Why do people keep devaluing cards?

[resevil239]

I work for a wholesaler and see the same thing all the time, some idiot significantly lowers the price of an item and it lowers the whole market as a result (because generally consumers will buy the lowest priced item first, or at least think they are getting ripped off if they see a lower price), but this isn't just a few people. For example, the red axe you can get through building a badge in dead island, or the Summer Sale Prison architect back ground. Both of those sold for well over $5 a week or two ago, yet there are literally several hundred people that are selling it for $0.03! Why?! clearly not many people are buying those, but there are people who are willing to pay real money (meaning more than they could have gotten from selling their own cards) for these things, else they never would have sold.

I just don't understand why people keep lowering the market on everything, despite enough evidence to suggest that people will sometimes pay a higher price than the average. At very least things should stay AT the average. I could see an initial drop, but when something sold two weeks ago for almost $10 and 200+ people have it listed at .03...Thats just rediculous. Esp since someone had to craft a badge to get that and thus it should be worth more than the cards that were needed to make it.

TL/DR: People stop devaluing the cards and items so much!

[Kargor]

Well, chances are it's because these items have no actual value. You have one, you don't want it, you want to get rid of it, so you just make it the lowest price.

[Misha Arsellec Lune]

Newsflash: Virtual objects are worth only as much as people decide they are.
More at 10.

[Matt]

Supply and demand. The Snowglobe cards are dropping because every day there is an excess of of 7,500-10,000 of each card. After seeing how nobody was interested in the Summer Getaway cards (their price is still dropping because nobody's buying them) Valve probably thought that by making the cards expire on January 3rd would make the price not crash, but that obviously hasn't had any effect yet.

I for one am glad that the prices are crashing. Because these items have no inherent value, it's up to the community to decide how many people get to afford these items. There are definitely some items I will consider buying, but I'd honestly much rather spend my money on games than on these badges and items. In fact, if nobody cared about making a profit off the cards, we could all drop the price to minimum and pretty much farm free cards and items from the system. But since there are people out there that are bringing the price up because they feel each card is worth $0.25 or whatever, the item prices reflect that.

[d7602002]

I don't want the cards, but I want the cash. I see what the lowest price for the card I have is and then put it 1 cent lower and it sells and I make money. If the lowest price is 35 cents, I put 34....That's the way it is. That's why prices are lower.

I want more Foil cards though as I have sold one of those for 5 bucks.

[Ryan]

What a silly post.

Of course people are devaluing the cards everytime a new one gets dropped the cards get devalued as the supply is going up so if someone wants to sell it you have to price it according to the market rate as more cards get dropped the market rate gets lower.

The two items you mentioned nearly all items have a sudden spike in them where someone has paid over the odds for something this isnt the market vaule for that item I would imangine someone has made a mistake or something fishy is going on perhaps a hacked account. The red axe you mention want for a lot of money 4 weeks ago since then its been sold around 20 times for 3p I would imangine 3p is the going rate not the £5 someone paid and as you pointed out hundrands have it for sell for 3p and yet its not selling so why would someone pay £5 for it when its for sale for 3p.

Where is your evidence that people will pay a higher price than average? I see none.

[Snake Inthe boX]

resevil239 eredeti hozzászólása:

TL/DR: People stop devaluing the cards and items so much!

Please stop thinking you can fix the price of items with no "real" value.

[Ryan]

Also why do you think people who lower prices are idiots? have some of the most succesful companies not succeded by being able to offer lower prices?

[kuvasz]

Resevil, it's interesting that you note that you work for a wholesaler, yet you don't seem to be acquainted with the very basics or any market: supply and demand, as has been pointed out in a previous post. It doesn't matter how difficult or costly it is to obtain anything on steam, the only thing that matters is how much people value the item (which is comprised of many things, 1 of which is supply-demand).

If I get anything from crafting any badge that I don't value (useless/ugly), I will be inclined to sell it cheap if there is next to no demand for it, and dear if there's a lot of demand for it (e.g. a new badge). But I'm sure you get the idea. Long story short, in the long run prices stabilise and arrive at their more or less accurate and correct value balancing on the borderline of "too expensive" and biting the bullet because "I want it badly".

In conclusion, no item that people are actively seeking will ever be at 0.03 (because the cheapest ones will always be bought). In addition, no item that is no longer obtainable will ever be 0.03, regardless of how low demand for it (i.e., nobody wants it) might be.

Lastly, just think about what you proposed here. It's not worth it for anyone to "lower the market price" because a) they'd need to obtain the item first at a higher cost, or b) (if they get it as a drop or by-product) they could make more money straight away by following the price trend instead of undercutting it and getting less money.

[resevil239]

d7602002 eredeti hozzászólása:

I don't want the cards, but I want the cash. I see what the lowest price for the card I have is and then put it 1 cent lower and it sells and I make money. If the lowest price is 35 cents, I put 34....That's the way it is. That's why prices are lower.

I want more Foil cards though as I have sold one of those for 5 bucks.

Thats part of the problem though. Thats how rare stuff, or badge items go from being $1+ to $0.03.

I just get annoyed seeing that I could have gotten way more if people didn't flood the market with cards that are worth way less. Maybe they should give out way less cards or link cards to certain achievemnts or something so they are worth more per card. In the end I really just want to sell them to get free or reduced games and I hate seeing that I could have gotten a lot more...if I sold them a day or even a few hours ago, since prices drop so fast.

[ograstamon]

It seems to me that as you are a gamer concerned with how other gamers are affecting the market that you could pick a more worthy battle. Why not go after the money-crapping bastards that make it possible for every new MMO to value their Founder's packs at $100-$300? Even as an avid STC trader I find it a little pathetic that THIS is what you're getting Steamed over.

[swenor]

Basic economics - supply & demand. End of story.

[d7602002]

resevil239 eredeti hozzászólása:

d7602002 eredeti hozzászólása:

I don't want the cards, but I want the cash. I see what the lowest price for the card I have is and then put it 1 cent lower and it sells and I make money. If the lowest price is 35 cents, I put 34....That's the way it is. That's why prices are lower.

I want more Foil cards though as I have sold one of those for 5 bucks.

Thats part of the problem though. Thats how rare stuff, or badge items go from being $1+ to $0.03.

I just get annoyed seeing that I could have gotten way more if people didn't flood the market with cards that are worth way less. Maybe they should give out way less cards or link cards to certain achievemnts or something so they are worth more per card. In the end I really just want to sell them to get free or reduced games and I hate seeing that I could have gotten a lot more...if I sold them a day or even a few hours ago, since prices drop so fast.

If I could put my cards on sale for 3 bucks and sell them, then I would do it. But it ain't gonna happen, so I will sell them for as cheaply as I can.

[resevil239]

Dixie Flatline eredeti hozzászólása:

Can you believe some people?! Idiots! I mean, ten years ago, I was able to sell Crazy Frog ringtones for £5 a go, but now I'd be lucky to get £0.01 if anyone even bothers to buy - stupid idiots de-valuing the entire market mjust be to blame!

It IS partially people selling things for less to blame. Yes, its true that low demand is a factor, but people sell things a little lower than the last guy, then the next does the same, and again and again. People devalue their own merchandise. This happens in the real world all the time, except you get idiots selling something normally worth $90 for $60 or less. Huge differences and that jackass undercuts the whole market, screwing the rest of us. So you irritatingly sarcastic post is only half right.

[BigPlayChad8]

Basic economic principles are at work here.

[ograstamon]

resevil239 eredeti hozzászólása:

Dixie Flatline eredeti hozzászólása:

Can you believe some people?! Idiots! I mean, ten years ago, I was able to sell Crazy Frog ringtones for £5 a go, but now I'd be lucky to get £0.01 if anyone even bothers to buy - stupid idiots de-valuing the entire market mjust be to blame!

It IS partially people selling things for less to blame. Yes, its true that low demand is a factor, but people sell things a little lower than the last guy, then the next does the same, and again and again. People devalue their own merchandise. This happens in the real world all the time, except you get idiots selling something normally worth $90 for $60 or less. Huge differences and that jackass undercuts the whole market, screwing the rest of us. So you irritatingly sarcastic post is only half right.

You're hilarious. I'm sure that every time you make a transaction that you first consider how you would best benefit the rest of humanity. Call people names all you want. Nobody gives a ♥♥♥♥ that you're not making a profit.