Inflation and It's Impact on Art Shops

[solorn]

29. March, 2014.
Six months ago I posted this topic and you can read people's opinions on this issue at that time.
But I wonder what are your answers now?

◕ Does artwork in artshop, auctions and freebies is still maintaining it's quality standards from before inflation?
◕ Why do you think that is so?

____________________________________________________________
29. September, 2013
I think this problem hasn't yet revealed itself in full.
Sure the most visible change will be rise in prices. But what about other things?

If an artist needs a week to complete commission what he'll do if inflation swallows some of his profits? Auctions are even worse because they take longer. One way out of this situation is that artist take items as payment.
Others may decide is too much of a trouble to draw for gold that is becoming worthless day by day and close their art shops. Maybe only quick ones will stay, like the ones giving sketches and such.


◕ How fast do you think will prices rise if inflation continues?
◕ Do you think artist will offer art in exchange for items and what do you think about it?
◕ Do you think people will be willing to buy art with items?
◕ Is there another way for artist to bypass this inflation?
◕ Do you think art shops will start closing?
◕ Will Art Shop forum survive this economy crisis?

[Bigby_Wolfson]

When I sell art I tend to do bribe shops.
So the customer can decide how much they want to pay and I decide to take the order.

[Madanka]

I was curious about this as well. I checked for myself and after perusing some shops, things look the same to me.

[Samuel Elias Carswell]

I was getting nowhere finding artists to begin with. I certainly can't keep up with the price crush now.

It's a shame, I have a massive roster of interesting characters I'd love art of.

[dreamish]

We've had inflation on Gaia before and the Art Shop Forum survived.

Art prices inflate as well to follow the trend in the marketplace.

[August Star Of Heaven]

Thankfully a lot has not risen up as of yet but let's see what a couple more days will do

[Nii]

As an art shop owner (on hiatus), I've been worried about this myself. sweatdrop Doesn't help that I'm crap with pricing to begin with haha.

I think I'll likely switch to an auction format with my shop. Fixed pricing is tricky with all this craziness.

[solorn]

Bigby_Wolfe

When I sell art I tend to do bribe shops.
So the customer can decide how much they want to pay and I decide to take the order.

Yeah but it still requires a time for you to finish the art.
If you accept few commissions and people send you trades and you finish them in say four weeks marketplace prices will surely drastically change so your last commission will not be able to help you get the item you wanted.

[solorn]

Sebikaku

I was curious about this as well. I checked for myself and after perusing some shops, things look the same to me.

I thought that too. It is still rather quiet there.
But most people still hadn't finish their already ordered commissions or they are just about to get them, some are even on hiatus.
I think the artists will start to feel the inflation when they try to spend their gold in marketplace.

[Bigby_Wolfson]

solorn

Bigby_Wolfe

When I sell art I tend to do bribe shops.
So the customer can decide how much they want to pay and I decide to take the order.

Yeah but it still requires a time for you to finish the art.
If you accept few commissions and people send you trades and you finish them in say four weeks marketplace prices will surely drastically change so your last commission will not be able to help you get the item you wanted.

The marketplace right now can change drastically in hours not weeks,
Personally I am questing for the Mad Hatter items.
I had almost enough to get The Loony Hatter on Friday, 12 Mil when the price was 13 Mil.
It then sold and the next person to list it listed it at 40 Million.
When people blame just the increase in gold for inflation they forget that users set the prices.

[Icysnowgirl]

solorn

I think this problem hasn't yet revealed itself in full.
Sure the most visible change will be rise in prices. But what about other things?

If an artist needs a week to complete commission what he'll do if inflation swallows some of his profits? Auctions are even worse because they take longer. One way out of this situation is that artist take items as payment.
Others may decide is too much of a trouble to draw for gold that is becoming worthless day by day and close their art shops. Maybe only quick ones will stay, like the ones giving sketches and such.

I really like this topic's idea!

◕ How fast will the prices rise if inflation continues? - I think it will depend on the artist and how in touch with the market place they are and how demand their art is in. If you have a slower shop, you might be willing to keep your prices a little artificially low in order to encourage more people to consider picking up a piece. 3nodding
◕ Do you think artist will offer art in exchange for items? - I already do. When the last mini-event, the Valefor event happened, I was so sad I couldn't get the scarf, because it was so pretty. sad So, I went to the marketplace, looked at sellers, and tried to PM one or two to see if any would be interested in exchanging my art for the item. Sure enough, I got lucky and one was willing to! I'm working on her piece right now. 3nodding
◕ Do you think people will be willing to buy art with items? - Sure! I think art for items has been around as long as Gaia has!
◕ Is there another way for artist to bypass this inflation? - Possibly, but I think art for specific items such as X amount of pieces for X item, or only taking on a trade if you know you can complete it within a set time period is possible. The other thing that they can do is hope for tips, but that is far more dependent on the generosity of the person buying the art. sweatdrop
◕ Do you think art shops will start closing? - Some might. Especially artists who were really on the edge of not wanting to work hard for an item or those who got frustrated with leaps in prices but don't feel comfortable charging more themselves. Or they might shift what their shop normally does. Like switching to a bribe shop or doing auctions only.
◕ Will Art Shop forum survive this economy crisis? I believe it will. Not every artist draws only for gold/items. Some of us draw for fun, to relax, to test and improve our skills, and to make new friends! ^^

[solorn]

Bigby_Wolfe

solorn

Bigby_Wolfe

When I sell art I tend to do bribe shops.
So the customer can decide how much they want to pay and I decide to take the order.

Yeah but it still requires a time for you to finish the art.
If you accept few commissions and people send you trades and you finish them in say four weeks marketplace prices will surely drastically change so your last commission will not be able to help you get the item you wanted.

The marketplace right now can change drastically in hours not weeks,
Personally I am questing for the Mad Hatter items.
I had almost enough to get The Loony Hatter on Friday, 12 Mil when the price was 13 Mil.
It then sold and the next person to list it listed it at 40 Million.
When people blame just the increase in gold for inflation they forget that users set the prices.

It's like a craze right now since some people just ride the tide of inflation and increase prices under the excuse that it's inflation.
But surplus of gold created this inflation in first place. If a country started printing money (more that they can cover with gold or other currency) what do you think will happen, same thing happens here. Money will lose it's value and the prices will rise.
But that's not a discussion for this thread.

[solorn]

Samuel Elias Carswell

I was getting nowhere finding artists to begin with. I certainly can't keep up with the price crush now.

It's a shame, I have a massive roster of interesting characters I'd love art of.

So you witnessed rise in prices?
If you did how much did they go up in last few months?

Really a shame.
I'm always excited when I see interesting characters.
Too bad I'm a bit overloaded right now cause I would ask you to show them to me.
I like giving random freebies to people. xp

[solorn]

dreamish

We've had inflation on Gaia before and the Art Shop Forum survived.

Art prices inflate as well to follow the trend in the marketplace.

We did. But I've never felt it much.
Prices are doubled since the last month. I was really shocked.

If good artist decided to close their shops because of this Gaia economic uncertainty there won't be any good left. And who could blame them. If they are good enough they could spent that time they did gold commissions making real money doing irc commissions. But as good artist dwindle so will the customers that like HQ art and with them the large gold capital they usually hoard for the art. It will be much affordable for them to commission the artist with real money. That way Art Shops forum will become something very different than it is now.
That is possible scenario if this drastic inflation continues.

[solorn]

August Star Of Heaven

Thankfully a lot has not risen up as of yet but let's see what a couple more days will do

I think will need to wait two weeks at least to see what will really happen.
Like I've already said some artists are on hiatus other didn't finish their commissions and some are just about to be commissioned. Probably the result of this inflation will be visible when artist try to buy items they want with the gold they earned.