Mentor's Notes

1. Drag the item to the Negotiation Counter and the Negotiation Interface will appear. 2. A button will appear if you are able to buy or sell the item. Clients only have a limited budget to spend at your Store. You will automatically sell your items with a retail markup. - The Mentor

Food is the most traded commodity on the station. Keeping Food in stock is highly recommended, as Food and water prices can rise sharply during shortages. Everyone has to eat. - The Mentor

Sometimes sellers offer a discount if you buy all of their items. (This is called buying "Wholesale".) You can still inspect each item in the offer individually. - The Mentor

After closing the Store for the day, you should have time to visit one of the various locations around the Sector. You can always return to the Dumping Grounds to scavenge. You won't be able to bring much back to the Store without a backpack. You should also bring a bandage to patch yourself up in case you get wounded while scavenging. If you are badly hurt, you won't be able to go out for a few days. - The Mentor

Certain items will be marked as inspectable using a Magnifying Glass. Use the Magnifying Glass on an inspectable item to open the Inspection Tray. If there's an issue with the item, you can select a reason at the bottom of the Inspection Tray UI to confront the client about it. If the item is counterfeit, one issue is enough to confront the client. If you are right, the client will adjust the price. If you are wrong, you will lose Reputation and the client may take their business elsewhere. - The Mentor

Certain items can be relabeled. For example, you can label a counterfeit box of cigarettes as genuine to raise its price. Beware - most workers, Security Officers, and Lower Level citizens are familiar with common item fraud. Scam attempts will fail and result in a penalty to your Reputation. While Scavengers are also familiar with item fraud, they often don't carry the equipment required to test for authenticity, if any is needed. Tourists and Upper Level citizens, however, are generally less aware. But sooner or later, people will find out. - The Mentor

On the left side of the Shutter Door, you'll find the Display Case, one of the key features of your Store. Depending on the type of items you place inside, you can attract one client per day looking to buy that type of item. For example, if you put many [Food] items and one low-value [Medical] item, a food-buying client will visit the store the next day. The total value of the items stored will impact the social class of the attracted client. Upgrading your Display Case will allow you to attract more clients. Make sure to stock the Display Case before opening the Store each day. Do not keep Contraband inside the Display Case or you will be arrested. - The Mentor

As the days go by, you will meet various persons of interest who will offer to upgrade your Store for a price. These upgrades can be useful, but you must be careful when managing your cash flow and keep an eye out for the next rent payment. - The Mentor

Sometimes customers will arrive and offer to exchange items, rather than Credits. Barter offers cannot be negotiated unlike regular buy and sell offers. They are also not impacted by ongoing events. - The Mentor

Certain events will effect the market price of items, temporarily causing them to rise, or fall. The Newspaper will list most ongoing events. Some insiders can sell you tips for events before they happen. - The Mentor

Contraband includes any item that is considered illegal by the Republic. The possession or sale of Contraband carries a high risk... and a higher profit margin. There are 4 tiers of Contraband: Low Level (+35% Profit Margin): While technically illegal, they are generally ignored by Security unless they are out to get you. Mid Level (+70% Profit Margin): If found during Inspection, this item will be seized. High Level (+100% Profit Margin): If found during Inspection, this item will be seized and you will receive a fine. Critical Level (+150% Profit Margin): If found during Inspection, the Store will be shut down permanently and you will be immediately arrested. Additionally, you will lose Reputation with Security if any Contraband is found. - The Mentor

Station Security will conduct random inspections for Contraband. Your Reputation with Security will affect the severity of your punishment when Contraband is found. Events can affect how often the Store is inspected. Additionally, different Officers will conduct inspections differently. Some may be open to a bribe; others may not search every container. - The Mentor

Food Stamps are part of a social program to help eligible Lower Level citizens and prevent civil unrest. Food Stamps can be redeemed and are used at the Commissary to buy Food. Food Stamps can carry various values. Since they can only be used to buy Food, they are often traded at a lower value for Credits. The Stamps are sometimes forged and sold to unsuspecting victims, who only find out after failing to redeem the Stamp. - The Mentor

The Commissary is run by the Republic. The prices of all items sold here are fixed, and unaffected by the market. Nevertheless, while the price of goods is fixed, the availability of items is very much affected by the market. Only Food Stamps can be used to purchase goods at the Commissary. Visit the Commissary after closing the Store to purchase goods. - The Mentor

The Augs are humans overtaken by a rogue AI inside a brain implant. Their bodies are no longer their own, and there is currently no safe way to remove the implant without killing the host. Augs are hostile and extremely dangerous, actively seeking to kidnap people and install more Augmentation implants. Shopkeepers are the first line of defense, since Augs rely on raw materials to fabricate new implants and medical supplies to surgically implant more victims. They haven't fully mastered normal human behavior and may also use overly formal phrasing or robotic vocabulary. Shoot only if you are absolutely certain. Do not try to call Security, the Augs have hacked their comms and will flee before Security arrives. - The Mentor

It is illegal to trade in [Stolen] items. Each stolen item has Heat value, the higher the Heat, the more likely Security will recognize it on inspection. Sellers will offer a discount based on the Heat value. Heat slowly decreases over time. - The Mentor

Some valuable items marked as [Appraisal Item] have complex price structures. Customers will visit the Store and use your appraisal service to determine the value of their item. You will receive a base service fee for the appraisal, plus a bonus based on the precision of the appraisal. You will be able to pass appraisal examinations and receive a certification that will improve your base service fee and unlock new item types to appraise. - The Board

I am sorry to hear that you have SCD... It's a serious health condition that you will live with for the rest of your life. You will need to take regular Immunivax shots or your health will deteriorate and suffer permanent damage. You can afford to miss a few days at the start, but the damage adds up over time. - The Mentor