Zedwork

I would like to create an open access spreadsheet to build a handy 'Shopping Guide' on the LVS server.

It would include:
Shop location
Shop type
Goods available
Price of wares
Shop owner

I wouldn't want to replicate something that already exists, so.. has anyone tried / started this already?

I feel this would help create a more competitive market, allowing buyers to get the best deal / most convenient to their location.

I think this would help sellers better manage their stock / increase custom.

This idea is in suggestions / requests so I can get feedback from the community before starting the project. (If this is not already a thing.)

While I am generally for community-based things, I think this could cause more problems than it solves. Especially if the problem is market competition - speaking as a seller, the market is plenty competitive
Put another way, like the enthusiasm for the market (woo market), really don't like this idea! (sorry not sorry)

When I started selling I made a spreadsheet like what you've described. Where it is, whose it is, what they sell, whether it's in stock and for how much. Never shared it - partly because the formatting is awful, but anyway.

Potential/likely problems:
-Keeping it up to date. Back then the market had ~300 priced chests. That's 300+ chests to be monitored and updated for prices/stock, as well as any more chests that get added anywhere. Maybe the shop owners will keep it updated, maybe not.
-Keeping sellers happy. However the 'data' is ordered, it will cause issues. If you order it by shop, someone's name has to go first. If you order it by goods, someone's name has to go first. That will irk the people whose names do not go first.. If you order it by price, you actively encourage undercutting.
-It makes undercutting much easier to do. It happens anyway, but with a spreadsheet people can work out how to gut prices in a second. This will annoy people. And by people I mean me

I think that a general 'guide' of the market may be useful - not having prices, but showing where different shops are and where you can go to get things...but even that would crop up with the same potential issues.

Thanks for the feedback Spec, you make some really good points. I too can't think of a way to avoid the problems you have mentioned here. (Not at the moment at least.)

Yeah perhaps a more vague guide would be a better idea... Maybe a few maps for the main shopping areas?

Market at spawn has become so much more cut throat over the last year, undercutting, supply and demand problems ect. I feel something like this would potentially take even more away from the community aspect the market is supposed to provide.