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Profitable Prophet

I'm going to respectfully disagree and say it is Gaia's fault. Yes, users may be short-sighted and indulgent, and that contributes to the problem. But that's why, like in any economy, regulations exist. The users can only push the economy as far the infrastructure allows them. Gaia creates that infastructure, thus is ultimately accountable.

I especially find it hard to place the blame the userbase, when the minimum age for this site is thirteen. How many 13 year olds weigh out the economic ramifications of their spending habits, seriously.

Furthermore, it's important to consider that not everyone is part of the problem. There are plenty of people that are unwilling to pay the current prices, which is exactly why user morale is so low right now.

ed s ed's Wife

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I think you have a very good point.
The problem is, that there are thousands of Gaians with different kinds of views,
so unfortunately, the likelihood of us standing up and refusing to pay these inflated prices, hording our gold, and trying to turn the economy around ourselves, is very low.

Profitable Prophet

Sellesion
I think you have a very good point.
The problem is, that there are thousands of Gaians with different kinds of views,
so unfortunately, the likelihood of us standing up and refusing to pay these inflated prices, hording our gold, and trying to turn the economy around ourselves, is very low.


Like others have said, it doesn't help that many are feeling the pressure of a prisoners dilemma.

If everybody refused to participate, it'd be fine.

But the chance of enough people participating to put one at an economic disadvantage encourages folk that are otherwise uninterested to buy in on the action. I've heard plenty of folk say that they purchased Flynn's Booty because "they didn't want to get left behind when the inflation hit", ironically becoming part of the problem they feared.

It's classic game theory, man.

Manly Lunatic

To true. The idiots who put the prices up are as much to blame as the idiots encouraging it.

Smol Cutie-Pie

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Rabid-Turtle

Absolutely right 3nodding

Same thing applies to those saying the cash prices are too high. The standard has been set because people have proven they will continue to pay those prices.


^ This.

On that note - I'll fully admit I'm partly to blame. Flynn's Booty has been my way to purchase items I've never dreamed of affording like Agape, Graceful Lunarian, and a few REIs.

ed s ed's Wife

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Rock_hard_yo
Sellesion
I think you have a very good point.
The problem is, that there are thousands of Gaians with different kinds of views,
so unfortunately, the likelihood of us standing up and refusing to pay these inflated prices, hording our gold, and trying to turn the economy around ourselves, is very low.


Like others have said, it doesn't help that many are feeling the pressure of a prisoners dilemma.

If everybody refused to participate, it'd be fine.

But the chance of enough people participating to put one at an economic disadvantage encourages folk that are otherwise uninterested to buy in on the action. I've heard plenty of folk say that they purchased Flynn's Booty because "they didn't want to get left behind when the inflation hit", ironically becoming part of the problem they feared.

It's classic game theory, man.

Oh I'm aware of that.
I felt pressures myself, and regrettably, bought an item from one of their stupid La Victore flash Sales. Because it was an item I loved, and it's SO expensive now, especially after the inflation, that I felt like if I didn't buy it with cash, I would never get it without selling off my inventory/items that I love.
It puts a person in a tough position ultimately.
Because like you said, people don't want to be left behind, and feeling like they'll never afford anything- so they buy into it, trying to avoid it.
The type of economy that Gaia is fueling right now is not a good one, and it makes it so that the users become a part of the problem. Over all, I do blame the Gaia Admins, but the OP here does also have a point. If all the users decided to not buy Gaia Cash anymore, and horde all the gold, and not pay expensive prices, then things would eventually change. But that's not going to happen because of all the various view points on the situation, and the fact that most wealthy elitist people want to stay that way.
Personally, though my account worth is relatively high, I don't care about being one of those wealthy elitist types, and I use a lot of my gold to Anon People during events and take care of the guild I'm in.
Things have reached a point here on Gaia, that I've personally decided not to spend any more real money on the site until things change; partially because of the guilt I had after buying that item. You shouldn't feel bad for buying something you really want. But I did, and that's not a good sign.

Hallowed Protector

I consider stopping buying anything for a while from the CashShop or the Market as such.
I have a pretty invo as it is to play around, and for the worst case, there are always the goldshops.

Lonely Dabbler


People do understand that gaia got the shitstorm started by introducing flynn's booty into an already fragile economy. I don't think we should so easily overlook that issue.

If Gaia hadn't reintroduce a gold grant, people wouldn't have bought it for instant gratification, so they wouldn't be able to inflate the s**t up the a** so much.

Even if you want to blame users just as much as gaia, is it not fair to hold gaia more accountable for their actions because they are the ones in charge? People in charge make the rules and everyone else, whether they want to or not, has to either hop on the bandwagon of change or suffer the consequences of being left in the dust.

Magical Warrior

You're saying "Well, you didn't HAVE to pay that outrageous price for the item", but then how else are you going to GET the item if you won't pay the asking price? You can't just boycott the marketplace in the hopes that inflation will just give up and go away. The average gaian isn't in any place to actually control the relationship between supply and demand of gaia items. The people who release those items into the public are.

Supreme Demigod

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I think it's nobody's faults, everything is just the way they suppose to be at this moment... Buyers' are right, sellers' are okay, Gaia is doing the things they want to achieve, complains just keep coming all the time, praises arise everywhere, All is well.

xd

Unholy Spark

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Flynn's Booty/Chest seems to be a pretty good example of how the users can screw it up too. Sure, Gaia made it available, but if a user with full knowledge of how the marketplace works, knowing that buying it and releasing a giant amount of gold into the economy would be bad for everyone long term, and they STILL buy it regardless then that user is being irresponsible.

Sure the user can go "But I'm just one person!" and so does everyone else in that situation, which accounts for a lot of people. And all of those people are shooting themselves in the foot. Instant gratification of "I have shitloads of gold" and when it's all spent, they can't afford anything afterward without buying more cash items to sell or more Flynn's Whateverpart.

I'm sure someone will come along thinking "It's their money! Let them spend it however they want. It's not effecting you!" And then you see how nobody can afford anything right now unless they use real cash. Items are a fairly large attraction on the site, so naturally it's something people want to partake in. At the moment, questing is basically impossible, investing is impossible, playing the market is stressful and a lot of other ways to make gold just don't cut it when competing with insanely inflated prices. Hitting the 100k daily cap on Booty Grab would get you a pair of Demon Horns in a little under 3/4 year at the current price. So if you like the site for items and dressing your avatar, making characters and such, it's pretty destructive to your experience on the site.

Buggy Mage

It's cause and effect. Blaming the cause makes a lot more sense to me. The venders are reacting to a scenario out of their control. I would feel differently if the prices spontaneously increased for no apparent reason but even then the reason is usually scarcity.

When everyone's e-wallets start to swell at such a rate as we've seen with Flynnflation, a larger pool of users are actively buying, thus putting strain on supply.
Then from a vender stand-point, it becomes the wise(or opportunistic) thing to do to increase prices to ones benefit or else pass on those profits to other venders with little to show for it in the grand scheme. Flynn has activated an economic race to establish the new equilibrium which seems to have numerous laps.

Edit: I only bought on flynn's booty just out of morbid curiosity and won like 50k, it was pretty disappointing really. lol
both is to blame

In a relationship with Everyones Dad

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Elindranyth
xp:
i wish i could tip your post more!

petit faon's Bestie

Anxious Bookworm

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          Gotta agree that both parts are just as guilty.

          What irks me the most is the fact that greedy Gaians are assuming that the rest of us Gaians have great amounts of gold due to Flynn's Booty and Chest and think that we are willing to pay the inflated prices they've set.
          Not me. I refuse to pay twice or triple for an item. Hopefully I'm not in the minority.
          emotion_facepalm
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