Ink Trading

I was asked why I pay for Northrend herbs and trading them into lower level inks, versus farming lower level herbs myself. Besides my explanations that price per ink worked out cheaper this way, and that the Herb market is currently starved for supplies (something I should look at gaining a profit from directly), I also usually have to explain that farming herbs is not a profit/hour positive activity. Most people still thought in the back of their heads that this was foolish somehow, as I'm taking level 80 herbs and trading them into level 10 Ink. I try to explain supply / demand to them, or how taking the first material through the crafting process to the end result produces a far greater profit. They only think in very basic math, that 10 < 80.

After thinking if I could explain this any clearer, it occurred to me the other reason why this is far more profitable: Pigment milling often will proc (percent rate of chance) Icy pigment. Now, all level of herbs can proc different special rare pigments besides their basic ones, but none are used for anything at all except for Icy pigment. And they are very valuable / desired. I was criticized for adding the estimated profit from these procs into my profit model, so I leave them out for now. Regardless of that request, I still see a nice income on the side from their darkmoon card sales, which would not occur if I did not first obtain these pigments.

In addition to these facts, by using the Ink trader I am still doing more work myself with little effort, in comparison of paying others to farm all kinds of zones for the various pigments I would use. Time spent / end profit remains less, and I don't have to pay such royalties for my inks. Perhaps if I was on a server with more herbalists leveling, and mid-range herbs were abundant, there would be some ratio to consider profits / convenience. Right now I get both.

*edit*
A market I've been basically ignoring up to this point is purchasing Inks directly off the AH. It was something I hadn't looked at because I thought it's prices would be relative to the inflated herb market. I was surprised to find Inks of the Sea on sale between 15g-20g a stack depending on the time of day. I may start purchasing out these lots to add to my stacks for volume / production consideration. Even though the price comes down to 1 G or less per Ink, I'm missing out on the Icy pigments. It's good to diversify your business, and have multiple avenues of profit going in and out, so this could be something I add more often. Still have to consider why people are selling out Inks at this discounted rate, so that I can anticipate when it might end, or what days it will become cheapest.