Buying on NeoPets by funky_town_angel |  |
Hi! This guide is designed to help you make the most Neopoints when buying
and selling items. Hope you learn something! =)
When buying items, you must consider the following points:
- How much you actually need it
- How much time you have to get the item
- How much you are willing to pay
Of course, when buying the first thing you must consider is whether you actually
need the item. For example, if you were on a quest for a Faerie or the Snow
Faerie, you should think about whether the reward you would receive warrants
the completion of the quest. (In other words, what you will get has more worth
for you than what you give) Or, if your pet wanted Cherries, whether it would
settle for Organic Cherries. Of course, this depends on your budget.
Next, you have to realise how much time you have to get the item. If you are
on a timed quest, want to free up the Shop Wizard again if you're on a Faerie Quest or want to quickly find medicine for your sick pet, you will have less
time to search for a cheap price then if you want the item for personal reasons.
The third factor you must consider is how much you can or will spend on the
item. Naturally, you will want the lowest price possible, and this can take
some searching, especially on the more expensive items. Make sure you do not
spend so many Neopoints on an item you think you want, that you don't have enough
left to buy things you need.
With all this decided, you must figure out how you will get the item. There
are five ways of buying items on NeoPets:
- The Main Shops
- The Shop Wizard
- The Garage Sale
- The Auction House
- The Trading Post
The best way to get an idea of the general price range of an item is to check
out the Shop Wizard. The main shops vary between two extremes: because food
is only good once, it can be quite expensive on the Shop Wizard. However, in
the main shops it is much cheaper, but harder to get. PetPets, and other reusable
items are far more expensive in the main shops than on the Shop Wizard. For
example - the other day I bought a Frogarott off the Shop Wizard for 5,000 NP.
(After a little shopping around!) When I looked in the PetPets Shop, a Frogarott
cost over 60,000 NP.
So after you know the approximate price range for your item, it is time to
look around. The garage sale often has items far cheaper than you would usually
get them, however you can only buy one at a time, and only if you are lucky
enough to arrive at a time when they are restocked. So, unless the item you're
looking for is very generalized, I wouldn't hold your breath on the garage sale.
The auction house and trading post are often dismissed or forgotten. Both,
however are perfectly good, (though sometimes time consuming) ways to buy items.
The trading post is good if you have a lot of valuable or highly sort items,
but I for one, do not, and to actually receive the item you must wait until
that person comes online and hopefully accepts your trade. The auction house
is best if you have the NP and patience continually update your bid. With no
price limit, I generally use the auction house if I am looking for something
rare or expensive.
Always take your time when shopping. Wait, and watch the market. Search once,
write down the username with the lowest price, then search again. If you don't
find a lower price, search for the username and check their shop. Quite often,
the item will still be there.
Confused? Here's a table:
Location |
Description |
The Main Shops |
Best for food and books, (one use items) but hard
to grab - they sell out fast! Toys and PetPets, (infinite use items) are
sometimes more expensive. |
The Shop Wizard |
Best for toys and PetPets. Food and books more
expensive. Items always available! Search several times for best result.
Find things fast. |
The Garage Sale |
Low prices on most items, but hard to get and a
limited range. |
The Auction House |
Can be time consuming, best for expensive/hard
to get items. |
The Trading Post |
Easy way to buy without NP's. Only for those with
lots of valuable items. Slow, indefinite. |
In short, there are heaps of ways to get what you want on NeoPets.
None are right or wrong, it just depends on how you choose to buy. I hope
this guide is of some help. Be sure to check back for a funky_town_angel guide
to selling! Good luck and happy shopping!
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