Legacy Storefronts for Galactic Market

[WisTexOfficial]

We could allow players to setup "storefronts" on any planet they are currently on, that would sell any item they have listed in the Galactic Market. These storefronts would allow players to purchase directly from particular stores (players / legacies) and would provide an alternate way of browsing things in the Galactic Market.

 

For a good example of how this might work, visit the game Kingdom of Loathing's market (called the Mall): http://www.kingdomofloathing.com/ except more suited to SWTOR with many additional features.

 

There are people who hang around that game solely to farm and sell items in their stores. This would make the game more sticky, and appeal to those who are attracted to the Galactic Market component of the game. If you want to keep subscribers, this may be a way to keep people here even after they completed all the quests. People will continue quests they already did if they can sell what they earn in the market, and then use those credits to get more upgrades for their character or stronghold.

 

Players would be able to access these stores by:

 

1. Clicking a link or button on the online players list (who, friends or guild members online).
   
2. Clicking a link or button on the guild members lists (whether they are online or off).
   
3. Visiting a special market area on the planet where one of the player's companions or their ship's droid would be standing. (It would behave like any other NPC vendor, except dynamically list any item a player's legacy has for sale.) Only logged in players will have a companion or ships droid standing in the market.*
   
4. By searching for the name of the store, the players name or the legacy's name at a Galactic Market Kiosk.
   
5. A list of favorite stores each player can customize and access from anywhere and/or via Galactic Market kiosk.
   
6. Searching for particular items at Galactic Market kiosks, like players do now. You could give them an option to see what else the player has on sale, sending them to their store.
   
7. A command in chat that would send you to their store. "/visitstore username" or something like that.
   
8. Or right-click on username and pick "visit store."
   
9. If you are visiting a player's stronghold or ship, that player's store will be available to visitors via a droid or kiosk.
   
10. A section of a guild's ship could be designated a marketplace, and easy access to fellow guild member's stores should be provided, perhaps via a ship's kiosk that lists each player's store.
    

 

*The stores themselves would always be open even when the user is logged out, however only logged in players will have their companion or ship's droid standing in the bazaar of the planet they are currently on. See below for more details.

 

In order to have a store and the store be open for business, a couple of things need to happen:

 

1. Player must purchase a Seller Permit from Cartel Market.
   
2. Player must have at least one item listed for sale in the Galactic Market from any character in their legacy.
   

 

Earlier we mentioned that a logged in user will have a companion or ship's droid man the store in a designated marketplace or bazaar. In order for a player's droid to be standing around in the market, a couple things need to be true.

 

1. The Player must be logged in.
   
2. The store must be open (have at least one thing for sale).
   
3. The store only appears in the market on the planet the player is currently on. (Makes sense since a player's companions typically travel with them).
   

 

The following customization could be made:

 

1. The player can choose the name of their store.
   
2. The player can choose which companion to man the store. This can be any companion they have access to in their entire legacy.
   
3. Player can transfer items to their store via their ship, stronghold, cargo hold or at the storefront.
   

 

Possible revenue sources and additional features:

 

1. Players must purchase a Seller Permit in the Cartel Market to have a storefront.
   
2. Players must pay a fee to the Cartel Market for changing their store name.
   
3. Free-to-play players are taxed on every purchase. Preferred players have less of a tax, and Subscribers do not pay any tax. (Tax meaning, for example, if the item sells at 100 credits, free-to-play players are taxed at 10% and only receive 90 credits; whereas a Subscriber would receive all 100 credits).
   
4. Players can purchase an additional option to summon the companion assigned to the store anywhere so nearby players can interact with it (similar to a field repair droid or a holostatue). It can only stand around for a certain amount of time and then leave. Any nearby players may interact with it.
   
5. When purchasing a Sellers Permit, a player can get a droid that sells their items (similar to the field repair droid), but they can upgrade their permit and choose one of their companions (any companion in their legacy) to sell.
   
6. Possible customization to the appearance of their stall / storefront.
   

 

Resource Considerations:

 

To conserve resources:

1. Only players who purchase a Sellers Permit in the Cartel Market can have a store, which limits the number of stores.
   
2. The number of stores visible in the planet's bazaar or marketplace would be limited by the number of players who are logged in, have a store, and the player cap on that planet's instance.
   
3. You can give each player a generic droid to initially represent their store, which reduces database lookups to see what outfit to show. Only upgraded stores would have a companion standing there in their current outfit.
   

 

Note: You don't have to have a store in order to sell in the Galactic Market. Purchasing a store will just give other players an additional way to purchase items from you, and perhaps keep them coming back to you as a supplier. You could become a store specializing in crafted items, for example. This additional functionality does not need to affect how the Galactic Market currently operates.

 

This would add an additional face to the Galactic Market, a more personal face, and also keep players playing the game longer. Not to mention a new revenue stream for Bioware.

Edited March 21, 2014 by WisTexOfficial
Fixing typos. KOL's market is actually called the Mall.

[kamennebbie]

If this forum had a "like" button, I'd give you all the thumbs-up I could.

[WisTexOfficial]

If this forum had a "like" button, I'd give you all the thumbs-up I could.

Thank you. I'm glad you like it. I really hope Bioware implements something like this.

[Sangiban]

This. You deserve so much praise for this idea. I imagine having HK-51 manage my store: "Buy something or be exterminated meatbag."

[WisTexOfficial]

Another idea to add to this would be allowing guilds to have their own stores, where guild members can donate items, and proceeds from the sales go towards the guild's bank.

[WisTexOfficial]

With Stronghold implemented, this idea could easily be added into Strongholds by allowing players to add a vendor droid in their stronghold that any visitor can interact with. This vendor would sell any items that the stronghold owner currently has listed in the Galactic Marketplace.

 

This would give people another reason to visit fellow member's strongholds, and also would make it easier to buy from specific players who consistently sell stuff in the marketplace.