Tips and Tricks
For sellers / service providers
1.
Your alchemy level is an achievement. By letting people see your achievements, they'll know what level you are, and what you might be capable of. It also helps to foster trust - you can say you're level 14, and you have the achievement for reaching level 14.
2.
List out the recipes that you know and are willing to use for people. If a potential customer is looking for a specific transmutation - which is common - they might find what they're looking for among what you have.
3.
Be fair about pricing and any special rules you might have. For example, if people have to bring their own Ingredients, say that up front. If they don't have to bring their own, but do anyway, consider charging them less than if they have to use yours (just labor, vs. parts and labor.)
For buyers / service seekers
1.
Learn how Alchemy works before even starting to shop. When you know that, would-be scammers have a much harder time finding tricky schemes.
2.
Look around for Alchemists that at least have enough Alchemist level to make what you want made. If they have a list of recipes,
look at that list before doing anything else. It saves time for you!
3.
Respect the seller's rules regarding how s/he runs the shop. If the seller requires you to bring your own Ingredients, for example, do not ask the seller to also sell Ingredients. If the seller's prices are too high for you, don't spend a lot of time haggling and harassing - shop around and find the best price.
4.
When in doubt, ask. Don't let a seller get away with simply saying, "I'm a level X master alchemist" - check their achievements to see if they've reached level X.