Market Discussions

I'm really getting into this game now, Sov maps are fascinating. (Goonswarm down from over 9000 to about nothing since my last hiatus)

I have a speculation. A theory maybe.

Could poor financial performance be the demise of large null-sec corps?

I am noob, so let me list out what I know.

1. CEOs dump BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS of personal isk and plexes into running their corps and alliances.

2. Mining is profitable out there, (if you have the skills for a mackinaw, and dedicated boosts)

3. Corps buy back this ore at a markup to benefit players.

4. Corps tax 0%

5.Few corps or maybe a big fat ZERO CORPS (feel free to interject) actively manage their systems markets, instead relying on one profiteer, to supply all their needs at big fat markups.

My question is this: Please keep reading keep reading keep reading, ok you must answer this question or gtfo ;)

Are there any corps out there making money? With the intention to make isks? How big are you? and will you sell me shares.

Kaprer.

(I'm coming for you null-sec)

1. Not that I've heard of, outside of the aluminium magnate who was funding his alliance's super capital fleet.

2. Sure, but there's other more profitable activities out there too.

3. All the ore buyback programs I've seen made a profit for the entity running them.

4. Some do, 6/10 of the largest corps on https://evewho.com/ have their tax set to 1.5% or more.

5. I believe most sov null markets are seeded by alliance members acting on their own, but I definitely know leadership sometimes steps in to run things for some alliances. It's definitely rarely a single person because it's a lot of effort to seed a market, and competition tends to lead to lower prices. This is capitalist and not socialist though?

ok fine all 5 of my points are whatever. Are there then any corps out there trying to make profit for their shareholders, owners, or just the ceo?

Not to be rude be honestly most of your assumptions about null are just off the mark as E Norn mentioned.

Player motivations are for the most part different in null than high. Even if players still want to make isk and grow its often not their number one priority, for some its only an afterthought or necessary evil to pursue other goals.

Of course that is not always true, there are shades of grey. But you largely see folks operating on their own or in small tight knit groups for the same reasons traders in high do so.

I think the key thing you are not considering which is persistent thru most of your points is your perception of low level interdependence being a facet of most corporations. You mention buyback programs, shares, group efforts to keep POSes running etc. All those would be important things if folks only operated only 1 account, or if eve were still young and people did not have enough SP to fill more than 1 role yet. But that's not the case, someone mining might have 10 miners, a roqual and 3 scouts all running concurrently. You don't need shares and fancy programs to track group ore mined by m3 if one guy is running the whole show. That is not to say those things do not exist, they all do. But they are often the exception instead of the rule they you see them to be.

Compare EvE to real life economies, EvE lacks even the most basic restrictions on highly immoral and illegal activities in real life(monopolies, insider trading, manipulations). Corps in EvE end up working the same way because it is the most efficient manner to operate in a system with limited resources and man power.

Just an FYI: Goonswarm had a 'market cabal'. This group controlled several major markets in game, and had a combined NAV in the tens of trillions.

These people sufficient ISK to purchase literally hundreds of supercapitals, had that been their intention. They might not have found enough sellers, but they did have the ISK.

So no, it wasn't poor economic management. Morale is a more important resource than ISK.

Trying to not empty quote here but I think the above snippet is all that is needed.