Merchant Fees

[Kasumi 967]

This is a request to reconsider how the merchant fees work

 

It already costs silvers to buy the merchant contract and then you still loose 10% in fees on everything bought from the merchant.
If there are no plans on removing these fees all together my suggestion is to let at least half (if not all) of those fees go automatically into the upkeep of the deed the merchant is placed on (like traders had the tax option before the changes).

If the merchant is not located on a deed, the full 10% in fees is taken like it is at the moment.

 

I think this will make it more appealing to have a market deed; help current market deeds to keep on existing; make the costs/fees more even and fair for ppl with merchants vs ppl selling via mailbox only; and allow high end items to be sold on merchants.

(While 10% doesn't hurt as much on small inexpensive items it does mean that almost no one is willing to put high end expensive items on merchants and loose a handful of silvers on it.)

[crimsonearth 477]

I'd wholeheartedly agree with Kasumi on this one. I have a market deed too because a) I like them and wish the game had more of them, b) appreciate being able to leave things on merchants for others to pick up at their leisure, and c) enjoy curating their shops. I travel regularly for good markets and I wish more people did too - but the way the system currently works, you end up with a lot of items priced above market rate on some people's market stalls to cover the cost of the merchant's cut (which puts people off making the effort to scour market places) or you do what I do and put things at below market rate on merchants to reward people for taking the time to travel rather than only use trade chat -- which means I'm soaking my own discount (which is fine) and also the merchant's tax.

I don't understand why something you already pay to set up and that encourages more community interaction and player travel is being taxed and would sincerely welcome this being looked at again. I'd be happy with it being diverted to deed upkeep as Kasumi suggests.

Edited November 6, 2020 by crimsonearth

[Yserin 171]

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Edited August 8, 2021 by Yserin
no longer playing, Per the mismanagment of AH update

[Shmeric 581]

I am fully in favor of removing all and any taxing on merchants.

Cheap and instant mail system already has made merchants pretty much obsolete, there's no need for additional penalties. They're used as personal storage more often than actual merchants these days.

 

Or (and getting beaten to mud for this one) - put a similar 10% tax on mail cost.