First Steps in Trading — Buy Low, Sell High

Last updated 2026-09-27

Why prices differ from city to city

Every city is good at making different things and wants different things. Goods that are common where they are produced sell cheaply there, while cities that do not make them will pay more for the same goods. The heart of trading is finding these differences and moving goods between them.

The differences grow even larger between nations. The Lumia Federation is a nation of mana engineering and precision manufacturing, the Dadaro Merchant League lives on the relay trade in spices and textiles, and the Ironbell Duchy is built on mining and heavy industry, so each needs different things.

Your first trade, step by step

• Open "Buy" at the market and choose goods. The "Trade Opportunities" guide points out goods that are likely to turn a profit right now.
• Once you set a quantity, the price for each bracket and the total are shown in advance. You can only load as much as your money and cargo space allow.
• Open the world map with "Travel to another city" and set off for a city where those goods sell for a high price. Travel takes in-game time.
• Open "Sell" at the market of the city you arrive in and sell. If you sell for more than you paid, the difference is your profit.

Good prices are limited

The amount a city will buy at a good price is limited. If you sell a lot of the same goods at once, the later units fetch lower prices, and selling too much can even lead to a loss. Before you confirm, the trade window shows from which quantity the price starts to fall, so it is safest to sell only as much as the good-price range allows.

After you sell, a market recovers little by little over time. When you open a new sales route, you get good prices for a while, but other merchants soon follow and competition begins. Spreading your sales across several nearby cities is another good approach.

Habits that grow your profit

• Remember your costs — goods in your bag remember what you paid for them. Compare the cost with the selling price before you sell.
• Read the city news — events in a city, such as droughts and festivals, move prices. If you know why a price rose, you can spot the next opportunity too.
• Never come back with empty cargo — load cheap goods in the city you arrive in, and a single round trip earns you two profits.