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Merchant

Merchant

Rent, permits and the lawLower Levels

Money and reputation are base values, before difficulty and starting perk adjustments.

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About

Payment-day cash buyer

Buys goods of any type except contraband, at a discount that depends on the difficulty. On every payment day before you own the shop, a Merchant comes before the rent or mortgage collector. Selling is optional, and neither selling nor sending him away ends the run.

Priority by specialization

  • Apprentice

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Apprentice, he can turn acceptable spare food and household goods into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Water Merchant

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Water Merchant, he can turn acceptable spare bottled water into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Fence

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Fence, he can turn acceptable spare stolen stock into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Rock Bottom

    Priority
    SPrepare for this customer
    Why it matters
    As Rock Bottom, his visit before a payment can rescue a rent shortfall, but his limited budget and clearance price make stock preparation necessary.

  • Hydroponic Farmer

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Hydroponic Farmer, he can turn acceptable spare crops, coffee and wine into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Gunsmith

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Gunsmith, he can turn acceptable spare firearms and gun parts into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Chemist

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Chemist, he can turn acceptable spare chemicals and injectors into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Rat Wrangler

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Rat Wrangler, he can turn acceptable spare meat from your rats into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.

  • Aquafarmer

    Priority
    AUseful in the right situation
    Why it matters
    As Aquafarmer, he can turn acceptable spare fish and roe into cash before a bill, but refuses contraband and does not pay normal retail markup.
SPrepare for this customer
A seller of goods that are hard to get elsewhere, equipment, a reward or an unlock the specialization's route depends on, a deadline or branch to decide in advance, or a danger of major loss such as game over, arrest or confiscation makes advance preparation worthwhile. A high priority does not mean every purchase or report is recommended.
AUseful in the right situation
A main buyer of your goods, a seller of some of your inputs, a side income, optional input, reputation opportunity or conditional risk matters when the matching stock, branch or cash need exists. Check the condition before reserving scarce money or goods.
BOrdinary response is enough
The specialization does not normally depend on this customer's goods or outcome. Serve an appropriate incidental trade when the visitor comes without planning the business around it; a low priority does not remove legal or safety consequences.

Events

Quick summary

  • Payment daysHe comes before the rent: a buyer for raising rent money. He buys no contraband and pays 10–25% below market.

Visit 1

When
On every 7-day rent or mortgage payment day before you own the shop, he comes before the collector if no Merchant is already coming. He can also come as a random normal customer; random visits have a 3-day cooldown.
What happens
You can sell to him to raise cash before the bill, but his budget is limited and he does not pay the Retail Markup.

Choices

Sell acceptable goods for cash.

Needs

  • Offer goods he buys (All Types Except Contraband) and agree to the sale, or confirm selling above his budget.
  • His budget, 200–300 before bonuses from reputation, the network and Store Attractiveness, rises daily. He applies a Clearance Discount of 10% on Price Gouge, 15% on Mark Up, 20% on Thin Margins and 25% on Red Ink.
  • You receive the sale price, but never more than his remaining budget; selling above his budget asks you to confirm.
  • Your Lower Levels reputation changes as in any trade, and you gain Favor of 10% of the trade value on Price Gouge and 5% on Mark Up (none on Thin Margins or Red Ink).

Send the Merchant away without selling.

  • Nothing is sold; the rent or mortgage payment is still due.

Recommended response

Sell acceptable surplus if it closes an immediate payment gap, but do not give goods beyond the remaining budget just because the interface lets you confirm it. He refuses contraband, ignores retail markup and applies a 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% clearance discount on Price Gouge, Mark Up, Thin Margins or Red Ink; his budget, 200–300 before bonuses, rises daily. Dismissing preserves stock but leaves the rent or mortgage bill due.

Notes

  • The Clearance Discount changes the market-price part of an item's value; it is not a flat cut of the final price after all other effects.