Newcomer / Intro Is pricing useless without demand?

[eliteqs]

Both the galaxy map commodities pricing feature and the compare functionality in the station services commodities market only show prices at the remote station, not demand, even when you buy trade data. However, I observed the amount of the item you have in cargo when you arrive at the remote station compared to the demand at that station for that item can drastically change the sell price.

If I do a comparison to another station for which I have bought trade data, I could see one commodity has a 2000/unit profit if sold at the other station whereas another commodity has a 1500/unit profit. However, if the 2000/unit profit item has low demand at the other station, which I don't know until I go there, the profit will be less than the 1500/unit profit item if the 1500/unit profit item has high demand at that station. How do I know which one to buy and move? When comparing prices at two remote stations, without having demand numbers, how do I know which one to go to with that commodity?

 

[Chris Simon]

Both the galaxy map commodities pricing feature and the compare functionality in the station services commodities market only show prices at the remote station, not demand, even when you buy trade data. However, I observed the amount of the item you have in cargo when you arrive at the remote station compared to the demand at that station for that item can drastically change the sell price.

If I do a comparison to another station for which I have bought trade data, I could see one commodity has a 2000/unit profit if sold at the other station whereas another commodity has a 1500/unit profit. However, if the 2000/unit profit item has low demand at the other station, which I don't know until I go there, the profit will be less than the 1500/unit profit item if the 1500/unit profit item has high demand at that station. How do I know which one to buy and move? When comparing prices at two remote stations, without having demand numbers, how do I know which one to go to with that commodity?

The price at the station should be correct until you fulfill the demand.
Let's say the demand is 50 units at 2000Cr/t. So your first 50 tonnes should yield you the 2k/t price and then it would drop. If a station is offering 2k for x amount but the actual price they pay is lower even before fulfilling their demand simply because you have more of the stuff in the cargo hold, I'd probably report it as a bug.

 

[eliteqs]

The price at the station should be correct until you fulfill the demand.
Let's say the demand is 50 units at 2000Cr/t. So your first 50 tonnes should yield you the 2k/t price and then it would drop.

It does not work that way. Even if you sell 1 unit, the price you get depends on how much you have in cargo compared to station demand. Go to a station with low demand for a commodity with none of that commodity in cargo, check the price, return to the station with a lot of that commodity in cargo, check the price again, and sell a unit.

 

[Chris Simon]

It does not work that way. Even if you sell 1 unit, the price you get depends on how much you have in cargo compared to station demand. Go to a station with low demand for a commodity with none of that commodity in cargo, check the price, return to the station with a lot of that commodity in cargo, check the price again, and sell a unit.

Yeah, that's definitely NOT how it's supposed to work.

 

[Maolagin]

Yeah, that's definitely NOT how it's supposed to work.

That is how it has worked for many years. It's called the "bulk sale adjustment" or thereabouts, and FDev has mentioned it in forum posts going back to 2016 or so. However, it was mostly unnoticeable until now, because it was turned off for the high-value, low-demand commodities like Void Opals until this month's update.

To the OP: unfortunately, I think you'll have to use external sites like EDDB to find out what the demand is. I don't know of a way to see demand at remote stations in game.

 

[eliteqs]

That is how it has worked for many years. It's called the "bulk sale adjustment" or thereabouts, and FDev has mentioned it in forum posts going back to 2016 or so. However, it was mostly unnoticeable until now, because it was turned off for the high-value, low-demand commodities like Void Opals until this month's update.

To the OP: unfortunately, I think you'll have to use external sites like EDDB to find out what the demand is. I don't know of a way to see demand at remote stations in game.

I see it when trading normal items with prices and demands in the low thousands. I noticed it when trying trade hauls between stations and the per unit profit listed in the commodities market compare screen did not match what I actually realized, sometimes significantly. Was all the work someone did to implement the commodities comparison and galaxy map pricing undone by the "bulk sale adjustment"? Why even implement that rather than just limiting sales to the listed demand at the listed price?

External sites aren't great for the experience, especially in VR, but thanks for the EDDB information - it does show demand.

 

[Codger]

The in-game trading tools are extremely limited, to the point of being nearly useless. It is what it is, at least for now. Maybe someday...

 

[eliteqs]

For anyone new who comes across this thread, this was later discussed in an official thread where I added this comment.