In late August I started seeing a transition phase of the bust-and-boom expansion process. This transition was more of a bust-and-volatility. People were dumping goods on the Auction House at bust prices, typically on weekends, and yet there was still enough demand to command high prices at other times during the week. Turning around a large profit in just a couple days was not uncommon.
Now in November, the scene has shifted more towards “busted” prices. But in August and September,I was suggesting players take a hybrid approach to preparing for Cataclysm. There were items where you could take the long-term buy-and-hold approach. But there were also many other opportunities to buy and turn a quick profit. Even today, you should still keep your options open if you see a chance to sell for healthy profits right away.
One such opportunity is in Enchanting Materials; this is a key area to play. I’m finding plenty of opportunities to pick up goods at ridiculously low prices and continue to post at my normal prices for huge profits now.
Some examples of Enchanting Materials that I’m watching include:
- Dream Shard –I’m buying as low at 1g50 or 2g, and at the same time I’m selling for 10g to 20g
- Greater Nether Essence – I’m buying consistently at 5g and still able to sell for 20g to 30g
- Large Brilliant Shards – Last expansion I was able to get these for 50s each at the height of the bust, currently I’m buying them as low as 4g and selling in the 15g to 25g range
- Greater Eternal Essence – This one I’m only seeing the dumping side, buying as low as 4g … and holding for sale after Cataclysm goes live
Remember, these examples were from the end of August. We’re now two months closer to Cataclysm and you should be seeing prices that have dropped even further. That’s when you want to go into stockpiling mode.
It’s a matter of patience, timing, and watching for the extremes. I’m still fully expecting prices to go quite a bit lower before I decide to go all-in and buy large quantities to sit on until after the expansion. If you aren’t seeing rock-bottom prices yet, adopt a hybrid strategy. Buy where you can at the reduced prices; but continue to sell when the demand is there, and you can still command the higher prices.
I’m watching for core trade goods that have been moving strongly throughout the last several months; if you’re familiar with items that have been strong on your server, and they’ve dropped a long way, you should definitely be keeping a close eye on them. But also, just watch them closely to see if you can actually make some big windfalls right now.
High-end materials in nearly every niche are showing volatility, where people are coming in and dumping inventory for stupid low prices – again, usually on the weekends – and then you can turn around and sell at “normal” higher prices during the week.
The overall auction house market may not crash out as hard as it has in previous expansions. More players know about the bust-and-boom cycle this time around, so you will face competition from other bargain hunters. But pay close attention to price trends, and you will certainly find some excellent opportunities to buy.
Next: Video – Cataclysm Preparation Tips