OK, so when Cataclysm launches, there's going to be a huge rush of new Goblins rolled. Is 5000 within the first couple weeks an overestimate? I doubt it. Anyway, all these new goblins are going to needs stuff. They're going to need bags, they're going to be leveling professions, and so on. What this means is that there will be some good opportunities to profit without building a million spreadsheets or installing a couple dozen specialized add-ons.
So, some of the most valuable stuff today isn't going to be worth squat come Cata (Titansteel, anyone?), but some stuff that's going cheap now, is going to be in short supply. Personally, I've noticed that most of the mats I use for enchanting and jewelcrafting are at all-time low prices. This will change soon.
So, without further ado, here are some things to consider stockpiling:
Illustion Dust
Arcane Dust
Infinite Dust
Eternal Essence
Planar Essence
Cosmic Essence
Void Crystals
Large Brilliant Shards
Righteous Orbs
Copper Bars
Iron Bars
Gold Bars
Mithril Bars
Thorium Bars
Fel Iron Ore and Bars
Adamantite Ore and Bars
Cobalt Bars
Saronite Bars
Titanium Bars
Aquamarine
Star Rubies
Malachite
Shadow Gems
Uncut Blood Garnets
Uncut Flame Spessarite
Uncut Deep Peridots
Uncut Azure Moonstones
Uncut Shadow Draenite
Uncut Living Rubies
Uncut Noble Topaz
Uncut Talasite
Uncut Nightseye
Uncut Dawnstone
Uncut Star of Elune
Uncut Bloodstone
Uncut Huge Citrine
Uncut Chalcedony
Uncut Sun Crystal
Uncut Twilight Opal
Uncut Scarlet Ruby
Uncut Monarch Topaz
Uncut Autumn's Glow
Uncut Sky Sapphire
Essence of Air
Essence of Earth
Essence of Fire
Essence of Water
Primal Air
Primal Earth
Primal Fire
Primal Water
Primal Life
Primal Mana
Primal Shadow
Eternal Air
Eternal Earth
Eternal Fire
Eternal Water
Eternal Life
Eternal Shadow
Linen
Wool
Silk
Mageweave
Runecloth
Netherweave (stockpile this one MASSIVELY)
Frostweave
Make sure and have up-to-date scans of the auction house, and buy things when you notice they are well below the market value. If you use Auctioneer, consider making a snatch list. There are enough items on the list that a few of them are bound to be under-priced at any given time. To mitigate risk, I would avoid investing hugely into any one item (with the exception of Netherweave). Buy a wide variety, and if you already have a bunch of stacks of one particular item, don't buy any more.
Once Cataclysm hits, there's going to be a limited window of opportunity. As people level their goblins, prices are going to start to normalize. I would recommend selling through this stuff within a few weeks to a month. While you're moving through this stuff, you also have a golden opportunity to make good profits from Cata mats you gather. That first month or so is going to be awesome for high-level miners and herbalists.
If you want to take advantage of this stuff, but lack the gold, I would be happy to loan you a few thousand, to be repaid come January or February. Just hit me up.
The number of Infinite Dust is high, as that was required to get to 450, and Cata recipes start at 425. Still, I think all of these will sell out very fast during the first month.
190 x [Copper Bar] 180 x [Bronze Bar] 230 x [Iron Bar] 320 x [Mithril Bar] 430 x [Thorium Bar] 155 x [Fel Iron Bar] 85 x [Adamantite Bar] 320 x [Cobalt Bar] 441 x [Saronite Bar]
Because Jewelcrafting (for prospecting) and Smelting (to powerlevel Mining - yes, it happens) use ores, you won't want to turn everything to bars. Only do it if it's profitable.
-- Edited by Monk on Thursday 4th of November 2010 09:37:08 PM
Some numbers for Jewelcrafting (besides all of the ores/bars they need, they use a LOT of gems):
20 Tigerseye or 20 Malachite 60 Shadowgem OR 20 Shadowgem and 20 Small Lustrous Pearl 30 Moss Agate 25 Citrine 5 Aquamarine 10 Star Ruby 20 Large Opal 10 Powerful Mojo or 10 Blue Sapphire 20 Huge Emerald
Really, it's probably best to save any raw materials at this point. There's no real herb list for inscription. Any old world/BC herbs, sell them in multiples of 5.
Also, any old green quality inks (hunter's, dawnstar, dawnfire, royal, fiery, sky, darkflame). These aren't common on the AH, but they are pretty cheap right now, as they are only used to make wierd stuff, like off-hands and old darkmoon sets, rather than glyphs. But they can be useful for leveling inscription. I'd expect them to go up in price with the goblin wave.
