Flipping items is one of the most effective and popular ways to make gold in World of Warcraft. Although it is possible to win millions of dollars, some players avoid it because they think it is too complicated. Sure, it takes a bit of know-how, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be rolling gold like a pro.
In this guide, we’ll break down the basics of item flipping to get you up to speed and share some useful tips and tricks to help you along the way. Your first flip requires some initial capital, so you’ll need to do a little farming or buy WoW SoD gold before you start to immediately have the amount of coins you need.
What is item flipping?
Item flipping involves purchasing items cheaply and then reselling them at a higher price on the auction house for a profit. This system has been around for a long time and has proven to be effective because the in-game market is very unstable, with supply and demand constantly changing. This depends on external factors, such as new content releases or changes coming in a new patch, as well as internal factors that affect the economy, such as players intentionally purchasing certain items to control prices (aka market resets). I won’t go into detail about the intricacies of the advanced flipping levels right now, as it’s a lot for a first-timer to understand. To get started, you need to know the Golden Rule. Buy low and sell high.
TSM
TradeSkillMaster (TSM) is the best tool for playing the auction house. This add-on tracks the price of every item in an auction, and also offers tons of additional features. You can automate your sales by grouping items, searching and importing pre-made groups, and customizing various tasks.
TSM is a complex tool with many features. It’s important to get it set up correctly for your needs, so don’t hesitate to study a few guides to understand how it works. However, for beginner flippers, you don’t need to have deep knowledge right away. For now, focus on learning how to work with item groups, how to run price searches, and how to post auctions.
item group
You can search for different groups of items on the TSM website and copy their import strings to transfer them to your account. You can also get string fetches directly from WowHead to group only what you need. TSM’s official website has detailed instructions on how to create your own group, so check it out to get started on the right foot.
shopping scan
Once you’ve set up your groups, go to the Browse tab, select the group you want, and start shopping. This scan passes through the group and provides information about the current bidding in the auction house for all items. The most important indicator here is the percentage at the end of the table that shows the market value of the item. Low-value items with values ​​less than 100% should be prioritized. The lower the percentage, the more profitable your purchase will be. In general, it is best to avoid items higher than 70%. This is because the price of the item is very close to its market value, leaving little room for profit. To make it even more convenient, you can click on the percentage column to sort the items by market value from lowest to highest.
But don’t rely solely on market value. Hover over an item to see a variety of statistics, and keep an eye out for local sales averages. This indicates how much you can actually sell for that item in your area. If this number is lower than the price you’re willing to buy it for, the item isn’t worth it, no matter how good the market value is.
Post an item
TSM allows you to publish in bulk, which is very convenient, but you need to set the right price to really make money. It shouldn’t be too low that you won’t lose money, and not too high that you won’t scare away potential buyers. Operational options can be helpful, allowing you to set prices, auction periods, etc. for an entire group of items. Take the time to explore the capabilities of each setting and adjust them to suit your needs, but keep it simple. As long as you sell more than you bought it for, you’ll be fine.
Item Flipping Tips to Maximize Profits
Start with small purchases
Don’t rush to buy expensive mounts or buy hundreds of items in bulk right away. Start small and stay within your budget so you don’t end up with nothing if you fail.
Study the market
To successfully flip items, it’s important to understand what the demand is and why you should choose the right items to flip. If you find it difficult to understand at first, seek advice from an experienced player. There are many guides online that contain lists of profitable items and analysis of the current market.
Selling a variety of items
Diversify your sales and explore multiple markets. Listing only one type of item will result in lower profits compared to offering several different lots at once. It’s simple math. If you only have one item to sell and no one wants it, your profit will be zero. But if you offer 10 different items, your chances of selling something are much higher.
practice
There is a saying that practice makes perfect. If you decide to earn gold through item flipping, be prepared to hone your skills, take a few hits along the way, and possibly lose a few thousand gold before you get the hang of it and start winning big. And remember, it is better to play smart than to take unnecessary risks.
