event of lack of funds, it doesn't result in building liquidation. It allows a wider spread of suppliers to fulfil a purchase contract. It is a quicker way for a player to sell to another player without requiring them to be online.
But what about...
People will still want to use sales chat to publicise their purchase orders (and naturally their sales). Existing supplier relationships can use these to cut down on admin, although it's likely where uninterrupted supply is important, the new ongoing contracts would be a better fit. What if price changes render the purchase price too high/ low/ etc - well that's the risk you take - log in daily to make sure the order is still fit for purpose
Any comments/feedback appreciated - let me know what you think.