RuneScape Free Trade Merchanting Guide
Here’s how to make billions on RuneScape using two main points: Desperation/Demand, and Supply.
Back in ’07, the “good old days” of RuneScape were removed in an update to stop botters / RWT’ers. JaGeX lost many members and players of RS that fateful day, and ever since, PKing and trading were never the same. Then, GE was released. However, the old wilderness and free trade are coming back. If you want to visit the newspaper post about this, click here.
Anyway, when this monumental update occurs on February 1st, 2011, you will need money. This is how to make that money.
You need to know four overall terms:
Desperation- When people want an item badly, they pay higher for it.
Demand- When there is a high demand for an item, the overall street price will go up.
Supply- When there is a high supply of an item, the overall street price will go down.
Street Price- The price players are willing to pay, usually higher than the G.E/most commonly traded price.
Grand Exchange Price- The price players are willing to pay over the G.E, lower than street price.
Now to the actual merchanting. Merchanting basically means buying low and selling high.
Now, the terms come in handy. How do desperation, demand, and supply come in handy?
Well, first of all, desperation is when someone wants an item REALLY badly, ex. for a quest/boss. They want it now so they can finish that event quickly. If someone is desperate enough, they will pay high prices for items that don’t cost that much. Marching (aka Merchanting) does not take much skill when using desperation. It’s a matter of buying a popular item and waiting for desperate players to offer for it.
Secondly, demand and supply go together. Both affect the price of an item greatly. Remember a few weeks ago, when the Frozen Door was unlocked and the Zarosian Army and it’s general Nex were released? Torva and the other items became in high demand. The street price was well over 500m for a plate body, while the G.E price was a mere 200m. People were willing to pay PARTY HATS for this new armor. Because of this demand, the price of Torva rose in street price to around 400m. That can mean major profit once free trade is released again. On updates where new items are released, try to buy out the item/get it yourself as quickly as possible. Soon, demand will rise and people will pay massive amounts for those said items. Demand can make a massive profit when there is a limited supply. When there is a high demand, prices rise. Low demand, prices drop.
Supply ties in with demand. Low supply means the price rises, while high demand means the price drops. It’s simple: A lot of people selling the item, say, rune plate bodies. However, no-one wants to buy it. Therefore, the price drops greatly. On the other hand, there is a low supply. A lot of people want the item, say, dragon claws. However, not many people have those for sale. The price dramatically rises. In that example, supply and demand worked together to either lower or increase the price. When there is a low supply, prices rise. High supply, prices drop.
Let’s put supply and demand together. When there is a low supply of items, say the Torva Platebody, prices rise. Now, apply demand to this. Many people wish to obtain the Torva Platebody, so prices rise. Both supply and demand combined form dramatic rises, often making merchants great profits.
In addition to that, add desperation to the play. In that triumvirate of demand, supply, and desperation, profit is inevitable. Those three forms the ultimate merchant: people want an item a lot, there are only a few of that item, and people are desperate to get that item. Those three together can make prices rise pretty high. Demand, supply, and desperation all increase the price of an item in most circumstances, so they can yield epic profits.
I’d like to end this article with a few items that should be merchanted if you have/can obtain one. There are put in the order that would be the most profitable (# 1), to the least profitable (# 3).
Party hats. Believe it or not, they are the most costly items in-game (blue being the most costly). Also, since there are no ways to obtain them anymore, prices will ALWAYS rise. Look at the graph of the Blue Party hat. The price has NEVER dropped.
Torva. One of the rarest drops from Nex, it can be very profitable and will rise for a few months until demand is met. Divine/Elysian Sigils /Spirit Shields. Two of the rarest drops from the Corporeal Beast, they will usually rise. It is rare that these items should drop.
Good luck with Merchanting! Thanks for reading, don’t forget to comment amp; like the article!
NOTE: I do not take credit for the RuneScape Grand Exchange Database, or the TipIT Bestiaries. I have simply used them to enhance my guide. You can even try elo boost for additional benefits as well.
