Trading and merchanting guide

Merchanting is when a player buys an item at a low price and then sells it at a high price to earn a profit. Merchanting is a popular method used by players to make a large amount of money in a short time. However, the amount of time depends on the demand of the item, such as if a player is trying to merchant something in low demand, there's a good chance that no one will buy it. Having a good handle on what prices are at any given moment will certainly help, as the price of some items fluctuate rapidly.

Tips and Tricks

 * Patience - Players must have patience if they want to merchant. It might be a long time before someone will buy/sell, especially in crowded worlds were it's difficult to locate the trader.


 * Stay in popular places - Merchant in Varrock, Falador, Seer's Village, Lumbridge Bank (top floor of castle) and sometimes in Catherby. Since many players are in these cities, there's a better chance that one of them will buy/sell what you want.
 * Merchant in world 2 for member items and worlds 1 and 3 for nonmember items- Worlds 1 ,2 and 3 are the worlds where many players go to trade, either in Falador's park or in Varrock.


 * Be firm on your price. If you switch your price your losing profit or your driving away busness.


 * Think of the Big Three. They are Mining, Woodcutting, and Fishing. Merchant these markets due to the fact they are always being bought and sold.
 * Always take time trading - Many players try to scam other players, such as removing some coins just before the players accept the trade. Players must always read the second trade window to be sure that what they are receiving is exactly that they want.


 * Know how to barter. If someone wants too much or is offering too little, you need to know how to bargain. Do you just decline and go about your business till they come crawling back? Or should you beg instead? This can't be taught! You have to learn this through experience.


 * Sell your items where players will luckily need them. If you don't like trading in the 3 first worlds, target the place people will be needing what you're selling.

0-100k
If a player is new to merchanting, listed below are some things they could first try to merchant.

Coloured gloves
Only members can purchase coloured gloves, though free players can buy them on free servers. The member has to complete the Priest in Peril quest first, and then go to Canifis. They then must go to the Barker's Haberdashery, and buy some coloured gloves for 650 coins each. Many players prefer gold or red gloves, so it is recommended that the member purchase these gloves. The member can then switch to a free world and sell the gloves for 2,000 to 4,000 coins. This is one of the best ways to start out merchanting. Free players can also try to buy coloured gloves at a cheap price from members and then sell them high, but few members sell gloves lower than 2,000 coins.

Bowstrings
Another way to make money is to buy bowstrings in random, low amounts, for about 60%-70% of the normal price. Once you have 100-1,000(your choice) of them, sell them for a good profit. You can also choose to purchase flax from other players or pick the flax in the field south of Seers village, or in the Tree Gnome Stronghold. And then you may spin the strings yourself as long as you have 10+ crafting. This may take as long as an hour to do, but it can easly get you your first 100k to start merchanting with.

Rune Armour and Weapons
It is recommended that players have at least 20,000 to 70,000 coins to merchant rune items. Prices:
 * Rune chain body = 20,000 to 50,000 coins
 * Rune plate body = 50,000 to 65,000 coins
 * Rune plate legs = 40,000 to 60,000 coins
 * Rune kite shield = 40,000 to 55,000 coins
 * Rune scimitar = 20,000 to 35,000 coins
 * Rune longsword = 20,000 to 30,000 coins
 * Rune two-handed sword = 45,000 to 60,000 coins
 * Rune battle axe = 35,000 to 55,000 coins

Obsidian shields
Toktz-Ket-Xils go for 300k-350k. Buy in world 2 for 310k by the farming shed in Falador, then sell back for 350k on one of the other highly populated members worlds. Just south of the bank (across the road) in Seer's Village is a good place to sell in worlds six, nine, and twelve. Or offer 300k and make a bigger profit.

Treasure trail items
Due to the price instability of treasure trial items, it is reported that they are good merchanting media as well. For example, Zamorak robe legs may sell for as low as 300k or up to 600k.

Dragon Armour and Weapons
These items are extremely popular among rich merchants. You could see these items being sold 24\7 in falador park world 2. Prices: (Dragon medium helmet- 350,000 to 450,000 coins (Dragon chain body-14.7 million to 16.1 million coins) (Dragon plate legs-2.4 million to 2.6 million coins) (Dragon square shield- 1.1 million to 1.5 million coins (Dragon scimitar- 8000 to 100,000 coins) (Dragon dagger (P)- 30,000 coins) (Dragon dagger (p+)- 40,000 to 50,000 coins) (Dragon dagger (p++)- 40,000 to 60,000 coins) (Dragon battle axe- 140,000 to 170,000 coins) (Dragon mace- 30,000 to 40,000 coins)

Amulets and Rings
These are also very popular. The prices range from 70,000 to 5 million coins, thus giving you a variety of things to merchant. The favorites of this group are glory amulets and fury amulets. Prices: (Glory amulet- 50,000 to 70,000 coins) (Ring of wealth- 40,000 to 50,000 coins) (Ring of stone- 4,500,000 to 5,000,000 coins) (Warrior ring- 400,000 to 550,000 coins) (Berserker ring- 2,100,000 to 2,700,000 coins) (Seers ring- 300,000 to 600,000 coins) (Archer ring- 1.5 million to 2 million coins) (Amulet of fury- 4.5 million to 5 million coins)

Potions
These are high in demand, and depending on the type of potion, can be sold extremely fast. The best potions to merchant are pray potions: the (3) doses go for 6,000 coins ea, and the (4) doses go for up to 8,000 coins each. It is best if you can find a person who wants to get rid of these pots fast; they'll usually sell 500 coins below the price. And since the demand is high, you can easily resell the ones you bought for a huge profit. Another excellent way to make money using potions is the "Warrior's Guild Method". Strength Potions with 3 doses are sold there. These may sell for up to 1,000 coins, for a 985 coin profit!

Barrow Sets
Best place for this is forums, or Falador park, world 2. Barrow sets (like Guthans and Veracs but not so Dharok) can be good for merchanting. Buy a set and then try to sell for 50,000-100,000 coins more. Also, it is an idea to try and get separate pieces of barrows to make a set and try to sell for more.

Abyssal Whip
The abyssal whip is a popular merchanted item. Not the best to merchant if you want huge amounts of money in a short period of time. Best place to merchant these things is in Falador park, world 2. If you plan on merchanting them, buy 100,000 - 200,000 coins below the selling price.(The whip's price constantly changes, so its hard to name an exact price. But if, for example, they are selling for 1.3 million to 1.61 million, for merchanting you'd want to purchase one for 1.3 or 1.4). The demand for whips is high, but the supply is high too. This makes it hard to merchant, but the rewards are high if you manage to merchant just one.

Coal
Too many people forget about the stable economy of coal. While some people start to merchant it with about 1m, it is better to have nearly 2m at least. Coal has a stable price between 180-200 each on member worlds, and forums. A good way to merchant this is to buy at 180 each, as any lower will take a great deal of time longer, even on forums its often difficult to buy at 180 each. An easy, and fairly fast way to secure coal at 180 each is to buy on a populated free world in Falador east bank. Offer 180 each as most people on free worlds pay 150-170, so an offer of 180 each will nearly guarantee you a deal with most players. Once you have an amount of 1k coal or more, login to the forums and create a thread in the ore and bar forum advertising your sale. It may take as long as an hour to sell your stock, and sometimes even longer with a large stock, but the profit is not bad at about 100k profit with every 500-1000 coal sold. If you work hard enough you can make up to 500k a day in profit, allowing you to continuously buy more and more coal, quickening the time it takes to make money. Always remember, that just because the coal doesn't sell right away, doesn't mean you should give up, just keep your thread bumped, and keep an eye on it. You may also want to go in game and let players know that you are in game so they may pm you for faster service. Lastly, while you maintain your thread try searching through other threads for people who posted they are buying coal, even if they are buying cheaper, try to get them to go higher. Don't harass them, just ask, and remember always stay firm in your price, because someone will buy.

Where "It's" Happening
It's easy to talk about merchanting and say how it works but many would be hard pressed to show a person an actual example of it.

Falador (World 2)
This is a place no new merchant should set foot in. There is no haggling to be learned here, only impoliteness. Here is where a merchant becoming good at what they do will go to buy their stock... and then leave as fast as they can. Everything is cheaper here, and you have to be fast to get an even better deal. Buy here...sell elsewhere. Also, stay away from the area in front of the bank, where people are bank saleing. Bank sales are the crutches of Varrock and low population worlds.

Seer's Vilage (Worlds 6,9, and 12)
A great place to go once you are at about the same merchanting "level" as someone who goes to Falador world 2. Here is a great place to sell high level weapons, and, of course, bowstrings. Simply by watching you can learn a lot about haggling. With a sharp eye you'll see a player come crawling back with after being swiftly declined by an experienced merchant.