Help understanding trade - import/export

[Harmsway]

I was getting rich fast taking on quest from store quest transporting goods. But then I lost my ship and am now left with a dingy. I tell you all this because I want to understand trade but don't want a bunch of replies telling me to do store quest. Can't do that with a dingy anyhow.

In COAS it is easy to compare prices between stores you've been to. With POTC build 14 all I can see is colony Imports/Exports between islands. This old brain of mine can't remember prices like it used to. The manage button is always grayed out. Don't know what it does anyway. Anyone have tips as a merchant?

Please help,

Gene

 

[Pieter Boelen]

"Manage" is for towns that are yours so you can change their tax level.
Has very little impact on the game and nothing to do with trading.

Once you talk to any store owners, you'll get to see the actual prices at that time in the Colonies interface.
Of course prices may change over time.

 

[Harmsway]

Thanks for the reply I was wondering about the Manage Button. Is this talked about in documentation somewhere?
The only prices I see are the select few that are import/export. I can't remember the rest of them.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Is this talked about in documentation somewhere?

Documentation for the mod is admittedly not very complete.
Since there is so much to be done and we are a bit short-handed to do everything we would want to,
it has always been a juggle between "making good stuff happen" and "letting people know about the good stuff".

The only prices I see are the select few that are import/export.

What other prices would you expect to see?

 

[Grey Roger]

Export means the colony produces that commodity, so it should be cheap and there should be lots of it. Import means the colony is short of that commodity so it will be expensive. So you want to buy exports and sell imports. If a commodity is not listed as either import or export then the colony has neither a surplus nor a shortage of it, so prices won't be particularly good or bad - go somewhere else to buy or sell it. Basically, if it's not listed as import or export then it's of no interest to you, at least at that colony.

Some commodities are listed as contraband. They're illegal at that colony - you won't be able to buy them, nor will you want to as they'll be very expensive. You can try your luck at smuggling. Or, if you or your quartermaster have the "Trustworthy" perk, you can sell them at the store.

As @Pieter Boelen says, "Manage" does nothing unless you've captured the colony for yourself and installed your own governor, and does very little even then. Ignore it. You certainly won't be capturing a colony any time soon if all you have is a dinghy!

 

[Harmsway]

Very good. Sometimes buying the export didn't work out even if the other town was importing. Wanted to know if the unlisted stuff would be a descent deal. Your explanation make good sense. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Grey Roger]

Other big factors are your "Commerce" skill and the commerce perks. Without those, the stores are going to rip you off. Hire yourself a decent quartermaster - even if he doesn't (yet) have the "Trustworthy" perk allowing you to deal in contraband, his skill and perks should help you to make more of a profit as he'll get better prices. Observe how, at any specific store, the prices to buy and sell the same commodity are different. That's the storekeeper adding a markup to raise his profits. With good commerce abilities, you should notice that those prices are closer together because you (or your quartermaster) are doing a better job of negotiating prices.

 

[Harmsway]

I'm confused on how to buy for other ships in my fleet. While in the store it automatically opens the sales display for my ship. If I click a different ship in the fleet it doesn't open this display to buy and sell for it. So how do I supply my other ship?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

That should just work.
Unless the other ship is a locked quest ship, such as an Escort Quest companion.

 

[Harmsway]

The ship is the Justin with captain Keene. So maybe that why.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Ah, I think that probably explains it.
He's in charge of his own ship as you aren't a Commodore so aren't supposed to be in command of a fleet yet.