Avoiding Large Single-Inventory Shops

[Emily]

Not sure if a lot of people do this, or if I'm the minority.

 

If I'm looking something up on the SSW (or SW), and I come across a list of results where some shops have hundreds of that item in stock (sometimes the only item in stock), I won't buy from it, even if it's the lowest price by a few hundred NPs. I know these shops/users exist to buy out other shops and monopolize the market. And it's not a bad thing, because I know it's just a simple matter of economics, but I'd much rather buy from a user who has 1 or 2 items in stock in a small shop.

 

It's kind of in real life how I prefer to shop at smaller, independant stores and not give my money to chains. I've worked in huge chain stores and don't like their policies and only work there for a paycheck and because there is literally no where else to work because they force the smaller businesses out of town.

 

Does anyone else do this, or are people just looking for the best price? I'm curious.

[Spritzie]

I was actually thinking about this earlier when I was searching Codestones. I do the same thing. I don't exactly know my reasoning (though yours' makes complete sense) but I always go to a different shop. I don't go to the shops with high amounts of the item I'm searching.

[Koralis]

I agree with you, I'm against people who try to monopolize the market of a particular item, even though I understand why they would. I don't often buy from these shops, but I rarely come across shops where the one with dozens or hundreds of the same item in stock is the cheapest on the wiz.

 

However, it depends for me on why I'm buying the item. If I'm completing jobs for the employment agency I look for shops that have enough items in stock for me to complete the job by just buying from one store. Often that means I have to buy from a shop that purposely stocks a lot of that one item, but it saves me time on finishing the job so I get the maximum reward.

[Dynohawk]

I go wherever is cheapest.

 

I usually choose big chains over smaller independant shops as well, as you don't get ripped off.

[gingerew]

For me, it depends on the price difference of the two items. If the difference is just a small amount of NP (I'd say 100 NP or less) I'd pick the smaller shop. However, if the price difference is quite large, especially if I want to buy several of them, I would go for the cheapest price just to save money.

[Emily]

I usually choose big chains over smaller independant shops as well, as you don't get ripped off.

 

Really? I find I get ripped off far more by chains than independent places. I'm actually more likely to get a better deal in an independent place, especially as a repeat customer. I've gotten so many things free or heavily discounted from local record stores because I'm in there all the time and get to know the people that work there. Independent places, at least in my experience, value their customers more.

 

Interesting to see others do the same with regards to neo shops.

[cleomiele]

My biggest complaint about those shops is that they often buy out my stock just to get more of theirs... :P I'll buy from whatever shop is cheapest, regardless of how big it is or how many they have in stock. I'll admit it; I'm cheap.

[rainshower]

I'm always very wary of buying from shops that have a huge number of codestones stocked, it just feels unsafe for some reason.

 

I also prefer to buy from the person who isn't monopolising an item as well.

[walttdn]

I'm another one who tries to avoid the places with large numbers of a codestone. I guess I feel that they are probably buying up the inventory from cheaper places and thus making it more expensive for me. I'll end up buying from a big shop if they are the cheapest however, but they usually aren't.

[Dynohawk]

Really? I find I get ripped off far more by chains than independent places. I'm actually more likely to get a better deal in an independent place, especially as a repeat customer. I've gotten so many things free or heavily discounted from local record stores because I'm in there all the time and get to know the people that work there. Independent places, at least in my experience, value their customers more.

 

Interesting to see others do the same with regards to neo shops.

 

Might be different here in the UK, I find everything is overpriced, and the independant game stores have staff that are just rude, will rip you off at any cost ect. Food stores are even worse.

[Xepha]

I usually just use my SSW to get the cheapest thing. I don't care if they have 1 copy of the item or 500. It's the first link so I click it. I also used to snipe codestones and resell a bunch of them for profit (say 20 or so at times.) :P

 

As for real life, I don't really like super stores. They are poorly designed, you can hardly get helped by someone (competent) and the overall experience is just meh. It's not much about the price, but more about the experience. I usually don't pay attention to cost at all when I'm shopping for myself.

[dummydumpty]

Whoever has the lowest price gets my neopoints. If the price is the same in two shops, I'll likely click on the shop with less items.

[lunalovedgood]

I do try to buy from shops with smaller stock too. I like to give my money to smaller shops... I guess because I feel like they need the NP more? I don't know, I've just always shopped at the smaller stocked shops.

[manniqueen]

Unfortunately, I treat my NP like I treat my real life money. I always support unique businesses or friends - but I really have to be frugal to save some cash. Luckily my searches never come up with too many malls. I love SSW. Saves my life at the Employment Agency especially.

[sara1elo]

I try to do that too! If I see that something has a similar price between both types of shops (mega-maxi-huge and regular-basic owner) I tend to buy the item in the little one. Specially because I have a small shop too and I think that those spent np will "made a difference" on the little shop till but I am pretty sure that the big shop won't really notice it.

 

Of course I am not doing that when there is a big difference between both prices (in these cases I use the "me, myself and I first" :worried:)

 

It is good to know that there are more people who do the same as well. That is really nice.

[lwarlen]

I usually buy from the cheapest but I might start only buy the ones that have one or two. :questionmark:

[passiflora]

I'm always very wary of buying from shops that have a huge number of codestones stocked, it just feels unsafe for some reason.

This. I've never put too much thought into the Neopian economy, but I've always avoided shops with huge amounts of items for cheap just because it seems sketchy. :P

 

 

 

I think I'm actually pickier on Neopets than I am in real life; as a student I don't have much money and try to be as frugal as possible, which might mean giving my money to chain stores.

[Finn the Human]

I do try to buy from shops with smaller stock too. I like to give my money to smaller shops... I guess because I feel like they need the NP more? I don't know, I've just always shopped at the smaller stocked shops.

I do several searches actually and usually I play Key Quest for them. My shop has a lot of stamps in stock but I work to keep the price at least 50-100NP's lower than the lowest on the wiz. I sell stuff that i find in my SDB or HPD. Each day of restocking, 4 times a week. I receive 25k profits. I am almost out of goods for my customers that are repeat. XD

[Rebecca~]

I try to do that too! If I see that something has a similar price between both types of shops (mega-maxi-huge and regular-basic owner) I tend to buy the item in the little one. Specially because I have a small shop too and I think that those spent np will "made a difference" on the little shop till but I am pretty sure that the big shop won't really notice it.

 

Of course I am not doing that when there is a big difference between both prices (in these cases I use the "me, myself and I first" :worried:)

 

It is good to know that there are more people who do the same as well. That is really nice.

This. I will try to shop at the smaller store, but only if there is a small difference in the price. I'm spending a fortune on codestones at the moment anyway- I don't want to be spending anymore than I need to be!

[Nataluna]

i hate very large shops. so i avoid *like the plague* when i can.

 

dislike mall shops because they take ages to load, i prefer buying from shops with only a few small things and not a blinding background/flashing things etc.

 

the only time i enjoy "buying in bulk" is when i'm on a gifting spree and need loads of 1 item. then shops with 200 of the reasonable priced things i'll go to. i still won't buy it if its insanely priced.

 

i also avoid stores where they are clearly trying to corner the market, and F5 until i find one i like :P would be handier to get the SSW maybe.. *debating*

 

in RL i catalogue shop, i'll just buy whats cheap, although certain products stores i have opinions on. like milk, i'll NEVER buy milk from a large supermarket, i'll always buy local and from a local store.

 

and sorry USA but i dunno why we have lemons from you in the chain stores, but its halfway across the world... our area is perfect for lemons. :laughingsmiley: so i'll buy stuff like that locally if possible too.

 

reminds me: go buy milk.

[super_almoner]

I hate the big shops simply because I have to scroll... those giant mall advertisements get my goat. In real life, I buy from local independent shops, but on neopets I tend to go for the cheapest, despite loading and scrolling times.

[Owlie]

I usually do that too, large shops take too long to browse. And sometimes they'll have something at the lowest price,

but another item jacked up. So I have to SSW everytime. I always just buy from smaller independent stores, even if

it's not the lowest. I mean what's 100 extra nps from my bank?

[bluebell_rose]

;) I don't see the diference. A small shop may not be a small shop in the future. When I started restocking seriously, i was a size 18 shop. I have since grown in size and reached size 150

[cleomiele]

I just came back to add that while I've been trying to snipe recently, I'm seeing more and more shops with upwards of 300 codestones of a particular kind, for example, and that does kind of freak me out...I even just saw a shop with 1,100 of one type of codestone :bigeyed: in that case, I definitely feel like it's sketchy to buy from them and will opt for a shop with a normal-sized stock.

[bluebell_rose]

yeah, that does sound freaky. Most of the big mall shops don't stock more than 50 of each kind.