"AI" (hoarding) is NOT against the ToS - mod confirmation!

How much AI could you AI if you could AI, aye?

moar	20.4%	[ 28 ]
7	16.1%	[ 22 ]
aye?	10.2%	[ 14 ]
nae?	53.3%	[ 73 ]
Total Votes:			[ 137 ]

[Fanny Flaps]

If you've been wandering around the GCD or SF lately you might have come across some confusing statements about the legality of artificial inflation.
This stemmed from the passing around of an out-of-context quote from admin Zero Omega taken from a deleted thread. Thanks, perhaps, to a lot of wishful thinking (few people like AI) and general frustrations with the economy, the misconception that AI is against the ToS took hold.
"How to remedy this?" I thought, wringing my little flaps. Well, I came to the sensible conclusion of, you know, just asking staff.

Thankfully, I got the following reply from global mod Reichiru Tomoe:

Reichiru Tomoe

I don't know what quote is being passed around because, honestly, I don't really keep up with what's what in the GCD these days - but the main thing with AI is you can't misrepresent the price of the item. If I were to go into the MP and buy up every single one of a specific item and start listing them for 50 bill, that's fine. The average buy price is still very clear and if someone is desperate enough to buy one, that's supply and demand. However, if I were to go into the Exchange or Towns and tell someone the price I'm offering is normal or a great deal, that's when it's a no no. Or if I started pricejacking by buying or bidding on my own items.

Bolding my own.

So what do you think, GCD? This maybe wasn't the answer some people were looking for but I for one am glad to have the issue clarified. Or perhaps you're not satisfied with the answer and have more questions you would like to pose?

[edit] mods have informed me this practice should not even be called "artificial inflation" and instead should be considered a form of hoarding.

[Slick Southpaw]

Like you, I'm glad for actual clarification on the issue.

stare now if they could only be more clear on what counts as "explicit" avatars in simplistic detail

[mayakko]

Glad for the clarification as well. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is.

[Fanny Flaps]

Slick Southpaw

Like you, I'm glad for actual clarification on the issue.

stare now if they could only be more clear on what counts as "explicit" avatars in simplistic detail

oh god please! gonk

I used to be under the assumption that an avatar could not be deemed "explicit" if it was using items without any glitches. I wanted to wear my Kama with the Hard Candy Rocker face pose and I did for a while until I encountered a thread where someone had been warned for that very combo. emotion_facepalm

[Bowie-Spawan]

Well, so it's legal. Still a d**k move emotion_eyebrow

And if you hold the monopoly on a certain item, you don't really give people much of a choice other than paying your outrageous price or give up/wait for a rerelease.

[Reichiru Tomoe]

Your thread title is a bit misleading, tbh. Hording an item and trying to sell for higher isn't artificial inflation. It's hording an item and attempting to sell for higher.

[Eurydice Evyn]

Slick Southpaw

Like you, I'm glad for actual clarification on the issue.

stare now if they could only be more clear on what counts as "explicit" avatars in simplistic detail

Please and ******** thank you!
My avatars usually don't get more explicit than a bikini (I just can't afford all those amazing boob items like most of you can emo ) but the lack of communication in certain areas strikes me as just plain unfair.

[minghii]

Is the subject clear? Kinda
Does it give you an excuse to do it anyway? No

It's still a shitty thing to do, and it will never be justified as alright. AI will still take away the fun of people being able to purchase items for cheap and use it. Honestly, don't be a d**k.

[Knight of Britannia]

I'm glad for the clarification, but as others have stated, that doesn't make it any less wretched. Misinformation is not okay, but I can't help but wonder if someone will take that as a free pass to be more of a d**k. :/

[sterek]

I'd still happily knee someone in the balls if they're known to AI items, but glad that there's a clarification.

[Kid Jak]

Meh against the ToS or not I will still call people out on it when I watch it happen.

I will warn buyers to be aware of over pricing and general skeevy antics pulled by other gaians

[Razumi Yazura]

minghii

Is the subject clear? Yeah
Does it give you an excuse to do it anyway? No

It's still a shitty thing to do, and it will never be justified as alright. AI will still take away the fun of people being able to purchase items for cheap and use it. Honestly, don't be a d**k.

What was explained was not artificial inflation. The bolded sentence in the quote was explaining that there is nothing wrong with hoarding and then trying to sell for higher. That isn't AI.

AI would be to buy everything, list for a really high amount, and then tell someone to buy the item and claim that the high listed price is the absolute value.

[Kid Jak]

Razumi Yazura

What was explained was not artificial inflation. The bolded sentence in the quote was explaining that there is nothing wrong with hoarding and then trying to sell for higher. That isn't AI.

AI would be to buy everything, list for a really high amount, and then tell someone to buy the item and claim that the high listed price is the absolute value.

and when we see this happen how do we report it without it being a case of he said she said?

I am very curious about this I have called people out on it and they have admitted to it and admitting to doing it previously too.

[Fanny Flaps]

Reichiru Tomoe

Your thread title is a bit misleading, tbh. Hording an item and trying to sell for higher isn't artificial inflation. It's hording an item and attempting to sell for higher.

Is there an official definition that it's only AI when someone misrepresents the price then? Most of the site considers the part I bolded to be "artificial inflation"

Should we be telling people this is not classed as AI? Perhaps that is where the confusion with staff statements lies.

[Fanny Flaps]

Razumi Yazura

minghii

Is the subject clear? Yeah
Does it give you an excuse to do it anyway? No

It's still a shitty thing to do, and it will never be justified as alright. AI will still take away the fun of people being able to purchase items for cheap and use it. Honestly, don't be a d**k.

What was explained was not artificial inflation. The bolded sentence in the quote was explaining that there is nothing wrong with hoarding and then trying to sell for higher. That isn't AI.

AI would be to buy everything, list for a really high amount, and then tell someone to buy the item and claim that the high listed price is the absolute value.

Apologies, should we from now on state that this is considered hoarding and not artificial inflation?