Basics – Market Trading

Beginner’s Guide to Market Trading

Trading in EVE Online can be one of the most profitable and engaging professions in New Eden. Unlike other MMOs, EVE features a player-driven economy that mirrors real-world markets, complete with supply, demand, competition, and risk.

🧠 What Is Market Trading in EVE?

Market trading involves buying and selling items for profit. The core idea is to buy low and sell high, using market knowledge, patience, and sometimes logistics to take advantage of price differences.

🏢 The EVE Market Explained

There are two major types of trading in EVE:

  • Station Trading – Buying and selling within the same station (often Jita 4-4), purely via market orders.
  • Inter-Regional/Hauling Trade – Buying goods in one region (e.g., Amarr) and transporting them to another where they sell for more.

Key Market Hubs

  • Jita 4-4 – The biggest trade hub, with the highest competition.
  • Amarr – Second-largest.
  • Dodixie, Rens, Hek – Regional trade hubs with lower competition.

📈 Understanding Market Orders

There are two types of orders:

  1. Buy Orders – You offer ISK to purchase items at a specific price.
  2. Sell Orders – You list an item you own for sale at a set price.

You can also instantly buy or sell by using existing orders, but this often leads to less profit.

💡 Basic Trading Strategies

1. Station Trading (Beginner-Friendly)

  • Find underpriced sell orders.
  • Place competitive sell orders for profit.
  • Monitor buy orders – undercut smartly, not too aggressively.

Tip: Stick to high-volume items like skill books, implants, or popular ship modules (e.g., shield extenders, drones, etc.).

2. Inter-Regional Arbitrage

  • Buy cheap items in a smaller hub.
  • Haul them to a bigger hub (like Jita) and sell for profit.
  • Use a Blockade Runner or Deep Space Transport for safety.

3. Manufacturing + Trading

  • Build items from raw materials.
  • Sell the finished products on the market.
  • This combines industrial and trading skills.

📚 Skills to Train

Trading effectiveness improves with these skills:

  • Trade – More market orders.
  • Retail / Wholesale / Tycoon – More market orders per level.
  • Accounting – Reduces broker fees.
  • Broker Relations – Reduces fees based on standings.
  • Marketing / Daytrading / Procurement – Manage orders remotely.

🛠 Useful Tools

  • EVE Marketer (https://evemarketer.com): Price check across regions.
  • EVE Tycoon or EVE TradeMaster: Trade analytics.
  • EVEpraisal: Estimate item value quickly.
  • EVE Workbench: For fitting/module price checks.

💰 Tips for Making ISK Efficiently

  • Avoid low-volume items – You want products that actually sell.
  • Undercut by small amounts – 0.01 ISK wars are common.
  • Watch market trends – Don’t get caught holding when prices crash.
  • Diversify – Don’t put all your ISK in one product or market.
  • Start small – Trade a few million ISK until you learn the market dynamics.
  • Don’t panic sell – Hold if prices drop, unless you need fast liquidity.

⚠️ Risks and Pitfalls

  • Scams – Always double-check contracts and market listings.
  • Market Manipulation – Some items are artificially inflated.
  • Low Liquidity – Rare items might take days or weeks to sell.
  • Cargo Ganking – Don’t haul expensive goods through high-traffic systems like Uedama without precautions.

📈 Suggested First Products to Trade

  • Nanite Repair Paste
  • Shield Extenders / Armor Hardeners
  • Popular Ammo (e.g., Void, Antimatter)
  • Skill Injectors (capital-intensive)
  • Faction Modules (watch for scams and manipulated prices)

🧭 Final Thoughts

Market trading in EVE is accessible, low-risk, and scales well. You can do it passively while engaging in other in-game activities, or turn it into your main income stream.

The key to success is market awareness, patience, and willingness to learn from mistakes. Every trader starts small — the richest capsuleers in New Eden made their fortunes one trade at a time.