One of the things that makes CS:GO so popular besides the addicting gameplay are the skins that can be gained or bought. Some people are using their items for trades, and they seem to be earning a lot. In addition, you are more eager to play when you make a certain weapon look like you wanted.
As we all know, the skins for Global Offensive can be extremely costly, while some of them are rather affordable. That makes us wonder why is one item more expensive than the other, and what are the factors that affect these prices.
Skins Appearance
The first thing that is being noticed on an item is its quality. In CS:GO there are five groups of appearance or wear of the item. This means how damaged the item is, thinking it was used for combat.
For example, the battle-scarred items have the lowest quality, and they look scratched and dented, with most of the color being stripped. This is why they are being the cheapest option available.
On the other hand, the factory items are being completely new, without any damage. They hold the highest price, and they look the best.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to guide yourself from the groups since there is always a variation in appearance. Instead, you can see the ratings of the float, which are a decimal number showing how worn the skin is. With that, zero is the best and one is the worst rating.
Its Rarity
Rarity is another indicator of the skin’s price. One of the ways to acquire a certain item is by the opening of the boxes. There are many items with different drop certainty. You are more likely to get a common item than a legendary one.
The rarity consists of eight categories where the first three are regulars, and the other five have their rarity. They are being classified by color, such as blue, purple, pink, red, and gold, with a gradual rarity increase.
This means that as likely you can get a certain item, that is cheaper on the market it is. For that reason, the items that usually drop after a match are only worth a cent, and the golden items from a box are worth hundreds to thousands of dollars.
Other Abilities
Many of the CS:GO skins have been upgraded for a better players’ experience and visual characteristics. This makes them more expensive than the regular items since they are a synonym of quality and a rare possession.
Tracker
One of the most interesting weapon features of this game is the StatTrack system. It is a digital device attached to the weapon that calculates the number of kills you have gotten.
This makes the item more favorable to play since you can track your statistics and be proud of yourself. The price they have gained is solely because of the tracking technology since the skins look the same.
Souvenirs
Some of the CS:GO events have included special souvenir cases with weapons and stickers. They are worthier than the others because they can be only acquired during an event. One thing that people who own these rare items do is apply the sticker to the weapon, and sell them for a drastically higher profit.
Rare cases
From time to time, there are limited cases that bring us specific items. They are usually specially finished items, and because of their rarity, their price is high.
The Place Where You Purchase Them
Another determinant of the price is the place where you are purchasing these skins. For example, the items that are being posted on the market are completely run by the community.
This means that if you want to list a certain item, you are dictating the price. Keep in mind that many people undercut, so your item will not be sold.
On the other hand, various sites have all the possible items, and they are selling them usually cheaper than the ones on the Steam community market. If you visit here, and look at AWP Dragon Lore pricings, you’ll see that third-party websites offer it for less.
Make sure to purchase only from established sites whose customers are satisfied with their work. You can research and read the reviews. If most of the people are being satisfied, that is the site you should be working with.
Type of Weapon
The type of the weapon is another price determinant. In other words, the weapons that are being commonly used have more expensive skins. This is why the knives and gloves are costlier, since they are always present in the game, while certain types of pistols are the cheapest.
Stickers
With many expensive stickers, even the regular items have their price increased. With simple sticker application to any skin possible, its worth is just rising. Especially with the expensive hologram stickers, many of the skins have increased in price.
This is highly important for traders because if you lend yourself on a skin full of nice stickers, you can swap it for a more expensive one. On the other hand, if you like just the item, go for the blank options. That way, you can still enjoy the skin without paying more than usual.
Timeline
Lastly, the timeline is a huge skin price determinant. Whenever there is a new event, the boxes that drop can be a couple of dollars, and a few weeks later, they worth drops.
The same goes for the items. Whenever they are being introduced to the game, their price is the highest since people don’t have access to them. As time goes by, their worth drops because people have gotten them by completing missions or opening the boxes.
For that reason, if you are in love with a specific item that has been recently introduced to the game, wait a bit before you buy it. Its price will drop, and you can purchase it for cheaper. In addition, visit the sites that sell skins and check their offerings.
Make sure you are being patient and exploring all the possible options. If you save something on one skin, those funds can be used for another one, which will surely improve the quality of the game for yourself.
