I've added your proof to the list Thank you for that. I know even Bazaar doesn't have trades that aren't a month old and the few that wound up on the classifieds are either painted or sold.

I've had to race, struggle and haggle to even get the few that I have and up till yesterday I was the only one trading these items. (Apart from the occasional backpack.tf priced one who's presence was akin to a leaf in the wind. Here one moment. Gone the next,

I'm putting this up for the benefit of the other traders. I'm already making sales and if this doesn't go through all it means is that I'll be able to restock a little bit cheaper.

Yes, the vote for speak for itself. I'm certain my facts are right in this. I've done my research. I don't make a price based off selling one or two. I've sold almost a dozen in less than half a dozen days. Trying to buy one at 3 refined is a race against time. Normally I find myself paying 3.33-3.66 just to keep grab their attention. I'm still beat at times. Some people offer 4 where the trader only asks for 3. That speaks volumes to me in terms of supply and demand. People offer to buy these at 5 refined. That tells me that people want this item.

I'm not some gruby newling making excuses to up the price and thinking it will benefit me. They don't. These's price suggestions are a chore to make. I can't understand why people bother making them sometimes. I'd much prefer simply trading and keeping my mouth shut about the goings on in the market. Why invite competition and kill off my source of cheap replacement stock.

Ignorance is bliss they say. Why should I worry if someone is happy for selling at 3? Why should I care if they don't do research past backapck.tf? Their loss is my gain. If this goes through then it will be difficult for me to restock again. Where will I ever find one for less that 5 again?

My reasons for doing this is simple

Their's honour amongst thieves. We bargain for higher prices when we can but the community as a whole isn't looking to take every scrap you have. The existence of this site is proof enough of that. I want to contribute to the community as a whole. These price suggestions are my way of doing so because I'm a scrooge and a lazy scrooge at that. I've only ever made suggestions in items I myself have had experience trading.

We all are trading for our own gain. No one NEEDS these items. The game gives you everything you need to be a competitive player right from the start. A hat worth a dozen buds won't make you a better player. It just makes your character stand out and look different from the hundred other clones running about,

A weapon that counts how many kills you've had doesn't improve your aiming. It just tells other players how many people you've killed.

Really there's no need for the market itself to even exist. Yet without it TF2 wouldn't be so popular as it is today.

Economics is far from simple. Didn't you say you knew about marketing?

Lad this isn't taking advantage of someone in need. No one needs these items. It's all based on want. They could have ignored the trades on items that's over backpack price. No one's forcing them to buy beards but when people are willing to pay the price for items offered it means the market's moving on. It may bounce back to 3 refined in a month or so. Perhaps it will continue to rise. Who knows? That's the nature of the market.

Already from this simple suggestion the Scotch Saver market has changed considerably. Buyers are spoiled for choice. Where it goes from here only time would tell.

Again even if it doesn't go through I'm happy with the results.