Feedback on.. Feedback (to TNT)

[Emily]

Hi guys! For the last little while, this has been fermenting in my head, and I finally got around to writing TNT a feedback ticket about it. My idea concerns being able to purchase certain stamps from the Hidden Tower. I've already sent in the exact message below via the ticket system (hopefully they actually get read xD), but I'm interested to know what other Neopians think of the idea. This is a suggestion that would most largely affect stamp collectors and people who resell crazy expensive stamps, but I would like to hear what others think as well.

 

 

Hi TNT!

As an avid stamp collector, I've found that, as I narrow down the stamps I need for my album, especially for avatar pages, I seem to be running into this problem more often. Some stamps, by virtue of them being given out as Lenny Conundrum prizes to only a few people YEARS ago, being from shops on Lutari Island which haven't been accessible in a long time, or being from old (9+years) events, simply don't show up in the market. I don't mean ones that show up a few times a year and cost hundreds of milions of Neopoints (though these can also be a problem), but ones that simply CANNOT be purchased because they don't exist in the market. This is largely because they were given out in such small numbers, or given out so long ago as a one-time prize, that anyone who managed to win one either has it in their album, is inactive, or the account is frozen/deleted. Though the occasional Dr. Sloth auctions help, these only introduce one stamp into the economy every few months, and they tend to go for prices very few people can afford (170 mil+) and severely unbalance the market, though most of the concern for collectors comes from availability, not price. I think I have a solution that would be beneficial.

I think it would be helpful to many areas of the site if some of these non-existent stamps were available in the Hidden Tower as no-trade items, like the Grimore books are currently. Selling them like this would be beneficial in a number of ways. First and foremost, they would actually be available. Yes, the prices would and could be set high. Even if they were thirty, forty, fifty million or more for a stamp, they would still be available for purchase, yet remain exclusive because of the high price. Having them in the Hidden Tower would also provide a measure of control over their value, as the programmers, not the market, would be responsible for setting their prices.

Secondly, having them as no-trade would be beneficial because it would serve as a sink to remove large sums of neopoints from the economy completely, a tactic that has recently been implemented on multiple smaller scales to combat out-of-control inflation This would also make sure that their value could not be exploited as currency to perpetuate grossly inflated purchases.

I, as well as many other collectors, implore you to consider something like this. As some stamps are literally non-existent, having them in the Hidden Tower would not only help remove hundreds of billions of neopoints from the economy quickly and fairly easily, it would also be helping those of us who are currently doomed to have incomplete stamp albums.

Do you think having stamps available like this is a good idea? For those of you who have managed to get some of these exclusive stamps, whether by having an old account or by buying them, do you think it would be fair to have them for sale, keeping in mind they would still cost A LOT?

[Lamppost]

I would love the idea of these stamps actually being available and yet still hard to obtain. They can and should be difficult to get, but it's so frustrating when, as you say, they simply don't exist in the market. I too have been trying to finish a stamp album page, especially an avatar one, and I've pretty much given up because it seems I'll never be able to do it. I'm very interested to hear what TNT has to say about this!

 

Do you think you'll get a response?

[Emily]

Honestly, I have no idea. I remember submitting a request years back before they implemented the Gallery feature. I was fed up with visiting shops where people filled them with things to show off that couldn't be purchased, and I believe still showed up as SW results. My suggestion was to have a section for items for display so they wouldn't clog shops. I never got anything but an automated reply, but the feature was eventually implemented. I'm guessing they had enough similar suggestions from other people to decide it was something worth doing. I don't know if they actually acknowledge feedback tickets other than the standard "Thanks for submitting your idea to improve the site" message.

[Xepha]

It's a really good idea Emily. I would probably start to seriously collect stamps if I knew there was a chance I could finish the albums.

[Rebecca~]

This is an amazing idea! I haven't really put much time into collecting stamps (though I really want those avatars *_* so pretty), but I would definitely put it higher on my list if they were all actually available.

[Emily]

Yeah, I've gotten to the point where all the stamps I need are UB and most of my avvie pages that are nearing finished need stamps that haven't been seen in the TP in a couple years xD It's frustrating.

[Finn the Human]

It really depends. I agree that it will help many collectors but it will also hurt many collectors who paid 2,000,000,000 on stamps like Dino (#1 stamp collector). It would cause chaos and stamp trophies wouldnt be as prestigious neither the avatars.

[Duskitty]

I'm no stamp collector, but this seems like a good idea. Hopefully you'll get a response.

[Rebecca~]

It really depends. I agree that it will help many collectors but it will also hurt many collectors who paid 2,000,000,000 on stamps like Dino (#1 stamp collector). It would cause chaos and stamp trophies wouldnt be as prestigious neither the avatars.

That's kind of the way that any collection goes on Neo though. How about all the people that had bought Hasees before the Negg Cave daily? Lots of things are released through the site in quantities that make them almost worthless after they were hard to find. Emily isn't asking for that though.

Assuming that TNT priced these stamps at something like 50mill a piece, the avatars and trophies would still be seriously prestigious- they would just be possible to get, whereas now they are basically just pipe dreams.

[Kittyn]

I'm with Xepha on this one! Right now, I just throw in whichever ones I happen to come across through dailies or REs, but I don't pay any more attention to them because I know that there are so many that are practically impossible to get. Best of luck on getting an actual reply from TNT, Emily!

[Finn the Human]

That's kind of the way that any collection goes on Neo though. How about all the people that had bought Hasees before the Negg Cave daily? Lots of things are released through the site in quantities that make them almost worthless after they were hard to find. Emily isn't asking for that though.

Assuming that TNT priced these stamps at something like 50mill a piece, the avatars and trophies would still be seriously prestigious- they would just be possible to get, whereas now they are basically just pipe dreams.

But if someone paid 450 million for a Mystery Island Kiko Stamp after 1 year of looking I don't think they would like it to be in tower for 50 million. A hasee is one thing, 5 mil. A 2 billion collection is another. Big difference.

[Spritzie]

50 million was just an example. The main point is that there's a good number of stamps that are pretty much no longer in existence. If TNT took those stamps and put them in the Hidden Tower, even if they cost 200 million (or more) for one, the idea is that they're actually available. Players know they're there, and they can save up for them and buy them. Now, it's not just a matter of saving up the NP, but finding the stamp you need, in order to buy it.

 

Some stamps might not exist anymore at all, due to being on frozen/purged accounts, already in albums, ect, so that could make some stamps completely impossible to get, the way things stand now. This would fix that. They'd still cost a massive amount, but they would be achievable, eventually.

[Finn the Human]

50 million was just an example. The main point is that there's a good number of stamps that are pretty much no longer in existence. If TNT took those stamps and put them in the Hidden Tower, even if they cost 200 million (or more) for one, the idea is that they're actually available. Players know they're there, and they can save up for them and buy them. Now, it's not just a matter of saving up the NP, but finding the stamp you need, in order to buy it.

 

Some stamps might not exist anymore at all, due to being on frozen/purged accounts, already in albums, ect, so that could make some stamps completely impossible to get, the way things stand now. This would fix that. They'd still cost a massive amount, but they would be achievable, eventually.

Okay, that might seem much better. I was never against it, I was just saying it mightve seemed a bit unfair.

[Emily]

Some stamps might not exist anymore at all, due to being on frozen/purged accounts, so that could make some stamps completely impossible to get, the way things stand now. This would fix that. They'd still cost a massive amount, but they would be achievable, eventually.

This is exactly the problem. I don't care if TNT even wanted to put them in the HT for 1 billion np. Whatever they like, just so long as the stamps exist to buy SOMEWHERE. There are a few, for example, that were given as prizes seven or eight years ago to about 25 people. How many of those A) are actively playing B )haven't used the stamps C) are willing to sell it? This solution may work for other stamps that are crazy inflated. How many honest players could go out right now and drop 400 million on a stamp? How would you even be able to safety pay for something like this when the trade limit is 800k and the auction limit is 20mil (assuming you don't have friends who have enough funds to bump the auction for you)? Having a no-trade HT solution not only means that the stamps are available safely to players (not having to use split trades/auctions), but it's also a HUGE np sink, removing a ton of money from the economy (as opposed to giving it to another player), which would combat general market inflation. When less money is in circulation, things proportionately cost less.

 

Whenever you buy ANYTHING on neo, you run the risk of it inflating or deflating after you buy it. It's a gamble you take when you buy things. I've bought things many times (Paint Brushes, Stamps, Morphing Potions, weapons) that have deflated like crazy (tens of millions of NP) after I've bought them. I know it's how the game goes. It's not a matter of fair or unfair, it's a matter of chance and timing.

[Finn the Human]

This is exactly the problem. I don't care if TNT even wanted to put them in the HT for 1 billion np. Whatever they like, just so long as the stamps exist to buy SOMEWHERE. There are a few, for example, that were given as prizes seven or eight years ago to about 25 people. How many of those A) are actively playing B )haven't used the stamps C) are willing to sell it? This solution may work for other stamps that are crazy inflated. How many honest players could go out right now and drop 400 million on a stamp? How would you even be able to safety pay for something like this when the trade limit is 800k and the auction limit is 20mil (assuming you don't have friends who have enough funds to bump the auction for you)? Having a no-trade HT solution not only means that the stamps are available safely to players (not having to use split trades/auctions), but it's also a HUGE np sink, removing a ton of money from the economy (as opposed to giving it to another player), which would combat general market inflation. When less money is in circulation, things proportionately cost less.

 

Whenever you buy ANYTHING on neo, you run the risk of it inflating or deflating after you buy it. It's a gamble you take when you buy things. I've bought things many times (Paint Brushes, Stamps, Morphing Potions, weapons) that have deflated like crazy (tens of millions of NP) after I've bought them. I know it's how the game goes. It's not a matter of fair or unfair, it's a matter of chance and timing.

They exist alright. Its the hoarders who are holding them.

http://www.neopets.com/gallery/index.phtml?gu=pcdcr

Has Golden Igro. Probably the rarest stamp in the game since Emerald Eyrie Coin is given by Wheel Of Extravagance. Emerald Eyrie Coin used to be the rarest. But TNT released the Wheel of Extravagance.

[Rebecca~]

They exist alright. Its the hoarders who are holding them.

http://www.neopets.com/gallery/index.phtml?gu=pcdcr

Has Golden Igro. Probably the rarest stamp in the game since Emerald Eyrie Coin is given by Wheel Of Extravagance. Emerald Eyrie Coin used to be the rarest. But TNT released the Wheel of Extravagance.

There's still the "willing to sell" thing- that person specifically says they're not willing to sell anything in their collection.

 

The Emerald Eyrie Coin thing is a great example of TNT doing something about rare collectables.

[Finn the Human]

There's still the "willing to sell" thing- that person specifically says they're not willing to sell anything in their collection.

 

The Emerald Eyrie Coin thing is a great example of TNT doing something about rare collectables.

Its not that he's unwillingly to. I know the user. He is waiting for it to inflate even more. And if TNT deflates 1 rare collectible, why deflate more, not saying HT Stamps would do that.

[Rebecca~]

Its not that he's unwillingly to. I know the user. He is waiting for it to inflate even more. And if TNT deflates 1 rare collectible, why deflate more, not saying HT Stamps would do that.

Why deflate more? So that they're actually available. Having one of a stamp in circulation does not mean it's available, especially since he's not currently selling.

[Finn the Human]

Why deflate more? So that they're actually available. Having one of a stamp in circulation does not mean it's available, especially since he's not currently selling.

Stamp avatars are prestigious because some stamps are hard to find. If everyone has it what makes it so special?

[Emily]

Point is being missed here, If the stamps still costs tens or hundreds of millions "everyone" will not have them. Imagine how few people would have avatars like BGC and MSPP if the items were no-trade and couldn't be lent.

 

My point is that some of these stamps are not simply hard to find, they are not being sold. As Rebecca said, even if someone has one and it's not in an album and they're still active, if they're not selling it, it doesn't exist in the market to be purchased. Ok, so ONE person has ONE stamp. This does absolutely nothing. He sells the stamp to a collector, makes billions, collector uses stamp in their album, we're back at square one with none being available to buy.

[Rebecca~]

Stamp avatars are prestigious because some stamps are hard to find. If everyone has it what makes it so special?

Making them available for an EXTREMELY large amount of Neopoints in the HT is not making them easy for people to get. It'll still be out of reach for the average Neopian to afford even one, let alone them all. It will still take a huge amount of work, or years of saving for people to buy them. The avatars and the stamp collectors trophy will still be incredibly prestigious.

Emily's suggestion won't make things easy- it will just make them possible.

[Finn the Human]

Making them available for an EXTREMELY large amount of Neopoints in the HT is not making them easy for people to get. It'll still be out of reach for the average Neopian to afford even one, let alone them all. It will still take a huge amount of work, or years of saving for people to buy them. The avatars and the stamp collectors trophy will still be incredibly prestigious.

Emily's suggestion won't make things easy- it will just make them possible.

I was speaking about you saying its actually good that they deflate. :) I'm okay with them being in HT for full price. Just not right if they deflate.

[Emily]

So, if something isn't available in the market and has no price, what's full price? If it's currently not being sold, how do we know if they're deflating?

[Finn the Human]

So, if something isn't available in the market and has no price, what's full price? If it's currently not being sold, how do we know if they're deflating?

They are available. Like Coltzen Stamp is on TP right now. :) They have prices. Mystery Island Kiko is 450 mil. I know my stamp prices.

[Emily]

I can't seem to find them. Believe me, I know my stamp prices and availailities :P That's largely what made me write this suggestion in.

 

The thing with items is, if you're the only one who has one (coming back to the "If only one is available, it's not really 'available'" argument) you can post whatever price you want on the TP. Heck, you can post whatever price you want on the TP anyway. Doesn't mean people are willing to pay it. If someone's asking 450 mil for an item, but no one is willing to pay that price for it, is it REALLY worth that price? Economics says no.

 

I don't want to accuse anyone of anything either, but with items like this, there is a certain amount of wariness that comes from buying from other users. With items like the stamps given away from the Great Stamp Giveaway (in 2001 or 2002, I believe), they were awarded to very old accounts. I'm not saying anyone who has the items now got them illegally, but I am saying people question items like this a lot more. If someone is selling a one of a kind stamp only available 11+ years ago, I'm going to be a lot more hesitant buying from them and running a reasonable risk of getting my account frozen as opposed to a shop run by TNT. Not to mention, how do you pay that much for something? Multiple auctions? To me, that just opens up opportunities for things to go wrong.