my suggestion is to resolve the clear issues with trading

[NEBBI]

for example:
Pesticides produced by high tech; consumed by agricultural. I have a few spare tons at Leesti (high tech) and pesticides are a couple of hundred below galactic average and in high supply. I buy some because I'm going to Lave which is agricultural. Net result on sale 18cr/T loss...really? The missus suggested it was because Lave is 'organic'

 

[theEmohawk]

Clear issue? I think not.

Just as stations can sell above or below galactic average, so stations can buy above and below galactic average. If the mechanic is working correctly having lots of commanders selling goods at Lave would drive down costs there.

 

[Hydrino]

What would solve this is better money sink for information and better use of pilot log info in database regarding past trades so you have more information sources and less likelihood of choosing unprofitable goods.

Say we don't get exact market prices but a Traders News Feed where we can learn of market conditions, local events expected to affect prices, etc. This would also require some skill into reading the market reports.

But there is never certainty in a market economy for long. Look at gasoline prices that fluctuate constantly and take often unexpected downward moves. Market report in this case might read like, increased production of natural gas and renewables has dampened use of fuel oil and that is causing a glut in the world market. Income pressure is keeping producers from lowering supply.

 

[Susimetsa]

Make your trade routes longer - if you have and industrial and agricultural system side by side, they will already provide each other with most of what they need. Travel further away to an agricultural planet that is NOT a neighbour of an industrial system.

 

[nathan bridger]

Trading works fine

 

[Hydrino]

Trading works fine

It could be better and that is the point of suggestion sub-forums and threads isn't it?

The intelligence available really is poor considering it is the year 3300. We all realize it is a game but Trading, like most of the systems, really would shine with more tools, info and story behind it. That is the "potential" that everyone keeps talking about the "base" we have today. Same with exploration; FD already said it is a bare-bones framework and they want to put more love into it.

Example with Lave by OP is that Players should be able to find out why pesticides are below cost of a big producer on a consumption planet like Lave. If there is no apparent reason for it then the black box mystery is not satisfying and can lead to many trade losses and player frustration.

Personally I would like to see more trade goods, specifically more manufacturing parts that feed into full products and more specialty or rare goods as well. Why would we truck coca-cola from planet to planet when they could make their own? Every planet will have unique exports that create demand because they are unique. Major weapons producers need to ship parts to shipyards where spaceships are assembled. Hauling pesticides and food to agricultural planets actually makes no sense to me because those are goods that would be cheaper to produce on-planet unless there was a need to import a special pesticide grown only in a few systems.... leading back to some of my other points.