Get Ready, Get Set, Get Shopping!

On the third day of the month, every shop in Neopia, with the exception of the Hidden Tower, sells their items at half price. This starts and ends at midnight Neopian Standard time. It can be difficult to get your hands on cheap items, especially if you have a slow computer or dialup internet access, but it is still possible to snag a bargain or make a tidy profit from half price day! Below are a few tips to help you succeed in your spending spree.

    BEFORE THE DAY

Do your homework

If you are buying for a gallery, or looking for specific items (for example, you are looking to fill your stamp album, and want the stamps at the best prices possible) know what you want, and how much they usually cost, both in the store and the Shop Wizard. Make a spreadsheet, or simply just write them down on a piece of paper. List the proper names of the items you are after, and their average price. Do this at least a week before half price day, as this will give you the most accurate price. If you look at the prices via the Shop Wiz in the week after HPD, you will notice that they range from bargain basement to very expensive, as people find prices to sell their loot at (this can also be a good time to shop, but more about that later!).

If you want to restock, work out what types of items you want to focus on. Pick two or three things; for example food, books and furniture, and check the market wizard for the average selling price of a few of these items. Have them written down in front of you, so when you're shopping, you have an idea whether you are getting a bargain or not. Even though the items in the shops are half their usual price, some items, for example battledome items, are more expensive in the shops than they are on the wiz. If you have a slower computer or dialup internet, you should accept now that you probably won’t score any bargains from the stores that only stock a few items at a time, and focus on the shops that stock large amounts (food, gardening, beauty, pharmacy etc). In addition to this, you will probably have trouble grabbing one of the rare items in these shops, so now is the time to abandon your dreams of getting rich quick buying r99 items and selling them for mega bucks.

    ON THE DAY

Be prepared

Withdraw enough points from the bank to shop for a few hours. You don't want to run into a fully stocked shop and have to stop by the bank before you purchase. Clear out your item inventory to make room for your purchases. You will also want to do this while shopping, while you are waiting for the shops to restock. When the shops are empty, take the time to move your newly purchased items to your Safety Deposit Box, shop or gallery to make room for more. Make yourself comfortable; set yourself up with refreshments, and make sure that your homework/chores/work is done so you won’t be interrupted by anyone!

Don't rush in

Just because half price day starts at midnight, it doesn't mean that all the items in a shop are automatically changed to the cheaper price. If you rush in and madly start purchasing right on midnight, you may be paying a higher price. Check the prices in the shop, and maybe check a few of them against the wiz. I usually wait for 15-30 minutes before I start buying, especially in the Neopian Garden Centre and Fine Furniture shops

Be patient

You might get frustrated when met with empty store after empty store. Give them time to restock, and keep checking to see what time each store restocks itself, which will give you an idea on when you need to return to that store. Refresh the shop every minute or two, but don't do it more often than that or you could be shop banned, which can last for up to a week. If a shop is continually empty for more than 15 minutes, there are probably people faster than you getting it all before you get a chance to buy. You may want to abandon this shop for another one.

Don't haggle too much

Try and settle on a price that you would be happy to pay, and haggle that amount. If you start really low to get the price down, you will probably miss out. With most items you don't get more than one price entry before you lose the item. So, if the shop is asking 300np for an item, enter 235np, and hope that it is accepted. After a while you will get a hang of what the shopkeeper will accept. Also, if you haggle constantly, the shopkeepers get angry with you and will no longer accept lower prices.

Take a break

There is a limit on how often you can purchase items, and how long you can constantly shop for. If you constantly buy items, after a while the shopkeepers get angry and start to raise their price in the haggle screen above what it was in the shop. Pay attention to the shop price and if it is more expensive when you go to haggle, you need to take a break. Walk away for half an hour, get some fresh air, or failing that play some games, and come back to it later. This will help make it easier for you to get the price you want

Take a chance

Occasionally something will come across your path that seems like the bargain of the century, but you aren't 100% sure of the value of it. I say go for it. It's impossible to know, for example, the market price of all the collectable cards, and when you are faced with a big list it's hard to pick and choose. You need to take chances if you want to make neopoints! You will lose out sometimes, but sometimes you snag a bargain. On the subject of cards, too; in general the pink ones sell for more.

    AFTER THE DAY

Don't sell yourself short

Remember that lots of other people out there are buying cheap items, and will also be selling them cheap to offload them quickly. If you buy things and price them in your shop on or just after half price day, you may be underselling yourself. Wait a couple of days before you sell, or plan to sell in lots over the course of the month.

Also remember because others are selling things cheap, you may be able to bag a bargain on the market wiz. At this time people often try to sell their valuables quickly for spending money, so if you're lucky you might find a good deal or two!

So, there it is, the lowdown on HPD. Good luck next month and happy shopping!