Tips and Tricks - The Magic of The Darkmoon Faire

I know it's been 2 weeks since my last post.  I've intended on publishing a post for my readers but, instead I've started work on 6 other posts, leveled 2 of my alts from 85-90, and started 2 new gold making projects which I intend on sharing, once I have them completely figured out.  Those projects may even be worked into my regular postings, um... once they become regular.  I really do need a posting schedule.  Without further ado, here is my next post in my series of posts inspired by Nev of The Auction House Addict.

20 Days of Goldmaking Day 3 - What were the first techniques/tips/tricks you used when starting out?

It's so hard to remember that far back, especially since at the time, I barely had a grasp on the auction house.  However, one thing definitely stands out in my mind; The Darkmoon Faire

Before Blizzard revamped the monthly event with the creation of the Darkmoon Island and DMF Dailies, if you wanted to reach exalted with The Darkmoon Faire, you only had a handful of options to increase your reputation with them.  There were various items you could turn in for reputation, with the completed decks being the quickest (yet most expensive) way.  I found myself buying the random items and various cards and saving them for when the Darkmoon Faire was in town.  At the time, I didn't know that the faire came to Goldshire one month, and to Mulgore the next.  I thought it was a bi-monthly event.  After my initial discovery of the faire, I spent the next two months hoarding items to turn in for rep.  By the time the faire was back in Goldshire, I had lost interest in getting rep and had gained interest in getting more gold together for my epic mount.  I found that these items were now way more expensive than they had been in my days of saving up for the rep turn ins.  I decided to sell what decks and items I had, and to my disbelief, they ALL sold, for WAY more than I had paid for them.  I had just 'flipped' items for the first time in my gold making career!  Go me!  This little discovery opened my eyes to the gold making opportunities presented by other holiday events.  However, it would be a long time before I actually took advantage of these opportunities. 

When I started out, I used websites such as Thottbot, Allakhazam, and Wowhead to research everything I intended to buy or sell.  I learned through research, trial and error, that some crafting materials sold faster if I posted them in different sized stacks.  This taught me that I could sell a stack of mageweave cloth for 5 gold, or sell it in stacks of 5 for 2 gold, simply because some players only need 5 cloth and would rather part with 2 gold than buy an entire stack for 5 gold.  This allowed me to sell 20 cloth for 8 gold instead of 5 gold.  This is just a basic example of how it worked, I don't really recall what amounts I was selling the mageweave cloth for. 

I also learned the importance of diversity.  The more you diversify your markets, the larger your customer base becomes.  I wish I had the time to level an army of crafting alts back then, I am still struggling to keep all of my alts up to date.  However, armed with their professions, my small squad of alts are helping me to continue to diversify the markets that I participate in.  They continue to help me find new ways of turning profit.


Just one of my bank tabs dedicated to DMF cards


As a kid, I always enjoyed collecting things such as coins, baseball cards, arrowheads, and various rocks.  I guess I've allowed the collector in me to carry over into the game.  I still buy, and save cards from various expansion content and make the decks for profit.  The older decks are slow sellers, but, it's something I've always done and will probably continue to do until it no longer turns a profit.