Saturday, June 26, 2010

Closed for business




I have reached a million gold. I have purchased a run through ICC 25m. I have gathered 50,000g with a single character without the aide of a any other player or any characters of my own. And now the time has come for me to take my leave of the AH game and warcraft. Unfortunately my writing in the blog is going with it for the most part, but I won't take it down. I'll be leaving the blog up for anybody who still has things they can learn and for others to stumble upon. Even though the economy will drastically change each expansion, the methods and theories will not.

So far I've made over 150 entries into this blog over the course of 6 months and It's been quite an interesting time writing. I must say that I've enjoyed writing this infinitely more than I ever anticipated doing so. Maybe someday I'll look into writing professionally. It's been great fun talking with you all and I even learned a thing or three from readers of this blog since starting this whole thing up. So here's the last few pieces of advice that I'll offer you. On Monday I'll be writing a formal index of my blog for any and all that come across it in the future. The whole point being to point out the more important entries that I've made over the last few months.

This is all I can think of so I hope I've helped out a few people here and there. Thanks to everybody for reading, but it's finally time that I took my leave of this game. Perhaps I'll see you around in Starwars, FF 14, or guild wars 2 when they finally release it. Who knows?

-Stokpile anything and everything you sell. There is always a material shortage or price war right around the corner.

-Be patient. No business ever grew to king kong proportions over night.

-Have a reason. If you're not having fun or aiming for a serious goal don't bother with the AH game. You'll get frustrated and lose a lot.

-Do your homework. Every market needs research done with it before getting into one or before expanding further. Do it.

-Always learn. There's a million and one gold blogs out there. By reading this you're already going in the right direction, but never stop. There's always new tricks to be found so go and find them.

-Undetcutting by gold and not silver is a sure fire way to get people pissed at you. It's also one of the only ways to remove a competitor. Always undercut by a few gold at least. Take your hate mail and angry tells from competitors as a sign that you're doing exactly what you should be and doing it well. I keep screen shots of what I lovingly refer to as "fan mail" around for inspiration. And for some good laughs of course =P

-Lastly and most importantly. When I was working the AH it was never about the money. Never. Don't let that be your sole driving force in the AH game, you'll only lead yourself into stress and frustration. I always say to have a reason, a driving force to play the AH game but this goes deeper than that. If you want to enjoy yourself you have to do something you want to do because you want to.

This is true in every aspect of daily life and everybody that has ever lived can attest to this. You'll never feel fulfilled working a job you hate to buy shit you don't need. Be yourself, do what makes you happy. Don't try to get something because it's expected of you to do so. If you don't want to settle down and start a family, don't do it because it's what is expected of you. Your life will be miserable. Don't work 200 hours a week at a desk job that's far too reminiscent of the movie office space. You'll hate your life.

Do what you can enjoy. Follow your heart and never ever give up. For me, my enjoyment came from playing the AH. Others enjoy achievements and would rather gargle broken glass than work the AH like I do. Are they Doin It Wrong(tm)? No they're doing what makes them happy. Find something you enjoy then pursue it and never let it out of your sight. So long as you're happy and aren't making anybody's day less enjoyable, how can anyone argue with you.


Thanks for stopping by.

22 comments:

  1. I wish to say thank you very much. Although I have read other blogs on and off over the months, it was yours and the way you presented the information that not only encouraged me to get into the game but to actually start writing one of my own.

    It is a shame that you are done but if you start doing stuff that isn't enjoyable or has a sreason anymore then it can become tedious, boring or annoying. You need to have that enjoyment.

    You have presented great guides and ideas here and I hope others can find this and benefit too.

    Thank you again and take care.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to be a casual AH player that had amassed a considerable amount under her own steam with little online research done. A couple of weeks back I'd decided I'd try my hand at some aggressive AHing, and I'd just like to take this chance to thank you for this wonderful resource. This is easily one of my favourite gold blogs out there and it's a shame that it's stopping so soon after I started to read it.

    I've almost doubled my assets in the few weeks I started reading gold blogs, and I attribute that in part to your fantastic ideas, and excellent way of conveying them.

    Thank you very much, and all the best for the future. :)
    - C

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well done Stokpile and thank you so much for all the tips and tricks as well as the interesting reads.

    All the best mate

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Stokpile for an interesting and informative blog which I have enjoyed reading and I am sure will reference time and again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'd also like to thank you on this wonderful blog. It has helped me a great deal in my efforts to play the AH. You'll be missed. Hope to see you in the next big MMO!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sad to see my personal favorite gold blog go, But it was always enjoyable reading your new posts everyday. I am pretty envious or your style of writing aswell. Hope you post on here if you start blogging about your next adventure.

    All the best in your future endeavours.

    xoxo Anaalius

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for all your hard work and effort you've spent logging your AH life. It was very informative and inspirational

    ReplyDelete
  8. So sad to see u go, your blog is/was one the best made blogs i've found out there, i hope you'll reconsider theres tons of things to do in WoW other than auctioneering, raiding, achivements, try making your own raiding guild, trading guild, ever tried RP? ok the last one is pushing to the extremes but... Don't go! We'll miss you! /sniff :-h

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Stockpile for everything you shared with us. I don't know how I will handle myself without checking your blog everyday =p

    Good luck with what ever you decide to do, hopefully professional writing because you are good at a writing and you add a nice sense of humor to your articles.

    Blinging WoW Gold & Economic Blog

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm glad you are leaving your blog up. I'm sure that future readers will find it useful and perhaps with a sense of regret lament they couldn't enjoy it in real time as some of us did. I hope you do continue blogging about your future gaming experiences as I found your information very useful and the underlying principles of your AH theories interesting and full of value. With the help of your blog(and Gevlon's - it's another interesting read) I was able to make 20k in one week. I find your writing style pleasant and I'm sure your online musings will continue to captivate the online audience regardless the topic. And many of your theories can be applied to real life situations if one uses his imagination.

    So goodbye for now. I suspect the blogging itch will continue to gnaw at you.

    Ciao~
    Camp

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fare thee well, Stokpile. Thank you for this blog and all of the great posts contained within. Thanks to you, I've amassed more gold than ever before, and even picked up other interesting tips and things to think about. I know I will be re-reading your blog several times and take more notes on things I may have missed, or things I may want to explore in the future. Good luck in your future games and in your efforts into professional writing if that's what you pursue. Thanks again for everything!

    ReplyDelete
  12. When I wander down the cereal aisle at a grocery store and see a "Buy 6 get $10 off" sale, I've found myself wondering if Stok would be clearing the shelves and storing cereal boxes all over the house for the next six months.

    Add my thanks to everyone else. This has been my favorite WoW blog so I'm sorry to see it go, but I look forward to seeing your writing continue with your future endeavors.

    -A Fan

    ReplyDelete
  13. *Sniff *Sniff
    /cry

    :) Good luck with the future.

    Taking notes til the end,
    Mulegirl

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you all once again for the kind words, I'm really quite flattered. If I start up blogging about something or other later on down the road I'll be sure to make an update here. Was surely fun while it lasted!

    @ A Fan
    I actually lol'd at your comment about cereal boxes. It struck me as just too funny even though I've never done it. Now if it was 2 liters of Mountain Dew, well, then we've got some business!

    @ Mulegirl
    There's a ton of empty niche markets on our server now so enjoy yourself trying to fill them. It's all you now kiddo.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks again for all your work over the past 6 months or so i am going to miss your blog.

    I hope to see you writing again in the future perhaps when we all find another game to play.

    All the best

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sorry to see you go. Your tips have always been precise, smart and easy to learn and apply. Thanks a lot making me stop by!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've read tons of blogs, but yours was the only one who's had me coming back on a regular basis to check for new posts. Thank you for all the great help.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is the second time I'm posting this didn't seem like my first went through just want to say stockpile your an inspriation and a good teacher. I've learned a lot from your blog. Congrats on the Mill and best of luck.

    I have one question for you and that is when do you feel is a good time to stockpile? That is at what gold amount is a good time. I'm currently at 65k

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you for your blog.

    I'm almost hitting 400k. I started with JMTC and end up on this blog. JMTC forum + this blog = you can make a few 100k easy with not that much reading to do.

    I own you .. about 200k of my 400k ;)

    - Earthquakes

    ReplyDelete
  20. Very sad to see one of the greatest minds that has ever set his foot into World of Warcraft leave, and I must say that it has truly been a pleassure to follow your blogs on a daily basis.

    The tips and guides you are providing to the community is brilliant, smart and nicely thought through.

    With this I say good bye to you, o great Stokpile, with the best regards from a colleauge from Burning Blade - EU!

    My new banking guild is from this day named "In Memory Of Stokpile", and may your name live forever more!

    - Ubuyzmahgemz

    ReplyDelete
  21. It sucks I only got to read this for a few months. But the information was always presented plainly and professionally. You definitely have writing skills and if that's a passion, do it professionally!

    Everyone that has read this over the past few months should be grateful because the information contained in here differs from 99.9% of gold blogs. You get a complete list of what he makes along with a brief dialogue of why. The funny thing is most blogs only focus on one or two core things - specifically gems and glyphs, but here it's a little deeper. I picked up a few new tricks, too.

    You're spot on, too. Don't grind gold if it's a chore, do it because you enjoy doing it. I grind, spend, grind, spend. Gold comes as easily as walking to me and it's something I love to collect (and spend). It's fun so I keep doing it.

    "Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

    I love this quote. It means once you learn how to do something, you tend to grow and move forward. Hopefully people took what you wrote and considered it instead of reading it as a How-To manual. If you understood the philosophy, you have everything here you need to make your own way.

    Bye Stock, looking forward to the occasional blogging if you have another thought.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hate to see you go, but completely understand the reason. You defiantely have one of the best gold blogs out there.

    I hope you do get into the new SW MMO and blog about your adventures there. I'll be right along with you.

    See you on the flip side Stok.

    Toki.

    ReplyDelete