Understanding Trade Prices

[Mr. Bovine Joni]

I have mostly been working from the Demand +/- % to determine if I'm going to buy or sell.

I just moved into a Gek system (not sure if this matters) but these Gek Traders keep stopping me and trying to sell me Gek Relic and GekNip at outrageous prices, but the demand % is close to 0% so I thought it was be around the baseline (23k~). However, they are selling Gek Relics (+2.1%) at 131,206 and GekNip (-.7%) at 112,589. Even Starship Launch Fuel (+.8%) is at 67,138.

I hadn't seen this discrepancy (or maybe I just hadn't noticed it yet) when trading with individuals. The galactic trade kiosk seems to have normal prices.

Do individual traders just try to rip you off? Or am I missing some other component?

Thanks!

[Mr. Bufferlow]

The items you list, outside of Nip, are usually not considered trade items. The trading type of items tend to occupy the top tier of the commerce ball listing. The description will let you know if it is primarily for sale purposes.

The way trading works in the game is you buy something at a system that does not value an item to highly and sell it in a system that does. Unless you just enjoy the process, it is not the most effective way to gain riches.

Gek Relics are mainly used to up your rep with the Gek as gifts. Never really paid attention, but I think the price goes up as your rep increases. Same story around fuel. As you move farther away from the "wakeup" system, it goes up in price. I just fuel with uranium which is a lot simpler and one stack will last you for months of playing.

Hopefully, someone who does pay attention will clue you in more fully. I find trading to be kind of boring so I never do it.