Regarding Uncraftable Weapons

[Charkoal]

Recently I've seen numberous new suggestions repricing the many uncraftable weapons priced at 0.01-0.03 ref. While there is proof of trades happening at a weapon to a scrap, I feel a bit uncomfortable increasing all of these prices. All of these proofs are specific to collectors. As with any item, a collector of a specific weapon will be more willing to pay a highter price because they want their weapons even in low demand (not many sellers). However, what if you took this price to your every day trader? I'm sure 999/1000 would completely reject the higher price. Yesterday I was able to get rid of an uncraft liberty launcher for a clean one, but again it was to a rare collector. Now that he has it, he wants no more, and that one person made a large part of the market for this dirty weapon.

 

So my question is: Is it right to raise the price of uncrafts like this? And if yes, should we increase the price of all uncrafts along with these specific weapons? I'm certain no one just feels like collecting a specific uncraft, rather, the ones sold at this higher price are by people looking for every single one.

 

P.S. Obviously ignoring rare uncrafts (Cow Mangler, Sharpened Fragment, Stuff like that)

[The Killjoy]

To me this is basically like pricing regular weapons at 0.05-0.11 because sometimes buyers buy them for 1 Scrap.

[Jymotion]

the raises are accurate based on the proof out there, but it will just initiate this cycle:

 

uncraftables are worthless --> no one bothers to try to sell them --> only a couple on the market, people have to pay a scrap or two to get it --> "value" of uncraftable rises --> everyone notices and puts their uncraftables on the market --> back to being worthless

[Uranium235]

the raises are accurate based on the proof out there, but it will just initiate this cycle:

 

uncraftables are worthless --> no one bothers to try to sell them --> only a couple on the market, people have to pay a scrap or two to get it --> "value" of uncraftable rises --> everyone notices and puts their uncraftables on the market --> back to being worthless

 

And when that is the case, you or someone else will make a new suggestion. That's just how is works and not wrong. As stated so many times by others, this site reflects the current market conditions, not opinions or expectations.

 

 

There are so many out there that think Uncraftable stuff has to be worth less than their Craftable counterpart just because most people, when presented the choice, will pick the Craftable over the Uncraftable.

To be honest, I have no idea why Uncraftables have such a bad reputation with most people. I guess they regard that "(Not usable in crafting)" tag as a stigma.

 

But that is not true for everyone. If I have a choice, I will always prefer the Uncraftable version, and so do many others.

 

There are three basic types of people:

1. Those that don't care and would buy an Uncraftable if is worth the same or less than the Craftable.
2. Those that will always prefer the Craftable, even if it is more expensive.
3. Those that will always prefer the Uncraftable, even if it is more expensive.

Each individual (and type) has their own Demand Curve. The combined Demand Curve of all individuals is constructed by Horizontal Addition (aka Aggregate Demand).

 

It does not matter what 999/1000 value an Uncraftable item at (type 1 and 2). If there are less on the market than collectors (type 3) are looking for, then we, the collectors, set the price (at the intersection with the Supply Curve of sellers). The rest has a different preference (type 2) or substitute (type 1) we don't, the Craftable version.

 

In the case where the price of an Uncraftable is higher than the Craftable counterpart, the Demand Curve of Collectors, due to the Horizontal Addition, dominates the the other two types.

 

When backpack.tf observes that Demand (and Supply) Curve and sets a new, higher price, many sellers now have a better insight into the market (transparency) and see that the price is high enough, according to their Supply Curve, to put their item on the market.

 

That in turn may increase the quantity available (at that price). As that quantity increases, the current market price may fall again to the new intersection of the Supply and Demand Curves. The price will fluctuate until an equilibrium has been found. That equilibrium is at the price where Supply and Demand accommodate both, buyers and sellers.

[Jymotion]

And when that is the case, you or someone else will make a new suggestion. That's just how is works and not wrong. As stated so many times by others, this site reflects the current market conditions, not opinions or expectations.

 

I completely agree.  Never meant to imply the contrary.

[AlwaysBorn]

 Alot of people don't care if the weapon is craftable or not. They'll pay a scrap eitherway. Uncraftable has a benefit that some people collect them too. So you have buyers who don't care and then you also have the buyers that collect them.