| The capital cities in Azeroth are where you can find | | | | Using this information, you can make decisions on |
| the auction houses. It is here that the most potential for | | | | which items to trade in. Following the simple real-world |
| profit and loss in Warcraft exists. The reason is the | | | | rule of buy low, sell high. |
| variability in price that you will find in here. One day | | | | However, before you rush off, there are a couple of |
| Mageroyal is 5 silver apiece, the next it's 10. | | | | very big potential pitfalls. |
| So it's the variations that give you the player the | | | | Auctioneer records the asking price, and not the selling |
| opportunity to make and lose Warcraft gold. Selling to | | | | price. There can be a huge difference. Auctioneer |
| the NPC vendors that are dotted around the place | | | | does not know if an item sold. People put on |
| does not offer variability. The prices they charge and | | | | extremely high prices for junk items (10,000g for 1 |
| buy for are fixed. So if you have uncommon loot or | | | | leather scrap for example) this happens quite a bit. It is |
| decent crafting materials then these NPC vendors will | | | | a way of moving large amounts of gold around. Gold |
| not offer the best return for your efforts. | | | | sellers use this method to give gold to the character |
| Playing the market in the auction house requires that | | | | who buys off them. Also some do it just in the hope |
| you first do some research, and collect some data. | | | | that someone accidentally clicks on it and buys the |
| You need to know if a bargain is as good as it seems, | | | | item. Auctions are instant and none refundable |
| or if you could get more profit for the items you are | | | | remember. These huge prices can skew the average |
| selling. | | | | price. An item that should be 20 copper selling for |
| The first step would be to download and install | | | | 10,000g will ruin the average price that Auctioneer has |
| Auctioneer. An addon you can get from This has a | | | | taken. |
| scan function that records every asking price for | | | | What should be of more concern though is that the |
| every item at auction. Before you start your career as | | | | value of items changes over time. New items cost |
| a floor trader, spend a few days running the scan | | | | more, and then lose value over time. Blizzard increase |
| once a day to collect good data. Carry on | | | | and decrease the drop rates of certain things with |
| powerleveling until you have about ten scans worth of | | | | every patch. A rare expensive trinket you have |
| data. | | | | suddenly becomes very common and its value can |
| Run the scan once a day, or perhaps once every two | | | | plummet. Blizzard also change the stat values and level |
| days to avoid double counting certain 48 hour auctions. | | | | requirements of ingredients, weapons, armour and |
| It might be a while until you have enough data to make | | | | recopies all the time. This has a pretty quick effect on |
| a decent average. | | | | the value. If you are holding stock you could be wiped |
| Once the scans are complete, Auctioneer will have | | | | out very quickly. |
| worked out the average asking price for every item it | | | | In summary, auctioneer is a good tool as long as you |
| has found. When you open the auction house GUI you | | | | understand its limitations. It is not the only key to making |
| will now see a percentage displayed on the right. This | | | | Warcraft gold, but it does have a role to play. So if |
| is the ratio of that items asking price to the average | | | | you plan on becoming a World of Warcraft gold |
| that auctioneer has found in its scans. 150% means it's | | | | generator, then download this addon now, but |
| 50% over the average asking price, whereas 50% | | | | remember you will need more than this tool to make |
| means it's half the average asking price. | | | | you gold rich. |