Trading Tips

Abbreviations

Ever entered the Trading/Auctions Chat where users advertise their wares to be assailed by words in titles and messages that seem indecipherable? Have no fear, Harmo is here! ;) Heh, I have made an alphabetical list below of the usual terms some traders use in their profession when posting on the messageboards or in their wishlists.

CP = Chia Pop

Ets = easy to sell

Hts = hard to sell

k = 1,000 NP i.e. 500K=500,000 NP)

mp = my price or morphing potion

nt = no thanks

nty = no thank you

obo = or best offer (Ex.: ‘500K for this item obo’)

pb = paint brush

pppb = petpet paint brush

scratchies = scratchcards

tp = Trading Post price (posted on the wishlists), Trading Post, or transmogrification potion

trans = transmogrification

ty = thank you

ub = unbuyable, over 100K in value

yp = your price

Making Good (And Bad) Deals

Perhaps you’ve refreshed on ‘Newest 20’ page at the Trading Post or seen some profitable item on the neoboards. However, the dilemma of ‘To buy or not to buy?’ fills your head. If the item has a rarity of 95 or lower and wishlists are asking for over 100,000 NP for the item, it is probably unprofitable. Such goods are generally newly released items, meaning few have entered the Neopian economy yet, so the prices for it are still high and will eventually go down after a few days. Secondly, examine how the number of the item for sale on the Trading Post. The more there are, the lower the price. Thus, if an item has a wishlist of around 500,000 NP and there are fifteen of them for sale, the item is inflated. If worst comes to worst, you can create a messageboard in the Trading/Auctions Chat asking about the standard price of a certain item. There are usually folks to lend a hand. ;) However, experience is the best guide in trading. Start with lower-costing items, so if there is any profit loss on an item, it will be kept to a minimum. Many of us have lost profit, so do not be afraid to make another stab at a different item; in time, you’ll eventually reap the profits.

Painted Petpets & TCGs

What is there to fear about this duo of items? They have been known to aggrieve traders, afflicting them with frustration fits, grumpiness, and an occasional tear. Well, perhaps symptoms vary, but these items are hard to sell, and in the case of TCGs, inflated. They are items that should be examined carefully before purchasing. For instance, most people will not pay the price it takes to create a painted petpet. Take the Blue Fir, for example. A Blue Petpet Paint Brush costs around 80,000 NP in user’s shops. A Fir costs around 6,000 NP. However, the Blue Fir costs only 13,000 NP while the process requires 86,000 NP. As can be seen, painted petpets almost always will cost less than the process to make them. So, the price of painted petpets should not be priced on how much NP is needed to create them.

Now, TCGs, the lovely virtual cards from the Trading Card Game. The costs of TCGs fluctuates and is inflated for many. The item may be unbuyable on the Trading Post and definitely buyable in user’s shops. It may be one cost one day, a different one the next. The rarity of one TCG may be higher than another, yet the higher rarity card costs less. Consequently, the lower rarity, more common card is inflated. TCGs are an item I would not recommend for large profits. With the exception of the Malevolent Sentient Poogle Plushie (TCG), much coveted for the avatar, TCGs are quite hard to sell unless you come across a collector, who even then will not fork over high prices.

How Much To Offer

What’s a price that will entice the seller but give you profit as well? It depends. If someone offers you a baby paintbrush for 30,000 NP lower than the standard price, that item brings nice profit since it is easy to sell and most people will pay the full, standard price. Take a Pencil of Nova, however. A seller offers it to you for 750,000 (50,000 lower than the TP price). Think in terms of selling this item to someone else. Do not think for a second that you will automatically gain a 50,000 NP profit if you try selling it. Others will also not pay full price for this hard to sell item, so your offer should be lower, perhaps 200,000 NP lower or more to give you room for profit as well as discount to attract buyers.

Live Auctions

What is a so called ‘live auction’? Observing one in action in the Trading/Auctions Chat will help. The topic contains the title ‘Can anyone beat 1 NP on my ____ ?’ or something similar in wording. Such boards for business are a reportable offense and violate Neopets rules. As a warning to any traders, do not hold such auctions or face Iceland. Instead, go around advertising with effort and perseverance to gain the profit.

Getting Started

To start earning profit, one needs around 500,000 NP to juggle with to buy items. Play your favorite games three times a day and do the Faerie Crossword. Pester the Tooth Faerie! ;) Now, with that large sack of gold coins in hand, march onward to the Trading Post! Examine prices, Neomail sellers. Lurk on the Trading/Auctions Chat to see the world of trading in action and the haggling of resellers. Once you feel confident, buy the item and advertise on boards, question gallery owners. Keep in mind, Neopets is a game…and a gamble.