The Grand Exchange:
Are you fed up of trying to be heard above a crowded Varrock Marketplace? Are you tired of organising to meet players who want to trade with you? Do you just want to get on with the things you enjoy, rather than standing around, hoping that someone wants your full splitbark armour?
If the answer is "yes" to any of those questions, then Brugsen would like to direct you to his marvellous new
Grand Exchange! This huge establishment is home to a RuneScape first - an item marketplace - where members and free players can buy or sell a huge range of items.
Using the Exchange couldn't be any easier:
- Bring items you wish to sell or money to buy stuff with.
- Speak to one of the Grand Exchange clerks to either put items up for sale or to make a bid on any items.
- The clerks will take your items or money and look for a matching bid/sale to match you up with.
- You may have to wait for your bid to be accepted or for the clerks to find a purchaser - then again, it could happen in moments!
- You will receive a message when the trade has been completed and you can go to the Grand Exchange or any bank to pick up your purchases or money.
Members are able to make six offers for sale or purchase at any one time, while free-to-play adventurers can have two. To make best use of these, Brugsen has advised his clerks to accept stacked and noted items; for example, 1,000 cut diamonds would only take up one slot, allowing you to make five other trades at any time!
The clerks also have the ability to convert armour into 'sets', which will only take up one slot. To find a list of the armour types that can be made into 'sets', visit the
Knowledge Base article.
Market Prices in the Grand Exchange:
There is a limit to the amount you can buy or sell items for in the Grand Exchange, which is generally set at 5% above and below the 'market price', and it is impossible to buy outside of these boundaries. This will create a stable economy that cannot be abused by players who seek to manipulate prices to the disadvantage of others.
The market price is affected by any trade that occurs in the Exchange. If an item frequently sells for more than the market price then it will rise in value, but if it consistently sells for less than the market price then it will go down.
Initial market prices for items were decided after extensive research by Brugsen and his market experts, so should be very close to the item costs you are used to.
This market price will not only be used in the Grand Exchange. You will find that the value of staked items in the
Duel Arena will also change, as will the player stock in the shops of RuneScape.
Keep an eye on item values to make sure you are buying or selling at the correct time. Reading the market and anticipating when it will go up or go down is an art in itself! However, the alchemy value of items is NOT affected. So, whatever you do, DON'T go high-alching your party hat! You'll still only get 1 gp, and you wouldn't like that...
For more details on the Grand Exchange and market prices, chat to Brugsen or the Grand Exchange Tutor for a tutorial. There is also a lot of information and some FAQs on the Grand Exchange Knowledge Base page.