GoldMaking Ethics – The Seller’s Mistake
The GoldMaking Ethics is a series of Warcraft Opinon Articles documenting responses to ethical questions posed on twitter on 8 May 2018.
Tweets are presented out of context, and you can click them to read the rest of the conversation. You are always welcome to chat with me on twitter where my name is @thegoldqueen and you can find Gold Dragon here also @Dragonbearjoe
We have 9 articles for you to read, culminating in a TGQ Long Read with my own opinions., today we talk about the ethical questions that arise when a seller makes a mistake on the Auction House and then comes to you to set it right.
Either a seller lists an item for the wrong price, and you have to decide whether to alert him, give it back, keep it, or laugh at his misfortune.
Or you list something for an unexpectedly high price. You profit, but at someone else’s expense.
I was interested in hearing about stories, experiences, and the reason why people choose to help and how they do it.
All stories were gathered in a judgement-free atmosphere. I understand if you disagree with other people or get upset by it, but during the Ethics Questions, we are examining responses in a detached scientific manner.
Big Mistake
Uschiaala would feel bad for someone who made a big AH mistake and try to resolve it, to make themselves feel better.
TLDR: I would feel bad for someone who made a big AH mistake, and would try to grab the item and get it back to them and hopefully make their day – that would make me feel good. But on the other hand, I never expect that from anyone if I'm the one making the blunder.
— Uschiaala (@uschiaala) May 9, 2018
Or, is all fair on the Auction House?
On the other hand, I also do feel that all's fair on the AH and I have made some cringeworthy mistakes myself (eg typos, or being new to TSM pricing) and I have messaged the buyer to congratulate them on a bargain due to my carelessness.
— Uschiaala (@uschiaala) May 9, 2018
RetPallyJill talks about how she saw a mistake and returned it. I wonder how she feels about helping out this new Warcraft player.
Last year I bought an item and sent it back to the seller. Turns out they were a genuine for-real level 40 and thought that getting 10g for Saltstone legs was an AH triumph.
— Scarlet Highlord RetPallyJil, the Ashbringer 🔥 (@RetPallyJil) May 8, 2018
Does it depends on the way the mistake-maker communicates?
Grimes thinks that threatening to report makes him feel hostile to the mistake-maker, and Runesael points out that not everyone can communicate well and that how you respond says more about the responder than the mistake-maker.
Imo they lost the capacity to have my empathy the minute this hypothetical person threatened to report me. Had they just been kind and asked for their money back, that’s a different story.
— grimes (@gigitrashtits) May 8, 2018
Not everyone responds graciously to unexpected inconvenience. How we reply to their actions days more about us than it does them.
— Rune de la Peña Johansson (@Runesael) May 8, 2018
What if we split the difference?
Brunold tries to find a middle ground
I'd give them the difference, or find another solution because I was in that situation and the buyer was an extremely kind person. I didn't contact them, they gave it voluntarily. Showing the same kindness to others is the least I could do in return.
— Brunold, a gnome mage pondering real life (@TobiasTegge) May 8, 2018
We provide a service
Heather talks about how the Auction House sellers are providing a service to buyers.
Also I understand there are new players but I mean, I was a new player five years ago and I googled literally everything. Even if the person was a new player, if they’re crafting or whatever you need the rod for, they probably know to look online if they’re crafting at all.
— ˗ˏˋheather, whateverˊˎ˗ (@sylveonas_) May 8, 2018
Let’s Chat
Darkshore Capital wants to chat with the mistake-maker and thinks that teaching is helpful.
Remember, give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, he feeds himself forever.
Really depends, I'm always open to have a conversation and if someone sounds like they are willing to be helped and want to be I'm more than happy to teach. It takes both sides to make it work though
— Darkshore Capital (@DarkshoreCap) May 8, 2018
We all make mistakes
Give it back. We all make mistakes.
— Pier Donnini (@pierdonnini) May 8, 2018
Is it a learning opportunity?
As someone whom has fallen for this, I have no sympathy. It’s a game and we are always learning. Let it go and go make your gold back.
— Bradley Doerhoff (@Moviefone1011) May 8, 2018
Over to you
What’s your opinion on dealing with a regretful mistake-maker?
About the Author
Warcraft’s longest running Gold Making blog, The Gold Queen is written by Alyzande since 2010. Working on her 14th level 110, she has 9 years expertise in making gold, 19,000+ achievements, 1593 days played, over 39 million gold earned, and now playing World of Warcraft Legion live on www.twitch.tv/thegoldqueen The Gold Queen blog teaches you how to make gold playing Warcraft using ethical trading, auction house flipping, crafting, reselling, snatch lists, and farming gold making. Want more updates on Warcraft Battle for Azeroth? Support my Patreon for exclusive pre-release Gold Guides
