Market Discussions

So I kept hearing how trading made a lot of money so decided to train an alt up to pilot a freighter. My issue now is I am having a real hard time filling the freighter to make trips worth while.

I realize I probably won't get much advice as people like to keep their money making secrets but is there a tool or trick of the trade to help figure out trade routes? I tried eve-central but that seems so clunky and often outdated and even then a route rarely pops up that requires even a fraction of my cardohold. I started another character just to check market in other region so I can check on accuracy of eve-central before I buy but double checking is fairly time consuming.

Basically I am just looking for some advice for a newb trader trying to figure out how to fill cargohold and plan a route without spending two hours checking prices of random items on two characters to hopefully find something profitable.

Thanks.

Try to stop simply spending time looking for random items and their profit margins each day. If you can, figure out a group of items that you notice are profitable and start using a spreadsheet.

I was checking profit margins on individual items like yourself beforehand - very time consuming, but when you apply a bit of maths to the spreadsheet and work out the cost of minerals in one area and check blueprint and resell prices, it will show you where the money's at. I can help you out a bit with how to work things out if you're struggling, just send me an EVEMail.

As for filling the cargohold, I'm not really sure - but I was halfway filled on my Obelisk in minerals for creating only 10 or so ships (which could coincidentally be a group of items you might want to look into trading/manufacturing ).

*Edit: Sorry, was assuming you did a bit of manufacturing but it doesn't mention so. Even with simple trading, be it station or region-wide, the spreadsheet comment still stands.

What's more boring then flying a freighter. I know! It's station trading!!!

I am new to trading also but I use a google docs spread sheet. That way without springs popping out of my head I can see how much isk I will make. It takes a lot of upkeep as you change your prices and things like that. And I don't keep it 100% updated all the time. I just fire in buy price, sell prices, tax, profit each, # of items and total.

Best thing I learned all week was that I can "Modify" orders instead of canceling them and re creating them (Seems like a no brainer but there is lots in this game one can over look).

Also the price history I got some help on reading what that chart tells me. The green bars are number of sell/buy each day of the item so if you find a nice remote hub where things are a tad pricy you can see who's buying what at that hub and then see what you could sell to make a profit.

The buy order is my next venture and I see it's value already. I mine for example and it's so nice to get the "quick cash" and sell my refinded goods but with some patience I take my Trit and sell it for 5.5 with a sell order instead of feeding someones buy order at 4.9 Isk.

I take my PI goods to sell when I take a trip to the main hubs for stuff so not going empty. If I know I am only getting small high cost items like rigs I take a destroyer and I don't risk it with Auto Pilot on my way back. Many times I have been scanned in my Mark II or my Mammoth but take a Catalist and you will be less of a gank target.

My current goals: Have 100 Mill in the market (sell orders)
Have 50 Mill in the market (buy orders)
Have 15 mins twice a day to make sure nobody is selling/buying lower/higher than me.

Your best bet is to find items with low cargo volumes and high sales volumes like minerals and ice products.

Also, think about joining a freight corp like Red Frog Freight. You will make decent isk moving contracts while at the same time getting great insight into where materials and consumer goods flow.