Is there some type of scam going on?

[Marybr]

I think that someone may have found a way to create neoitems illicitly.
I make my neopoints by buying items that people have underpriced in their shops and then selling it for the going price.
I have been playing neopets for years and there are always some players who don't know what an item is worth they get one and sell it for next to nothing. Lately, however, I have seem multiple people who are selling dozens or more of the same items at very low or even insanely low prices. I actually bought over 300 accordions for 5 np each from ONE seller. I went back later and he had 40 more for sale but was now selling them for 200. It can't just be a newbie because he has a shop big enough to handle over 300 items and how in the universe would a newbie just run into 300+ accordians.
I have also noticed that there are more and more items that seem to be strangely priced. Items are showing up in the shop wizard with prices going from 99,999 to 3,000 in the same page. That usually only happens when an item is newly issued. Some of these things seem to be items that have been around for a while (I take this from the position in the shop since new items go at the end) but all of a sudden there are enough of the items that people sell them for comparatively little when they were apparently rare before. Have massive numbers of items just been released or their rarity decreased?
All of this affects the prices of items. Items that have consistently been at a stable price now have prices plummeting. I just think something is going on. Has anyone else noticed this problem?

[Lee]

I haven't noticed because that's really not how I make my money. It does seem odd though, but it can be really hard to tell if it is a scam or just a bunch of stupid mistakes. I'm unsure. But I will say, if I was a scammer, (which I am not) and I could create items, I wouldn't place then way under the SW price. I would sell them competitively to make a larger profit. Just saying though.

[IcyBlue]

Just to add on to what you said, I recently got a Halloween Paint Brush for 20np... but I'm pretty sure it was from a newer player's shop. All of their items were at 20np, including the advent items I was originally trying to snipe!

[Marybr]

It isn't so much that an individual item is really low, it is more that they seem to have multiple items of the same type really low. Normally most shops which show up on the shop wizard have 1-5 of an item. There are exceptions like when the wheel of excitement changes diseases and everyone puts the medicine they have been hoarding out.
However, lately it seems like people have 14, 25, 40 of the same item at low prices. That just isn't normal. Normally the shops that have the multiple items are the really large ones which are part of malls and are in the marketplaces. They are the places that people go to when they can't use the shop wizard.
Something isn't normal, or maybe I am just insane. That is always a possibility.

[Mongrel]

Well, there's Tarla's giveaway, but I don't think she's released too many accordions of late. Perhaps there was some item transference glitch(e.g SDB to inventory or inventory to shop) that allowed users to duplicate items? I haven't heard anything like that lately, though.

[stampsyne]

Ever think that maybe someone is being generous during the holidays? I hoard all year to price stuff cheap to celebrate the season.

[Lee]

Ever think that maybe someone is being generous during the holidays? I hoard all year to price stuff cheap to celebrate the season.

Hmm. Strangely it never crossed my mind.

[Helena]

Ever think that maybe someone is being generous during the holidays? I hoard all year to price stuff cheap to celebrate the season.

Hmm. Strangely it never crossed my mind.

Mine either, because I are evil and always think the worst of people. Not really.
Hmm. It is weird though.

[Marybr]

I think that the idea that it is just holiday generosity is wonderful. I admit that it never occurred to me either. I guess I am just too suspicious for words. I might have at least considered that possibility. I hope that you are correct.

[Lee]

I think that the idea that it is just holiday generosity is wonderful. I admit that it never occurred to me either. I guess I am just too suspicious for words. I might have at least considered that possibility. I hope that you are correct.

Me too. Like the cod above me ( ) I always think the worst.

[notlarryormoe]

Sometimes if something is priced high enough, and the player has money to burn, a way to temporarily lower the price in the SSW is to put some of that item in your store insanely low. Then everyone who just checks the "price only" button to search to price the ones they are putting in their shop ends up putting their price low also.

I saw the "pretty flower mask" drop from 80,000 to 30,000 for about 15 min because of someone putting it in their shop @ 5 np. later it was back up in the 80,000 range.

This only works with something that is being restocked a lot by many people who don't know the price.

[Helena]

I think that the idea that it is just holiday generosity is wonderful. I admit that it never occurred to me either. I guess I am just too suspicious for words. I might have at least considered that possibility. I hope that you are correct.

Me too. Like the cod above me ( ) I always think the worst.

-_- Not. Even. Funny.
Ok it is
You are going to haunt me with that till I die, aren't you?

[Lee]

I think that the idea that it is just holiday generosity is wonderful. I admit that it never occurred to me either. I guess I am just too suspicious for words. I might have at least considered that possibility. I hope that you are correct.

Me too. Like the cod above me ( ) I always think the worst.

-_- Not. Even. Funny.
Ok it is
You are going to haunt me with that till I die, aren't you?

Yep. I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't haunt you.

Yes but with the lowering of prices it could be an attempt at deflation.

[Phlameseeker]

I have to say, when I see things like
http://www.neopets.com/browseshop.phtml ... oints=7300
and
http://www.neopets.com/browseshop.phtml ... oints=7400

it leaves me with a suspicious feeling...


Edit: Eurgh, who stinks?