Opening a Shop

[jcljules]

While most shops are run by NPCs, players may also open shops.

I found this in the helpfiles... how is it possible for a player to open a shop?

[Archbaron]

While most shops are run by NPCs, players may also open shops.

I found this in the helpfiles... how is it possible for a player to open a shop?

Go around and advertise your wares, and be creative and use an apartment as your shop or warehouse. Make sure you have a token of mercantilism.

[Cavaticus]

Just like in real life, opening a shop would require a good bit of money, a solid set of goods or services, and very good relationships with the powers that be - the folks who have the power to say yes or no.

[Yam]

Keep the Great Merchant Houses in mind too.

[Gimfalisette]

Opening a shop is a very fun kind of project to undertake, but it will take RL months to get done, a lot of RP in support, and all the stuff Cavaticus said. It's certainly a worthwhile goal, but not an easy one. I'd suggest that if your character is really interested in doing this, then s/he should work on finding out ICly how to do so.

[Taven]

All the points outlined in this thread are true and valid. It would take a lot of IC work to get a shop started, as well as coin and influence. You'd have to have your wares in mind, and people to make or get them from cheap and sell them at a profit yourself. That itself can be challenging, because odds are that you would be competing with the GMH or NPC-run shops, which are very well known by PCs. You would need to establish yourself as a presence, with would require a lot of playtime, and advertising, possibly hiring other PCs to tell about your wares, or hiring PC underlings to man your shop when you aren't there, and the like.

It's an intriguing goal, but requires a lot of work ICly and time commitment. That's not to be discouraging, it's just something you should be aware of. It would be a worthwhile challenge if it was something you and your PC were both wanting and committed to.

[Salt Merchant]

i would recommend having a partner or two as well. A group of three applying for a shop might be more appealing from the staff's point of view in that whatever building that has to be done is going toward more players. Also, the shop is more likely to be open for a while than if there were a single proprietor that quite possibly would die soon afterward in some manner.