Source
r/Diablo•
ShiftNMove

Diablo 3 AMA Request: D3 Player who has spent over $1,000 on RMAH already

As the RMAH was just officially launched, I've seen a few people posting screen shots of single gear items selling for over $250. But where are the buyers at? To me this sounds ridiculous, but of course everyone justifies what they do differently than other people. If there really is anyone out there who's already spent $1,000 or close to it on the RMAH I'd like to ask a few questions to you. And im sure some of the other redditors on here would like to as well. This isnt meant to be an attack on anyone, just an inquisitive approach to learning more about some of the more wealthier members who use the RMAH.

My questions...

  1. How old are you?

  2. What do you do for a living?

  3. How much have you spent so far?

  4. How much do you intend to spend?

  5. Most you've spent on a single item and highest bid ever placed?

  6. Why did you buy the item(s) on the RMAH instead of the AH?

  7. How do you justify to yourself and to others spending fairly large sums of real money on virtual items?

  8. Where do you see the future of the RMAH? Prices going up? going down? remaining constant? fluctuating for a period of time?

  9. Would you consider using the RMAH for your hardcore characters (if you have any)?

Posted Jun 13, 2012, 7:27 AM UTC · edited

125
WHYWOULDYOUEVENARGUE•

  1. I'm 29.

  2. Run my own business.

  3. $1,500 or so.

  4. Don't know, but even stuff that I purchased holds some value.

  5. $250.

  6. I was playing Diablo III casually and then realized that I had to farm goblins for days to make progress. I'd rather just buy it.

  7. I was never given anything in life, yet founded my own business and became very successful. I don't need to justify anything as long as I'm enjoying myself. People spend money on tons of crap but as soon as it's a virtual sword the world implodes.

  8. I haven't analyzed it, but it's rather obvious how it's going to go. The average price will be very high from the start but eventually we will see a decline, because there's not an infinite amount of buyers at the higher levels and I assume people find loot at a higher rate than the demand there is for it.

Keep in mind that the number of active players will decline over time, so it is likely that top tier items will saturate the market and leave only the extreme top tier items for very high prices.

12
supercouille•

would you mind telling us what kind of business you have? when did you launch it? what do you sell? thanks!

Personally, if i was sucessful with money, i would buy items on d3. I mean, farming 10 hours or more of your time for a small chance to get a good item versus paying 250$ (25$ an hour is low) and having it right now.

2
WHYWOULDYOUEVENARGUE•

Normally I'd be fine with this, but I've been using this account for some time now and I'm afraid of giving out too much personal information from one source point. I don't even use Facebook, because privacy is extremely important to me (but not in the weapons/drug dealer sense, heh). :)

2
kajarago•

So you're a drug dealer, eh?

2
WHYWOULDYOUEVENARGUE•

http://www.sitesnobrasil.com/imagens-fotos/homens/a/al-pacino4.jpg

3
garrisb7514k1ll#1515•

but if you have all the best stuff, what do you do in the game?

1
AnAngryPanda•

I haven't personally, but a friend of mine is nearing the $760 mark so far, would you like me to relay her responses to your questions?

3
AnAngryPanda•

This is not from me, it is a close friend of mine that does not frequent reddit. She is merely responding because someone is seemingly interested. I personally wouldn't spend more than $10 on any item in this game, and that $10 item better be fuckin amazing. Anywho, here ya go.

From a person who's spent $795 on the RMAH:

1) How old are you?

I'm 29.

2) What do you do for a living?

I'm an assistant directing head for a child-care nursing department in a hospital near my residence.

3) How much have you spent so far?

I've spent $795. I've made $1270. (this total doesn't include paypal cuts fyi, just raw amount)

4) How much do you intend to spend?

Depends on my mood? If I see a good price, I'll buy. If I see a possible flip, I'll buy. If I just want something, I'll buy. Nothing really determinant about my limited amount I'd spend, if that makes any sense?

5) Most I've spent/Highest bid?

Most is $90, highest bid was $135. I lost the bid, sadly.

6) Why did I buy these things?

Resell. Set completion. Don't have time to farm like other people. That pretty much covers it I think.

7) Justification?

I justify it by simply saying it's my money and I'll do whatever I'd like to with it. If people can't handle that fact then they need to kindly take a couple steps away from me because they might be a little crazy.

8) Future of RMAH?

Prices will drop, that's a given. Fluctuation MIGHT occur, I don't really know. A better person to ask this would be an economist or statistician, they're pretty good with numbers I'd imagine, especially with trends in stocks and the such.

If you have any other questions for her, please reply to this and I'll get them to you ASAP.

Edit: formatting........

7
Einundzwanzig•

Good answers.

1
ShiftNMoveOP•

Yeah, sure. I'm actually very curious to see the kind of responses and possible patterns (if there are any) with anyone who extensively uses the RMAH.

1
AnAngryPanda•

done already, kind of figured you would. :D

1
Nexism•

I'm not responding to answer, but their reasoning is extraordinarily simple.

They earn more than enough money that the amount they spend on games/virtual items/epeen (whatever the hell you like to call it) is minuscule.

How do you justify to yourself and to others spending fairly large sums of real money on virtual items?

They don't. They have the money to spend, what's it anyone elses business what they do with it.

[e] There is an irony however that one is essentially purchasing the best gear to play the game (which is to farm more gear). But at that point the buyer would've realised and lost interest in the game.

2
Sryden42Sryden#1415•

This is what I really don't understand, the whole point/enjoyment of the game is getting better gear. If you simply purchase it doesn't that just mean the game is over?

It's like you're paying to quit a habit, think D3 addiction clinics will be showing up soon?

2
Vempyre•

Food taste better if you grow it yourself too... but I bet most of us buy our food from the supermarket.

3
kajarago•

Apples and oranges. You don't just eat once and quit.

2
lechatron•

For you that is the whole point, for someone else it may be getting to the end, how they get there may not matter to them.

0
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
MC4l•

I would probably spend that much if I've the feeling I will still play D3 in at least a year from now. But I don't see that right now :/

1
trigunshinDerivative•

  1. 24

  2. Software Dev. Getting into the various flavors of stock trading / investment as well as various other software projects in my spare time (Worse since D3, lol!)

  3. ~700

  4. Not much more. Would've run more on the weapon (that one was ~120) but none were available.

  5. ~120 for 1250 dps bow w/socket, ias and dex. Really wanted 15xx but whatever.

  6. Buying gold seems shady and I don't want to get back into d2jsp's FG system to get it that way either.

  7. This is a loaded question; I don't need justification because I can spend $ on what I want to do. Also, $/time is an important metric. (This internet attitude against using $ really bothers me, actually)

  8. I think if you convert the items on RMAH to GAH, most of them are overpriced by the RM/G exchange rate. I paid a premium to use it immediately, and I'm OK with that.

  9. Don't play HC, wouldn't spend more than $5-10 for a cpl sick upgrades even if I did.

1
ShiftNMoveOP•

Interesting that most of you who answered and use the RMAH are in your 20's. For some reason I thought there would be a bigger influx of 30-50's.

1
mepatrick•

Post some proof people.

0
Ozy-deadNextRim#2260•

  1. 23

  2. Senior analyst in corporate banking

  3. 0 so far, I'm still stuck at work.

  4. Looking at about $500 if I find anything of worth.

  5. Will have the answer in few hours I guess

  6. I have no gold

  7. I have very little time to play the game, but I still want to build an ultimate character (I love optimization problems).

  8. Prices for what? Perfectly rolled gear is not up for sale yet. I haven't seen a 1550 dps 1H mace/spear with 300 int on AH yet.

-2
Divinesin•

This is very intrusive and could be taken as offensive I really doubt anyone will respond to this =/

-4
WHYWOULDYOUEVENARGUE•

I responded to it and I don't find it intrusive at all. It's an AMA request so if you feel violated, just don't answer?

4
iBird•

Funny you think that, I almost felt like some random redditor is pulling the trigger and buying a bunch of d3 shit that he or she was contemplating, saw this, decided it's time to cash in on the karma train.

3
ShiftNMoveOP•

I dont think it's that intrusive. If anyone wanted to they could make a new account and answer with another identity if they wanted to remain anonymous. If any of the questions are too intrusive, they dont have to answer them. It's mere curiosity on my part, and afterall... we're all redditors here.

2