Sleazy: Gaia's new money-raising schemes are a circular scam

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

Let me start off by saying, I am an auto-cash subscriber, a 2003 member, a Club Verge member, etc etc. All of those things that mean a) I have been with this site as a longtime user and b) I am a member who has put money towards the site.

Narumi and the other developers in charge of monetizing the site are, either intentionally or through SHEER, ******** incompetence, creating a system that artificially inflates the values of pixel items on Gaia that has the end goal of trying to squeeze more money out of people who wish to own them.

Take a gander at how this looks to the average user:

1. Gaia releases 'Flynn's Booty' repeatedly, which exponentially increases the amount of gold on the site. With the influx of gold, people's buying power increases, and they buy up all of the lower-priced listings on the MP. The overall effect is that only higher-priced listings remain. Prices go up.

2. Gaia, now working off of these new inflated Marketplace prices, offers a 'concierge' service that allows them to sell to you (FOR CASH) any individual item you want. The price is based on the gold value in the marketplace.

3. Gaia lists items in the cash shop as "70% off," which is a bullshit claim unless you calculate a dollar to gold ratio based on the hugely inflated marketplace. Items that were in a $1.49 RIG are not 70% off when you're selling them now for $50.

Can you see what's wrong with this practice?

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

The massive lack of integrity in the current Gaia direction that these moves show is bad enough, but having to be CONSTANTLY assailed by it via PM, announcement, dev alert, popup ad and email is just as bad.

If you cannot figure out how to monetize the site without harassing your loyal users, you suck at your job.

[Prismatic Beat]

Best thread in the Site Feedback right now.

[Steady Ride]

In all honesty -- once upon a time, I always laughed at threads like this.
Now? I can believe it.

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

This site is not enjoyable to hang out on when I'm constantly, unendingly assailed with grabs for my wallet.

Jesus ******** christ, Narumi, even EA actually lets me ENJOY their games in between their pitches for my dough.

[H l K A S A]

Unrelated to your thread though I'm just as pissed off as everyone else, but I love your Monster High OC.

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

Steady Ride

In all honesty -- once upon a time, I always laughed at threads like this.
Now? I can believe it.

I've stuck by Gaia through thick and thin since joining in 2003. I've always been the 'devil's advocate' when it seemed like people were being too picky against the website they obviously ELECTED to remain on. I've loyally bought donation letters since 2004 and enrolled in autocash the instant it was available.

It no longer feels like a donation or even like I'm helping the site by paying money. None of the things I love (guilds) get attention. None of the issues I've had (alchemy) get fixed. My money falls into a sinking, sucking vortex that only wants more, more, more.

[frozen_water]

Steady Ride

In all honesty -- once upon a time, I always laughed at threads like this.
Now? I can believe it.

Just about every thread on the front page would have been down voted into oblivion just a few months ago, now they'll probably all top over 100 likes easy if they bump it up long enough.

It's insane just how quickly Gaia has managed to erode their community's spirit.

[Doom Lemons]

The popup is NOT a scam. It is a poor copy-paste job. The one above is the original, and it IS 70% off.

[`Smarties]

Rorrim Rory Bludworth

This site is not enjoyable to hang out on when I'm constantly, unendingly assailed with grabs for my wallet.

Jesus ******** christ, Narumi, even EA actually lets me ENJOY their games in between their pitches for my dough.

This ^
The site has been totally ruined for me. There's no fun in it anymore. The community is the only going thing now and it's dying and being torn apart fast.

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

frozen_water

Steady Ride

In all honesty -- once upon a time, I always laughed at threads like this.
Now? I can believe it.

Just about every thread on the front page would have been down voted into oblivion just a few months ago, now they'll probably all top over 100 likes easy if they bump it up long enough.

It's insane just how quickly Gaia has managed to erode their community's spirit.

That's what happens when you rely on dishonest claims to try to extort money out of your userbase.

Gaia's admins have always been terrified of being called on things they state. They don't like giving out tentative release dates or revealing too much of what goes on behind the curtain because they don't want to be called out on it by a userbase that sometimes is far too eager to jump forward and scream '******** you, Gaia!'

But this is just too far, too much. It's sleazy and underhanded to claim (as has been stated in other threads) that a Crimson Marionette should cost a user $460. That's the HEIGHT of bullshit.

Narumi and your cadre of dishonest money-shills, rethink your strategy of lies to sell pixel items. It's disgusting and unbecoming of this site.

[LexxyRaptor]

/throws tips at you

take my pixelated money!

[Faelrin]

So I get on due to boredom while I'm letting Skyrim download, and what do I see? emotion_eyebrow This is just so ******** awful, I really don't know what else to say at this point, especially since everything that has been said has been ignored.

At least the ******** you thread gave me a good laugh. lol

[Rorrim Rory Bludworth]

Doom Lemons

The popup is NOT a scam. It is a poor copy-paste job. The one above is the original, and it IS 70% off.

This popup is not the one I received? I received one informing me that the Crystalline Velvetine item is 70% off at a $50 price.