Oh, and AJNS. As a guy sitting with 20 million in the bank always, not spending money or collecting, what else could I do with that money that people collecting might find interesting? Currently just wasting credits. Maybe your threads might be interesting, what are people looking for and what are they willing to pay or trade? I am sure the allure is the rare car like the Nardo or ZZll etc? I probably have something to offer, but is it a place for someone who doesn't need much, but has stuff?
I'll be honest with you, I don't think you would find the trading/collecting aspect fulfilling in the least (from what I know of you through your posts.) However, now that you've asked the question, you've unwittingly given me an open door to unleash my latest monster. In response to a few knuckleheads in the Marketplace forum, I wrote the following. I sent it off to an admin to get his feedback and he never even opened the message. So, my friend, I'm using you as my straight man and posting it here. Should give you a pretty good idea of what we do over there and how to get started if you should really want to. There is more to it than just this post, but in general, the more is driven by the particular OCD (no, not Online Car Dealship) of the trader. That is to say, what you want to accomplish is personal and changes from trader to trader. So, without further ado:
Here are some guidelines and advice on getting a trading thread started in the Marketplace. Think of this and approach it the same way you would if you were opening a brick and mortar store.
1) This step in NOT NECESSARY, but I strongly suggest it. As will become obvious when we get to #2, besides cars that carry specific colors or color/model combinations, the most heavily traded cars are 0/0/0s. There a few ways to obtain these, but I'll get to that in #2. Having a second account will help you to build an initial stock of 0/0/0s with which to get started. A second account also allows you to double up on the OCD 0/0/0s you can purchase. They will be of the same color for both accounts, but 2 cars to trade are better than 1.
2) You must decide what you are going to "sell,” in this case, cars, paints, gear, or museum cards. Although you may diversify your inventory eventually, it is usually best to pick one thing with which to get started. This IS a game centered around cars, so most people start there and that will probably produce the most initial interest. If it is cars you are going to sell, chances are you are going to be dealing in 0/0/0s that you've won on a second account or purchased from the OCD. If you are a good driver, you can knock out all the license tests in about 2-3 days of "normal" play, less if you do a marathon session. Six license test sets will provide you with somewhere between 6 and 18 0/0/0 cars. Beginner, Amateur, and Professional level races will net you another 30 0/0/0 cars (27 car tickets and 3 Lvl tickets). Once you get above Professional, the cars you obtain become less "tradable" because of the trade cap, but there are still cars you can use. A quick note about tickets: Although it is considered cheating by some, duping tickets is another effective way to replenish stock, especially of specific cars. Search the forum for threads describing how to do this.
3) Once you have inventory, you need a store (a thread in this case). Take the time to browse the Marketplace and look at other people's threads. Some are very organized and well structured, and some are...well, NOT. Remember, the easier it is for your customers to read and understand the thread, the more hits you'll get. Design isn't about what you think looks cool, but rather about what makes your inventory most accessible to your customers. Also take the time to observe how other "shopkeepers" handle traffic and set up trades. Whether your OP is one post or you reserve multiple posts for organization, all good OPs consist of the following: (1) what you have; (2) What you want; (3) a dated schedule (4) a listing of your PSN IDs (5) Ground Rules. BB Code limits the structure you can physically apply to the content, so make effective use of underlining, bolding, italics, and colors. Again, look at other efforts to pick the best combination of these. The first 4 should be self-explanatory. As for #5, this is something that can be invaluable in avoiding conflict. Your Ground Rules should include any protocols you want followed while customers browse and negotiate deals. While the Ground Rules are usually different for each person, one thing I STRONGLY suggest you include is a prohibition on PM negotiation. Obviously, this is your call. However, the minute you go back channel, there are only two sides to the story, and I think you know what can happen with a (s)he said/(s)he said on the Internet. If you keep the negotiating and final deal terms in the thread, everyone can see it and there can be no "misunderstandings" about what the deal was.
4) Once your inventory is displayed, you will start to field requests. The default system for dealing with requests is "first come, first served" however, how you do it is up to you. Make sure that if you are deviating from the default that you note that fact in your "Ground Rules." This stage is where your dated schedule and its maintenance become paramount. The schedule should be as specific about the trade as possible. It should include what is being traded, with whom (GTP ID), to what account (PSN ID), what is being sent in return, and from which of your accounts (PSN ID) if you have multiples. Remember (especially if you are an Ugly American), GT5 and GTP are international phenomena. When you are setting a date, make sure your customer knows what time zone you are in and whether you are trading before or after reset on that day. I suggest you keep a 2 part schedule: a "pending" or "scheduled" section, and a completed section. If you are maintaining the schedule in your thread only and not using an offline spread sheet or Google docs, you should keep your "completed" section visible going back at least 30 days. I suggest this for two reasons: (1) it is a running record of what you've done in case there is an issue post-trade; (2) it is an advertisement for your business and shows a track record of reliability. Generally speaking, you may negotiate the best deal you can for yourself, but the accepted conversions are as follows: 1 car/ticket=1car/ticket or 5 paints or 5 museum cards or 1 set of gear. When it comes to cars, generally, fully tuned or partially tuned cars are worth no more (and sometimes less) than any other car.
5) Once you have customers and a schedule for trades, you are ready to actually execute the trade. Make sure this part goes flawlessly. All the planning and good intentions in the world will not save your reputation from failed trades. I suggest sending a PM reminder to your partner 24 hours in advance of a trade with the details just to be sure you are both on the same page and have the correct PDN IDs "friended." In the end, we are all human and mistakes get made. There are 2 ways of dealing with these, but they both come down to the same thing: good communication. Identify the problem as a soon as possible and communicate it to your partner with possible solutions. Remain in touch, and hammer out a new deal to fix the problem. Most people in the Marketplace are decent folks who also maintain their own threads. They understand that these things are going to happen from time to time. Give them a reason to trust you by not disappearing at the first sign of trouble. Remember, these folks are not your family and not your friends (at least initially). They are your customers, and you should use best customer service practices when dealing with them, especially if there is a problem. One of the best traders on GTP once said, "I'd rather be the one inconvenienced, than the one causing it."
6) Use and monitor the Trader's Reputation Thread. It is no longer maintained, but traders still post feedback there. You can check the reputation of a possible partner as well as keep tabs on your own reputation there. Be honest, and follow the terms of use. Posting negative comments in that thread may get you banned. The search function is your friend in a situation like this.
7) General things to avoid. All of these things will either get you noticed by mods or aggravate your customers (or both):
A) DO NOT bump your own thread unnecessarily. Changes to the schedule or your inventory should be made by editing the OP.
B) Be a good neighbor. You are one among many "selling" in the Marketplace. DO NOT "jack" another person's thread. If they have a deal in place with someone, move on. Honestly, you shouldn't be shopping for customers; they should be shopping your thread.
C) DO NOT double post. This is just part of the GTP guidelines, however, many people forget about it when they start a trading thread. The "edit" button is your friend.
D) While other "shopkeepers" technically are your competition, fight the urge to look at it that way. It will only lead you into bad behavior. While you must defend your thread if "jacked," DO NOT try to undermine another "shopkeeper" with false accusations, by advertising in their thread, or PMing traffic from their thread to try a back channel "jack."
