Quote:
what i love are the folks who buy cheap auctions and repost at higher prices, then claim that they are "providing a service by keeping prices steady, so people know how much things will cost."
well i would just like to thank you folks for buying up the overpriced auctions, and reposting them at the normal prices so people don't get ripped off...
...oh wait...
While I understand what you're trying to say, the logic of doing so wouldn't make sense. If I put up an auction for Copper bars at 2g and someone buys and relists at 1g, you're going to have taught me that someone will buy it at 2g. Thus, I have incentive to sell all my copper bars at 2g. This will actually result in the eventuality of copper prices rising.
Now, if those people really want to balance the server's prices, they'd instead gather their own auctions and list many at the correct price, forcing me to lower my prices to compete. Yes, while price stabilization works one way in one direction, doing so in the other direction requires a different approach. Obviously, this will not work as well with rare goods, thus making them more susceptible to the control of a few people with money.
I am a believer that higher prices on some things are only to the benefit of those without a 60 with massive funds backing them. Copper bars go up in price to 1.5g a stack? My lowbie miner's mount fund now requires only sixty stacks of bars instead of 90. However, if the copper is allowed to drop in price to 75 silver a stack, I now have to gather 120 stacks, while that sixty who is powerleveling a profession benefits. So, do I care if people play the market? Not really, no.
Besides, if prices go up high enough, there'll be an influx of gatherers and it'll balance out. Again, this is only for gathered mats, not necessarily for rare drops.