Post by stickcaveman on Sept 2, 2022 16:52:20 GMT
'Profile Store' built into the game much like viewing the profile of someone on eBay (or how eBay used to be anyway).
The feature would allow players to post items for sale onto their profile, much like displaying an item. Except it would allow buyers to click an option to buy on their end for a price determined by the seller. The benefit would be that suppliers can sell in the same manner as contracts. Buyers would be able to purchase this merchandise directly instead of having to send a message and wait until the supplier logs back into the game.
Seller Perspective:
Similar to the display case, a seller would need to have acquired slots to display their items for direct profile sales. One or two could be provided by default. More slots would need to be purchased with Sim Boosts.
To add items to their store, a seller would go to the warehouse, click the item, then click the option to 'ADD TO PROFILE STORE'. Just the same as they would when selling items on exchange or through contract. Next, the game would ask the seller what quantity to display and for what price. Amount would be limited to the amount available in warehouse.
Inventory shown would not work in the same way as display items. Display items increase as more inventory of the same item is added in their warehouse. Instead, a seller would need to manually add more inventory to the sales display slot as it is acquired. If the inventory is sold out after a given period of time, the slot will disappear until the seller adds items again. Slots will also only allow 1 particular product and quality level at a time.
Example: Seller adds 500,000 Q2 water for direct profile sales. Seller finds that their pricing may be too high after not selling any for 24hrs. They update their pricing the next day and sell 100,000 of the water they uploaded to the slot. Seller adds more Q2 Water to this sales inventory as it is acquired in their warehouse inventory. Several days later, seller upgrades their water production to Q3. They still have Q2 in stock for Profile Sales. They cannot add Q3 Water to the same slot and must either use a different slot or remove their Q2 water being displayed.
Buyer Perspective:
A buyer is searching for a quick purchase of an item. Exchange is too high. Nobody is responding in Sales Chat. Buyer uses the direct contract feature and finds a supplier. However, the supplier is offline and there's no telling when they'll respond.
With direct profile sales, the buyer views the seller's profile like scrolling through Amazon or eBay. Amount available to purchase is shown as well as price per unit. The buyer clicks the item and is prompted to input how many units they would like to purchase. Assuming the buyer has the cash to pay in full and another buyer hasn't reduced the available in stock by clicking the buy button first, the sale goes through.
Transport:
Option 1: Exactly the same as buying or selling through contracts as currently provided by the game. Seller must have the transport required when adding items to their profile store.
Option 2: Buyer must pay for shipping. Like contracts, only half transport units are required. Buyer must have the proper amount of transport in their warehouse for the direct sales to go through. Rule does not apply to items that do not require transport units. Perhaps to add some challenge to direct profile sales, items that do not require transport units will not be allowed for direct sales.
Option 3: Seller's choice. Like with eBay, a seller can list an item as "Free Shipping!" to make their items more marketable. Or they can add a surcharge to help cover their own shipping costs of selling the item.
In any option, transport required will be the same as selling via normal contract.
Marketing:
Sellers can still utilize sales chat to promote their profile sales items as well as advertising slots on Sim Companies Times. This will also improve the direct profile search feature as a buyer can access a seller's sales inventory regardless of the seller's offline status.
Potential Challenges:
I think it would be acceptable for a small seller fee (1%?) when using the direct sales option. This will help players to continue actively messaging others for regular contract sales for the best deal available but will also be competitive to exchange prices.
Another challenge for this sales option could be to require sellers to research a particular slot availability. Example: A seller wants to sell Q2 Apples from their profile. They must research a specific slot to sell Q2 Apples and the research will only allow the slot to hold Q2 (or less) Apples.
Input:
I'd love to hear input from others on this idea. What are the downsides? How might this affect the Exchange or Contracts? What would be an acceptable fee for direct profile sales? Do you like Option 1, 2 or 3 for shipping?
The feature would allow players to post items for sale onto their profile, much like displaying an item. Except it would allow buyers to click an option to buy on their end for a price determined by the seller. The benefit would be that suppliers can sell in the same manner as contracts. Buyers would be able to purchase this merchandise directly instead of having to send a message and wait until the supplier logs back into the game.
Seller Perspective:
Similar to the display case, a seller would need to have acquired slots to display their items for direct profile sales. One or two could be provided by default. More slots would need to be purchased with Sim Boosts.
To add items to their store, a seller would go to the warehouse, click the item, then click the option to 'ADD TO PROFILE STORE'. Just the same as they would when selling items on exchange or through contract. Next, the game would ask the seller what quantity to display and for what price. Amount would be limited to the amount available in warehouse.
Inventory shown would not work in the same way as display items. Display items increase as more inventory of the same item is added in their warehouse. Instead, a seller would need to manually add more inventory to the sales display slot as it is acquired. If the inventory is sold out after a given period of time, the slot will disappear until the seller adds items again. Slots will also only allow 1 particular product and quality level at a time.
Example: Seller adds 500,000 Q2 water for direct profile sales. Seller finds that their pricing may be too high after not selling any for 24hrs. They update their pricing the next day and sell 100,000 of the water they uploaded to the slot. Seller adds more Q2 Water to this sales inventory as it is acquired in their warehouse inventory. Several days later, seller upgrades their water production to Q3. They still have Q2 in stock for Profile Sales. They cannot add Q3 Water to the same slot and must either use a different slot or remove their Q2 water being displayed.
Buyer Perspective:
A buyer is searching for a quick purchase of an item. Exchange is too high. Nobody is responding in Sales Chat. Buyer uses the direct contract feature and finds a supplier. However, the supplier is offline and there's no telling when they'll respond.
With direct profile sales, the buyer views the seller's profile like scrolling through Amazon or eBay. Amount available to purchase is shown as well as price per unit. The buyer clicks the item and is prompted to input how many units they would like to purchase. Assuming the buyer has the cash to pay in full and another buyer hasn't reduced the available in stock by clicking the buy button first, the sale goes through.
Transport:
Option 1: Exactly the same as buying or selling through contracts as currently provided by the game. Seller must have the transport required when adding items to their profile store.
Option 2: Buyer must pay for shipping. Like contracts, only half transport units are required. Buyer must have the proper amount of transport in their warehouse for the direct sales to go through. Rule does not apply to items that do not require transport units. Perhaps to add some challenge to direct profile sales, items that do not require transport units will not be allowed for direct sales.
Option 3: Seller's choice. Like with eBay, a seller can list an item as "Free Shipping!" to make their items more marketable. Or they can add a surcharge to help cover their own shipping costs of selling the item.
In any option, transport required will be the same as selling via normal contract.
Marketing:
Sellers can still utilize sales chat to promote their profile sales items as well as advertising slots on Sim Companies Times. This will also improve the direct profile search feature as a buyer can access a seller's sales inventory regardless of the seller's offline status.
Potential Challenges:
I think it would be acceptable for a small seller fee (1%?) when using the direct sales option. This will help players to continue actively messaging others for regular contract sales for the best deal available but will also be competitive to exchange prices.
Another challenge for this sales option could be to require sellers to research a particular slot availability. Example: A seller wants to sell Q2 Apples from their profile. They must research a specific slot to sell Q2 Apples and the research will only allow the slot to hold Q2 (or less) Apples.
Input:
I'd love to hear input from others on this idea. What are the downsides? How might this affect the Exchange or Contracts? What would be an acceptable fee for direct profile sales? Do you like Option 1, 2 or 3 for shipping?