TrendTracker FAQ

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Q: What is TrendTracker?
A: TrendTracker is a further addition to our exclusive Custom Item Tracking feature which is designed to augment the return of 'free-trade' within Runescape. This setting allows users the ability to customize and prioritize precisely which type of update notifications they receive.

Q: What does it do?
A: In general terms, TrendTracker allows a user the ability to receive notification of price trend changes. For example, when an item you're merchanting (short or long term) begins to decline in price, you would receive a notification. Conversely, when an item you're merchanting begins to increase in price. The reasoning why this is useful will be explained momentarily, but it allows for quicker returns and loss prevention on nearly all items one might buy or sell. Example:

Graph of item: Santa Hat -- Red arrows indicate where you would be sent a special price reversal email/sms message.)

Q: How does this thing work?
A: Overall, the way the script works is very simple...When GEUpdate detects a grand exchange update, our servers go to work analyzing numerous metrics in order to determine the price trend of an item. If the trend has changed, and a user has opted to receive TrendTracker notifications, a notification is immediately dispatched separate from regular update notifications. In other words, a user may receive both a 'Price Reversal' and an 'Item Update' notification or only on (Price Reversal [Trend Tracker] or Update Notification); it's your call! In this sense, TrendTracker provides you with the exact data you need to merchant quicker and more effectively.

Q: Are there any restrictions / Do I get to use it?
A: The only requirement is that you are a premium member. This is because the backend for this feature is extremely resource intensive and thus requires some expensive technological infrastructure to operate.

Q: Are there any limitations to TrendTracker's capabilities?
A: One of the limitations to consider (though it's partially mitigated) is that TrendTracker is only based on grand exchange data, and not 'street' prices. However, as a consequence of the newly implemented free-trade system, there is an increasing correlation between grand exchange and street prices for many reasons, primary among them being convenience.

Q: Will this eat up all of my credits??
A: Nope! If TrendTracker is triggered the message will be sent separately from an update notification, but will not alter your credit count. However, if you only receive TrendTracker notifications and not update notifications, it will impact your credit amount. Think of it as being '1 credit per update per item.' If as part of the update you receive two notifications for one item, only one credit is expended. (You can, of course, always add more!)

Q: But is it useful for me?
A: TrendTracker is useful for most everybody. However, particular value comes for long-term item investors, as well as 'day traders' (those who flip items over a very short time span). In sum: merchants and investors!

For merchants: receiving up-to-date price data (the price of the item is included) and trend reverses allows you to stay on top of items not only while not playing, but also to keep in sync with the market psychology. Because Runescape's market model is very, very, very imperfect, much of the price changes are based on fear. Here, a reverse in price easily (and often does) trigger mass pandemonium and dumping of an item (loss prevention). During these periods it can be immensely profitable to buy more of an item, or to sell quickly and buy after the next price reverse when the item is heading up in value. In other words, you're playing the spread between resistance lines (in a typical, realistic stock market sense). Items are constantly pumped and dumped, TrendTracker allows you to capture (read: exploit) these easily, quickly, and effectively.

For investors: TrendTracker allows you to 'set it and forget it.' Although most rares generally increase in price as time goes on, we would all be lying if we didn't have that wonder in the back of our mind trying to figure out if and when there is a top in the market. Why? Because if there is, we want to be the first one out at the highest price. In other words, a crash is quick to follow. Here, TrendTracker notifies you when the top has been reached so you can get out quickly. But as an added benefit, this all takes place without you even having to pay attention to Runescape. In other words, you can retire and TrendTracker will guide you along and tell you if you need to login and sell, and (potentially) when to rebuy the item. By using this as a guide, you can effectively make more money than you would simply over the longterm by capitalizing (profiting) from price increases and decreases...with almost no effort. Until the price trend reverses, TrendTracker will leave you alone.

Q: How is this different from regular notifications?
A: The primary difference is when they are sent: not every update. More specifically, alongside updates where the price of an item reverses.

Q: Where are the messages sent?
A: They are sent to the same place you would get regular update notifications, and are available in either SMS or eMail formats.

Q: Wait...so when exactly do I receive these notification thingies? / What's a 'price reversal'?
A: You're right, it's pretty hard to describe using words, so why not an image!
(Using Nature Runes as an example, you would be sent a TrendTracker notification where the red arrows are, showing a correlation between ideal buy and sell times. Between these speads a lot of profit can be made / kept.)

Q: ...So, how do I get it??
A: TrendTracker is available to all Premium members by default.

I Want It!