As a general seller of things (most specifically essences), I am incredibly keen on keeping up with exchange rates. I like to know where they stand. I like to know what costs what, what constitutes how much, and knowing that there is a relatively equal line between what people pay in cash vs what they pay in gold. So I've paid attention to the forums, the site, watched what people sold things for, and I have tried to maintain a steady business rapport with acceptable fees that everyone seems to be okay paying.

That said, I have noticed an incredibly HUGE difference between selling cash items for gold in the forums vs how much people sell Diamonds for on the exchange. Generally I see Enhanced Essences going for around 100k gold (100k being the norm and all others being slight inflation or discounted prices). Now in the Cash shop, these items are available for 1,000 Diamonds. So me being me, I would naturally begin to think that the general exchange rate should be equivalent, or at least averaged, around these numbers; however, that's not the case.

At best, a buyer looking to purchase Diamonds should expect to spend upwards of 5k gold per single Diamond. 500k for a batch of 100 Diamonds. This is a MASSIVE jump.

Now for me, I don't know what I should do about this. I could keep my current prices, but that just starts to make me feel that I am practically giving items away. Or, conversely I could increase prices to more accurately match the rate of Diamonds on the exchange. And I feel that this is something most sellers should be considering. Now that the site has been out a little longer, people have more money to play with. This means players have more money to put towards buying those much more expensive, hard-to-get items that are otherwise only obtained in the cash shop (or very lucky, rare drops).

So basically what I'm looking for is all your guys' take on the matter. Does the exchange seem overpriced? Are we underselling? Should the numbers be more related, or is it perfectly acceptable to have such a huge jump in difference between buying a cash item vs just buying the cash currency? Let's try to hammer out the exchange rate together, what'ya say?

I know when I was first looking at things that was my thinking as well. I knew that as a buyer I was willing to pay 100k gold for an enhanced essence and thus believed that the diamond equivalent was a fair trade. I was disappointed and a little shocked to see JUST how different the prices were.

Now I know USD is more valuable, and no one would argue to the contrary. I also know that diamonds allow you more freedom to get some of the rarer items that you cannot get ANYWHERE else and thus that is also a factor in pure diamonds versus the items.

Regardless I think the disparity is still insane.

I think it's probably a combination of both. General sellers could increase their prices to be a little more in line with the diamond prices, however I also know that I am NOT willing to pay 5 MILLION GOLD for enough diamonds for ONE enhanced essence of my choosing. That's ludicrous.

I know personally I am willing to pay double the price (to 2.5) in gold for the diamond equivalent of an item and I think that is fair. So I would be willing to pay 100,000g for 1 enhanced essence or 200,000-250,000 for 1000 diamonds which I think seems fair. Or even 250,000g for an essence and then 500,000 for the diamond equivalent.

But I'm not willing to pay millions. That's insane.

Some people are quick on the click and purchase regardless of thinking about the differences between the actual cost of the item in diamonds and the cost of the item in gold. I just think someone has a hoarding mindset and just snaps up anything and everything they see, provided they have the gold for it. lol

Sometimes diamonds are just hard to come by anyways, and maybe other people have different uses for their diamonds (I would definitely use my diamonds if I bought em for a kit or a scanner or clothes, NOT necessarily new essences).

And you can also probably count that people haven't seen your little business of selling essences, or know that enhanced essences ARE NOT locked to the diamond store. You can call it short sightedness on purchases.

I guess it comes to it that there are people who know the prices of things, and people who don't and would rather be direct and buy the items they need at the direct price instead of looking for players to buy the same thing but for a cheaper price.
And if you're good at it, getting gold is way easier than thinking about how much is a profit or loss on a single account of buying a pack of diamonds on exchange.

...tldr people think and people don't, the latter quicker to buy the diamonds

Right, Flute, I'm pretty sure that may be a very likely culprit in the matter. Or even people who aren't even worried about their gold income in relation because they make enough of it to cover such a purchase. My whole goal was to hopefully see if we couldn't find some kind of equilibrium between the two.


And very much so, Rose! That had been my thought as well; however, it really does come down to the mass community. Thus the question. What can we do to bring these two more in line with each other?

hm, I don't think using enhanced essence is a good reference point. Since enhanced essence can also be found from nurturing, event bags, missions bags, etc.

So they will always be a little bit under priced compared to the $ shop value. Also so far there are just a few people selling..and many buying.. it usually evens out when there are more people selling that there reaches a balance somewhat as people compete. >.o

Not much help other than pointing out... other than enhanced essence what else can be used a good reference between gold and diamond values.

Honestly I used Essences as it seemed to be the only actual cash shop commodity that people were purchasing. People don't really seem to be selling too many of the other cash shop items, and even those have gone for relatively low. Aside from that, there really is no reference to base cash items vs gold items. People just aren't selling them.

And players can't increase their stable count by purchasing off someone else, either.

So really the only thing we HAVE to base any kind of equivalency off of IS the essences.

Now I know they are offering the exclusive custom candy wand event right now, but I have also seen no offers going up on these either. Aside from "make me an offer," there's no information to go on. So it makes this incredibly hard.

Like Rose said, there are some things that are much harder to come by (things that can only be obtained from the shop via Diamonds with no chance to randomly drop elsewhere in the game). So for that reason I feel I would also double to 2.5x the amount I would normally pay for an essence to get Diamonds instead. I just don't feel I would pay millions for them. In fact, I know I won't. But I know there will be people who will, there always is, so I would like to know where I (and my shop) stand in relation to the rest of this game's economy.


Edit: Going back, okay I have seen one cash item go for sale in the entirety I've been here. That item also doubled as a drop off the Dynamic boss. It was a Snowflake Wand. It went for 65k.

People probably just aren't updated or sure of what prices of items are in equivalent to their diamond or gold value is.

After seeing a lovely scythe from the recent event be sold at 50k, I truly think I've seen everything. And the reason it was 50k was because the seller needed to unlock their 3rd party slot right then and there.

From such, it's just quick thinking lol.

I actually bought all 4 of the Lolipops off of the exchange for around 60k gold each. So 100 diamonds = 60k gold in this instance.

I am of the mind that the economy here is still young. Diamond are bought with real money and come with the ability to choose what you purchase, as opposed to buying a diamond shop item from a user. the user already has the item, you don't have the choice.

I think the current main issue of the heightened diamond price is that most people buying diamonds are going to want a scanner or something that's not traded like essences, so more valuable, making diamonds cost more.

I to thing the price of diamond shop items vs. diamonds to buy them should be equal, but we have to be careful when it comes to essences, which can be obtained through things like Jinxi's jamboree.

personally not having the spare change to buy diamonds with real money myself, I do wish they were a tad cheaper on the exchange... not cheap, just somethign that's not so bloody unrealistic.

Still, they are bought with real money, so I do feel it is entirely up to the discretion of the seller. I just hope everyone keeps in mind that if we let this economy become greed driven this game and site are going to go downhill. (again not saying make things cheap or free, just realistic)

Personally, though this is my view (I was thinking other people had the same view but I can't say that), the 4 lollipops that came with the Monthly Avatar chest were kinda superfluous.

I originally just wanted the Cherub Wings (300 D), but for the monthly avatar chest, I would get the Wings (300D), the Ensemble), and all four lollipops (100D a piece = 400D total) for just 700D (in total separately, 1000D - 700D = 300D profit).

Of the items in the set, I particularly only liked the wings and the ensemble, so it's 600D well spent. The other 100D of the deal was for 4 lollipops, and most people probably bought the set and decided to sell off the wands that came with it, opting the wings and ensemble.
If you got the Avatar Set, then you basically got the lollipops at 25D each. I guess it's too much to say that I can't exactly see anyone buying the lollipops at their 100D just to sell to other people, especially if you spent 700D for the set and ended up getting nice wings and clothes as collateral.

I was thinking to sell my lollipops, though I guess I'd keep them...they're like 50k a piece right now.