Atharva had solid foundation in theory of economics. All he lacked was the application of it. Still it did not stop him from facing two rich and powerful people from two great guilds as an equal.
Artha continued to postulate. " I had some chat with NPCs. They didn't change the rules arbitrarily. It may not be the bulls**t the NPCs spouting about have better efficiency and not depending on external factors but there was something else which necessitated such change. So what do you think they'll do if I hurt their bottom line? I am pretty sure that this deal would not include just potions. You two want to hog and hoard many resources. Good to you. If I can make some money during the process, great. However, we still have to stay in this village for long time. A week or more for your experts and a bit longer for others. Tell me , are you ready to sabotage this time line?"
Sun Lord sighed. They wanted start stockpiling. The guilds survived many disasters due to stockpiling. However....when NPCs are restricting the usage of resources, it would seem more like rebelling than just obsessive tendency to hoard.
" How much can you supply?"
" How much can you afford to pay? Remember, the price has to reflect what's being paid in the NPC shop. Basically you are purchasing from me because you want to save coins. Do you really need it to the level of paying 3 to 5 times the price? I think in a day, maximum two, there will be lots of apprentices. You can grab hold of them to hoard potions."
The other two didn't reply. It's not that they hadn't thought of it but the rate of supply from these apprentices would be pitiful to say the least. On top of it, they would waste lots of raw materials. If not for the need of increasing the tiers of the lifestyle jobs, no one would invest so much in the beginning. D*mn profiteer. He knows no one can supply so much potions in next few days.
"How much?" Baccara was not happy with the way this 'discussion' was moving. She directly entered the end point. What was this profiteering merchant 's bottom line?
"250 pots each for next 3 days. That's 1000 pots in total, times three, in the end the transaction can be for 3000 potions. Half the credits paid as advance. Remaining in 3 installments. The price of potion will be same as today's. The price of coin to be calculated as per that day's rate."
Baccara looked ready to stab him and Sun Lord looked like he would let her. Instead of holding back, he blurted out rest of his plans.
" If you accept the deal, I will consider you my Tier 1 customers and you will get better offers."
"Like what?"
"Sun Lord, you were ready to purchase coins at higher price. I can sell you at the price as quoted by you. This is deal exclusive for Tier 1 customers. So the deal with be available for you and Bloody Rose only but not to other guilds, even if they pay more than what you quoted.
Conversely, instead of doing round about business of me selling coins, you purchasing your weapons from the shop, I can buy them and you can get they by paying money at the quoted price as before.
In addition, I will be selling few items like single use scrolls for credits. Yes, those scrolls you might have noticed in Zumi's shop. Instead of coins, you can purchase them in credits with me."
" What's the catch? You d**ned credit grabbing monster, what is the catch? Why don't you say that first ?" This salesman had definitely worked in ponzi scheme or MLM schemes. Mayhap even gotten a certificate of course from used car sales shop, whatever that actually meant.
"Catch is you have pay a bit extra as convenience fee. And there would be limit to amount of items you can purchase with credits. You can purchase many items using coins, I would be more than delighted for that too.
But you can find few good items in my catalogue. As Tier 1 members, you can ask me to withhold sale of these items to others for sometime by paying, so that these items would be yours exclusive for sometime atleast."
Even Sun Lord had to lift his hand at this. This is really cruellest way to steal money from guilds, legitimately. But Artha was not deterred and he continued. " As Tier 1 customers, you will receive a preview of the items for sale that day with mention if they could be bought by credits. With a small fee, you both can list your requirements and time limit and I will try to procure those items. Conditions apply for the last portion because I am one man army right now so it may take some time to fine tune it. But please remember, as exclusive members, you shall enjoy more privileges than others."
It was not that Sun Lord or Baccara were new to this type of membership deals. Their guilds had previously become such members in few chamber of commerces but that was when the games had been played long time and all the players were spreading wings and the game was well estabilised. Following such system for a one person army, that too so early in the game, was it worthy? Was it useful? Forget the fancy words, they didn't consider being Tier 1 members was a great thing. But the deal he offered under the guise of membership benefits, was it useful for them at this level?
Baccara was informing her boss, who was sitting nearby. Sun Lord was discussing with his aides. Unlike what is portrayed in novels, the guilds worked more like companies and there should be clear explanation for every purchase, even if the explanation was as ephemeral as building connections with NPCs or buying a gift for someone and so player to earn some goodwill. Was paying more credits really worthwhile at this juncture? Time to ponder 🤔.
" Can you give example of items exclusive for us?"
If the quality of these items were good, then this membership thing would not be so bad. They would pay a bit more using credits and save coins for necessary things.
Artha thought for some time. Though he had ideas of this membership thing, it was just a castle in the air. Whatever he spouted earlier was spontaneous thing. Still, the ball was in his court, he could adjust the number of items to be sold in this category, so all was not lost. But these people were experienced and thus grabbed hold of one thing he had not thought through. There should be something exclusive for privileged members. What to sell, what to sell? It should be important and not easily available in the market and something he would not sell generally. The last part was troubling him. How can he be sure which items he would not be selling in future?