Any interest in a shop directory?

Hi all,

I've noticed that a lot of the shop directories are out of date so I started making my own that I've been working on.

I've seen it come up in the forum once or twice, but is this something anyone else would be interested in me making public?

Edit

I've been some PMs about this and there is some really good ideas being thrown around in this thread. As GoNi pointed out that it is a rather large task to keep a shopping directory up to date.

ladyliegh suggested that we make it a group effort which I think would also be a great idea.

moondog Suggested a great idea of some way of making the stock items being user input, but either volunteers, the shop owners themselves or perhaps even paid workers as Gewitter has suggested.

To be completely honest, this originally just started as something quite simple and a few ideas to throw around but I think this thread has bought up some really awesome ideas. Here is a breakdown on the direction I think it could head:

Overview
- Decentralised and made up of a lot of contributors (volunteer, shop owners and potentially paid workers).
- Is presented in an easy to search and filter format.
- Aims to keep the content of each shop updated every 2-4 days.

Action plan
- A domain and somewhere to host this. (I'm happy to pay for this).
- Someone web savvy to help suggest out of the box directories we can use or perhaps help custom code one.
- Someone with design skills to help make it user friendly. (I'm happy to volunteer for this too).
- A regular way to advertise the directory and keep a regular stream of visitors.
- Someone to manage those who are collecting information (put together plans on when each "spot" needs to be updated).

Love to hear your feedback and thoughts on the above plan. If you feel like this is something you want to get involved in, please respond below.
-

Just consider this a bump. I am a shop owner, but only recently came back to the game. I'm waiting to see other answers

We need that ingame, provided by MA and automatically updated.

Player generated shoping directorys existed a lot over the year, but it is a lot work keeping that up to date.
Everyday someone needs to go through all the shops and check what is sold and what is new, to update the database.

There have been times, when I updated data for my own shop, regularly in some of that directorys.
Due to not intensly used by customers, and a lot outdated data from other shops, I gave up on that.

MA doesn´t offer easy success to all the needed date, although MA got it already.

Implementing a shopping directory should not be that though for MA, but we ask for that since many years.
Nothing happens.

This is a great idea - I did it for Arkadia shops about a year ago but all my notes are back in the UK - would be very helpful for those difficult to find items, I am even willing to help out if you need it - PM me in game "Charley Moondog 1969"

yes

It has been suggested and is needed.. I was working on one for Deer Mall.
Maybe it could be a group effort?
It would be an enormous task for just one person, to do all the shops on Calypso.

I'm willing to pay for participation in this directory 20-30 PED/month for each my shop (currently I have two shops), but assuming that someone will make updating the information about prices and stock no less than once every 3 days, and of course if this directory will be popular. And also someone must take the time and make the link on entropedia and forums

To OP - i light of Gewitters comment - maybe we are going about this the wrong way. Perhaps the way to do it is to invite all shop owners to submit their current stock, compile this into a spreadsheet showing shop locations and prices then post this as a link. Perhaps the shop owners could up date their stock details daily, weekly, monthly (whatever works best) so that the spreadsheet is always up to date.

This has a few advantages the main one being you dont have to spend most of your in game time looking through shops (unless you want to), simply updating the spreadsheet. The shop owners would get more visits based on the items they sell and the shops in apartments could be easily identified for players.

It's very complex question. Very. Good and bad sides of it. Much depends on how this technology pushed to service.

Could you share us some more information about project you would like to start?
Etc.:
what would be your primary, secondary goals running your version of shop directory?
What part of community you think could win after your version of directory and how? Who will be targeted as major winner? (shop owner? redistributor? end customer? manufacturer/supplier?)
What depth of info you mind to go collect and provide?
Will it be open directory or it will have some hierarchical structure and fees will be set for deeper information or for use of special tools?
What do you think are reasons of other shop directories are "out of date"/not working properly or gone? Have you had any discussions with previous owners, got experience shared, suggestions?

Or
It is just very crude idea of you and you haven't yet any detailed vision of how it will work? (= it's discussion thread)



Past two years I've been researching EU distribution system and I've been trying to model how it impacts various layers of our community. It has been done by running my armor shop (GaAs/C; just armors; up to 1300 item space) or doing tests using auctioning system. Major goals - investments into fair balancing of flows. I'm selling in my shop not just armors manufactured by me (I'm dedicated crafter), but also armors provided by hunters and by fellow armor crafters. And not just end customers I've seen active in my shop but also redistributors.
To note - any information is high power and if provided to community after low modelling it could bring high risks of negative impact. We spank MA for low modelling and we shouldn't act similarly... Usually strongest actors win/survive stress after "shocking" info. I'm sure for EU success there should be good space for beginners and medium players as well. Thus, I call for detailed discussions and modelling before running wide community projects.
I could not say yet "yes, we need" or "No". Try to answer question or bring discussion on what directory we talk about.

Peace.
+rep to thread opener for care.

It's good to see there is a lot of enthusiasm about that.

I think the best course of action is to make it a group effort.

I'll start to break down a list of the ideas that I have and pit it into the OP when I get some time tomorrow and then we can start to make this a reality.

I think what Auktuma is getting at is whether OP (or me) intends to use the information provided by the shop owners to our own advantage whilst trading.

This is a legitimate concern so perhaps the information could be restricted to shop locations and items for sale. Prospective customers would need to visit the shop to find out the actual price.

Beyond that I cannot see a problem. If a reseller finds say a missing piece form an armour set to complete a set to sell on then they should be entitled to do so after all that is their chosen trade.

Personally I get frustrated looking fo particular items. I wanted a top hat for ages and none were up on auction, I visited all the Malls trying to find one on Calypso, I even went to Arkadia looking as I though I recalled seeing one in a shop there. It would have been much easier to look up a shop directory to see if any were available

moondog said:

I think what Auktuma is getting at is whether OP (or me) intends to use the information provided by the shop owners to our own advantage whilst trading.

Click to expand...

I'm not so sensitive to that question. Smart traders have their own shop directories available just for them or for small team (partners/helpers) and use that data hidden way. While on this thread I see talk is about public directory. Creator/owner of it would risk to have negrep if resold item with profit instead of directing interested person right way. Tips for pointing to right direction are fair to get and fair to give. That's very good "communication" form.

moondog said:

Personally I get frustrated looking fo particular items. I wanted a top hat for ages and none were up on auction, I visited all the Malls trying to find one on Calypso, I even went to Arkadia looking as I though I recalled seeing one in a shop there. It would have been much easier to look up a shop directory to see if any were available

Click to expand...

I would agree that directory for rare and especially of extremely rare items is very helpful for all sides. At the moment what waste happens? Say someone has rare item for sell. There are several options. Auction, selling thread on forums, in-game advertise system with appropriate message, flood in-game trade channel, ask help of professional trader or rent a spot at someone's shop or post to own shop. More options available. But to mention all these could get to expensive time or money wise or even bring risk. Most frequent decision is when seller gave up to get good price and sells to reseller or pawn shop at 80% of market value or even at worse to owner. New end user wont get it at fairly comparable price to price previous owner had. That's waste of time and resources of active gamers.

Part2.
Situation is different when several versions of items are listed on directory. Then shop directory will add new input into balancing what not always will be win-win for all actors (sellers, purchasers). Much depends in this situation on actions of actors. If war or peace will be on offer. And what win or loss will be for whole community (future buyers, future sellers), how it will influence market on alternative items as well. No doubts shop directory will activate competition. Competition of sellers at shops and at auction as well. Not always that is good for end user on long run. Not always that is good for community. So much depends on actors after situation "sharpened".
Please do not read me as I have fear for my own business. Profit making never been for me #1, not even #2. I always been searching good mood in the room, so, I have fear just that after higher competition higher frustrations could appear, hate, greed, dirty methods and that "stuff" lowers entertainment for media on big picture. Still one positive there is - it will be purifier for community. Though some will stop playing EU .
Before starting something it is good to be prepared to what could happen. Excuse for opening some lil bit sharp edge. I tend to use contrasts, at times unreal contrasts, to face to possible problems. We need to discuss on details, discuss on what to add and what remove from directory at various situations or how to act when it is getting problematic to achieve goals what were set initially on creating shop directory. See my questions - I asked about what goals OP will have.

I've updated the OP putting together some of the idea and starting to work on a plan as to how we can make this happen.

my thoughts are that it should be less of a directory and more of a market place without prices. In esscence a multi vendor web shop, without a shopping cart or prices. That way shop owners can choose whether to add their items and locations etc or employ some one to do it for them.

The software to do this is relatively cheap and with experience easily setup.

Some one will make one and charge for it. Might aswell make it a community project with donations to cover the hosting and pay for the software.

warmdogg said:

The software to do this is relatively cheap and with experience easily setup.

Click to expand...

What's the name of the software?

Thats what i was looking into using for it before i saw your thread.

https://store.webkul.com/Prestashop-Advanced-Marketplace.html

GoNi said:

We need that ingame, provided by MA and automatically updated.

Player generated shoping directorys existed a lot over the year, but it is a lot work keeping that up to date.
Everyday someone needs to go through all the shops and check what is sold and what is new, to update the database.

There have been times, when I updated data for my own shop, regularly in some of that directorys.
Due to not intensly used by customers, and a lot outdated data from other shops, I gave up on that.

MA doesn´t offer easy success to all the needed date, although MA got it already.

Implementing a shopping directory should not be that though for MA, but we ask for that since many years.
Nothing happens.

Click to expand...

This would be the best solution.
I do however update as frequently as possible my shop thread.
So, from my side, you wouldn't need to worry about info updates.

This has happened before btw.

https://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/forums/showthread.php?223351-Shop-Owners

Not enough interest, not enough hours in the week to go through this lot, thats why most look on auction and find the closest item to what they are looking for.

I would like to add that someone asked me last week about someone's shop (who has posted in this thread) but I didn't know where it was - which is surprising considering how well known they are. So thats about advertising and the lack of.

Mega said:

This has happened before btw.

https://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/forums/showthread.php?223351-Shop-Owners

Not enough interest, not enough hours in the week to go through this lot, thats why most look on auction and find the closest item to what they are looking for.

Click to expand...

Why there could be low interest? Question is what for community attention is asked.
Are we helping players to find needed items? --> Yes!
Are we helping to shop owners to sell their items and at times at elevated prices? -->YES!
Or maybe even community will be asked to help to mall owners to bring them additional profits? -->Yes?
Are we gonna ask community to do work what I think should be organized and funded by mall owners?

Lets extract some real situation - lets say I'm lazzy shop owner having low care about customer. I put no efforts to invest into advertising myself, not a penny. I just posted 1500 items to my shop at 150% of market value. "Please come, record data to your database and advertise my items there so I could get customers." Does it sounds as fair you to come and help me. For free? No, not for free! I will pay 10 ped monthly after that additional 1000 PED profit .
Excuse I used my usual contrasts (=black humor) to show what situations could happen and what for community could start working. Blind altruistic help even to evil players. I would not like that to happen again and again to call community help for uncertain goals. That's why I try to put questions. To have more detailed discussion. Hardest part will be to fill database and to refresh it regularly. I would not liked community efforts wasted to help evil at 60% and god at just 40% to bring evil to stronger.

Mega said:

I would like to add that someone asked me last week about someone's shop (who has posted in this thread) but I didn't know where it was - which is surprising considering how well known they are. So thats about advertising and the lack of.

Click to expand...

Much depends on goals shop owner has. It might be the goal not to invest much into advertise/entertainment not to outshine other suppliers of same products on market, to offer them still some space on market. A friendly gesture. Or could be he thinks prices are not yet so friendly on majority of products (say after unfriendly cost) so he not trying to boost demand. Peace with you if you have found that shop is not useful for you so you haven't cared to memorize the location. Though your friend could have different scope, different interests, different view point. Care about your friends has so many various forms. There are balancing good and bad aspects you haven't provided info, haven't been able to. But I'm sure it happened just natural way. That's peace of nature.