Using external tools to haul profitably: Difference between revisions

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Using this tool, any hauler can routinely earn 300K ISK or more per trade run in high-sec space with virtually no risk, even with a minimum of capital or experience. Here is the process:

1. Base your hauler alt in a system in high-sec with lots of stations - this does not have to be in a trade hub [http://www.eve-ivy.com/wiki/index.php?title=Trade_Hubs] like Jita, Hek or Rens.

'''1'''. Base your hauler alt in a system in high-sec with lots of stations - this does not have to be in a trade hub [http://www.eve-ivy.com/wiki/index.php?title=Trade_Hubs] like Jita, Hek or Rens.

2. Make sure your hauler alt has enough capital to buy trade goods in sufficient quantity. For hauling consumer and industrial goods, you'll need about 10M ISK to start carrying near-full loads. If you don't have that amount on hand, don't worry - you can carry partial loads and you can earn the necessary capital over time.

'''2'''. Make sure your hauler alt has enough capital to buy trade goods in sufficient quantity. For hauling consumer and industrial goods, you'll need about 10M ISK to start carrying near-full loads. If you don't have that amount on hand, don't worry - you can carry partial loads and you can earn the necessary capital over time.

3. Start the EVE-Central market uploader program, and use the browser to open the EVE-Central site. Sign into EVE-Central.

'''3'''. Start the EVE-Central market uploader program, and use the browser to open the EVE-Central site. Sign into EVE-Central.

[[File:EVEMarketWindow.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE Market Window]]4. Open the EVE market window from the NeoCom interface, setting the search to Region.

[[File:EVEMarketWindow.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE Market Window]]'''4'''. Open the EVE market window from the NeoCom interface, setting the search to Region.

5. Click on items that have high volumes. You want to select items that people trade in bulk which will fill your freighter hold -- in general, this will be anything that trades with volumes over 10,000 units. Some items are smaller than 1 m3, though, so for these you'll have to look for even bigger volumes. A good list of market items to review includes: standard hybrid charges, mineral ores, all of the Consumer Goods, all of the Industrial Goods, and Livestock (found under Passengers). After you click on each item to get the detailed market report, then click the "EXPORT TO FILE" button, found at the bottom of the market window. This produces a file that the EVE-Central Market Uploader can use to send current data to the aggregated database. (Yes, this takes a little time, as it's about 30 items, but it's worth it.)

'''5'''. Click on items that have high volumes. You want to select items that people trade in bulk which will fill your freighter hold -- in general, this will be anything that trades with volumes over 10,000 units. Some items are smaller than 1 m3, though, so for these you'll have to look for even bigger volumes. A good list of market items to review includes: standard hybrid charges, mineral ores, all of the Consumer Goods, all of the Industrial Goods, and Livestock (found under Passengers). After you click on each item to get the detailed market report, then click the "EXPORT TO FILE" button, found at the bottom of the market window. This produces a file that the EVE-Central Market Uploader can use to send current data to the aggregated database. (Yes, this takes a little time, as it's about 30 items, but it's worth it.)

6. Alt-TAB (if you are using a PC) to the EVE-Central Market Uploader program. Force a scan of your system for market data files - this will upload the most current data to EVE-Central. Eventually, the uploader program does this automatically, but you want to make sure you have added all the latest data, so it's good practice to do this.

'''6'''. Alt-TAB (if you are using a PC) to the EVE-Central Market Uploader program. Force a scan of your system for market data files - this will upload the most current data to EVE-Central. Eventually, the uploader program does this automatically, but you want to make sure you have added all the latest data, so it's good practice to do this.

[[File:EVECentralSearch.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE-Central System-Region Search]]7. Alt-TAB back to EVE, and view the browser to see the EVE-Central website. Select the trade route finder, then select a System to Region search. Enter the name of your current system plus your current region. Confirm the search.

[[File:EVECentralSearch.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE-Central System-Region Search]]'''7'''. Alt-TAB back to EVE, and view the browser to see the EVE-Central website. Select the trade route finder, then select a System to Region search. Enter the name of your current system plus your current region. Confirm the search.

[[File:EVECentralRoutes.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE-Central Trade Routes]]

8. You'll then get a list of all available trade routes from your current system to anything in your region. It's a good idea after your first search to enter your cargo capacity and to click the "filter for security" options - you want to find routes that will fill your ship and which stay in high-sec. Look for trade runs that generate the largest amounts of ISK per trip, and which are short duration. In systems with lots of stations, you will likely discover some good trade runs with 0 jumps! NOTE: be sure to check the volumes of both the seller AND the buyer before you purchase them - EVE-Central will tell you this. You don't want to buy 100,000 of an item only to find that your buyer only wants 20,000.

'''8'''. You'll then get a list of all available trade routes from your current system to anything in your region. It's a good idea after your first search to enter your cargo capacity and to click the "filter for security" options - you want to find routes that will fill your ship and which stay in high-sec. Look for trade runs that generate the largest amounts of ISK per trip, and which are short duration. In systems with lots of stations, you will likely discover some good trade runs with 0 jumps! NOTE: be sure to check the volumes of both the seller AND the buyer before you purchase them - EVE-Central will tell you this. You don't want to buy 100,000 of an item only to find that your buyer only wants 20,000.

One important factor to consider before selecting your trade run is sales tax. The universal sales tax rate in EVE is one percent (1%). EVE-Central does not include the effect of sales tax in its calculations, and this is a potential trap for haulers carrying low margin goods. While the vast majority of trade runs in EVE have more than a 1% margin between the buying and selling prices, it is never guaranteed. Smaller haulers are unlikely to haul low-margin items, since they naturally tend to focus on trading goods that maximize profit per cubic meter (m3) of their very limited cargo space. But freighters, and haulers with very large capacities, are more likely to select larger volumes of goods at lower margins, so they can fill their expansive holds, and they can get caught more easily in a sales tax trap.

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A good rule of thumb, therefore, when selecting your trade run is to look at the potential profit margin of the run, and compare it to the original purchase price - if the profit is not more than 1% of the purchase price, pass on it, and find a better run, even if it means one that will not completely fill your cargo hold.

9. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT: Most of the time, EVE-Central provides good trade run suggestions, but it's always a good idea to double-check. Verify that the EVE market window data is the same as the EVE-Central recommended route information. This is why you want to start in a system that is NOT a trade hub. The market in a busy trade hub, such as Jita, can be so volatile that between uploading market data and doing the route search, it can change significantly. Better to do this in relatively quiet systems with more market stability.

'''9'''. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT: Most of the time, EVE-Central provides good trade run suggestions, but it's always a good idea to double-check. Verify that the EVE market window data is the same as the EVE-Central recommended route information. This is why you want to start in a system that is NOT a trade hub. The market in a busy trade hub, such as Jita, can be so volatile that between uploading market data and doing the route search, it can change significantly. Better to do this in relatively quiet systems with more market stability.

10. If your trade route checks out, buy the items from the station that you will haul. Warp to that station, open Items, and drag them into your ship's cargo hold. Undock, warp to the buyer destination, dock there, unload back into Items, then right-click your items and select "SELL THIS ITEM". Check one last time that the buying price is the same as what you expected from the EVE-Central data - if it does, execute the sale. (If it doesn't, you may want to sell it anyway if it's still profitable. Use the Wallet/Transaction tab to find the price that you bought the item, if you forget. Be extremely leery about using the Advanced selling option to set your own selling price, as this will apply a broker fee, in addition to the usual sales tax, that can further erode or eliminate your profits.)

'''10'''. If your trade route checks out, buy the items from the station that you will haul. Warp to that station, open Items, and drag them into your ship's cargo hold. Undock, warp to the buyer destination, dock there, unload back into Items, then right-click your items and select "SELL THIS ITEM". Check one last time that the buying price is the same as what you expected from the EVE-Central data - if it does, execute the sale. (If it doesn't, you may want to sell it anyway if it's still profitable. Use the Wallet/Transaction tab to find the price that you bought the item, if you forget. Be extremely leery about using the Advanced selling option to set your own selling price, as this will apply a broker fee, in addition to the usual sales tax, that can further erode or eliminate your profits.)

11. The market window for the item you just bought and sold will now change. Click on that item, export a new file, and upload it again to EVE-Central, so that it has the most current information.

'''11'''. The market window for the item you just bought and sold will now change. Click on that item, export a new file, and upload it again to EVE-Central, so that it has the most current information.

12. Go to step 7 and repeat for the next few trade runs. Every half-dozen or so trade runs, go back to step 5 to upload refreshed market data on all your target trade items.

'''12'''. Go to step 7 and repeat for the next few trade runs. Every half-dozen or so trade runs, go back to step 5 to upload refreshed market data on all your target trade items.

=='''What's the payoff?'''==

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Using this tool, any hauler can routinely earn 300K ISK or more per trade run in high-sec space with virtually no risk, even with a minimum of capital or experience.  Here is the process:
-. Base your hauler alt in a system in high-sec with lots of stations - this does not have to be in a trade hub [http://www.eve-ivy.com/wiki/index.php?title=Trade_Hubs] like Jita, Hek or Rens.
+'''1'''. Base your hauler alt in a system in high-sec with lots of stations - this does not have to be in a trade hub [http://www.eve-ivy.com/wiki/index.php?title=Trade_Hubs] like Jita, Hek or Rens.
-. Make sure your hauler alt has enough capital to buy trade goods in sufficient quantity. For hauling consumer and industrial goods, you'll need about 10M ISK to start carrying near-full loads. If you don't have that amount on hand, don't worry - you can carry partial loads and you can earn the necessary capital over time.
+'''2'''. Make sure your hauler alt has enough capital to buy trade goods in sufficient quantity. For hauling consumer and industrial goods, you'll need about 10M ISK to start carrying near-full loads. If you don't have that amount on hand, don't worry - you can carry partial loads and you can earn the necessary capital over time.
-. Start the EVE-Central market uploader program, and use the browser to open the EVE-Central site. Sign into EVE-Central.
+'''3'''. Start the EVE-Central market uploader program, and use the browser to open the EVE-Central site. Sign into EVE-Central.
-[[File:EVEMarketWindow.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE Market Window]]4. Open the EVE market window from the NeoCom interface, setting the search to Region.
+[[File:EVEMarketWindow.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE Market Window]]'''4'''. Open the EVE market window from the NeoCom interface, setting the search to Region.
-. Click on items that have high volumes. You want to select items that people trade in bulk which will fill your freighter hold -- in general, this will be anything that trades with volumes over 10,000 units. Some items are smaller than 1 m3, though, so for these you'll have to look for even bigger volumes.  A good list of market items to review includes: standard hybrid charges, mineral ores, all of the Consumer Goods, all of the Industrial Goods, and Livestock (found under Passengers). After you click on each item to get the detailed market report, then click the "EXPORT TO FILE" button, found at the bottom of the market window. This produces a file that the EVE-Central Market Uploader can use to send current data to the aggregated database. (Yes, this takes a little time, as it's about 30 items, but it's worth it.)
+'''5'''. Click on items that have high volumes. You want to select items that people trade in bulk which will fill your freighter hold -- in general, this will be anything that trades with volumes over 10,000 units. Some items are smaller than 1 m3, though, so for these you'll have to look for even bigger volumes.  A good list of market items to review includes: standard hybrid charges, mineral ores, all of the Consumer Goods, all of the Industrial Goods, and Livestock (found under Passengers). After you click on each item to get the detailed market report, then click the "EXPORT TO FILE" button, found at the bottom of the market window. This produces a file that the EVE-Central Market Uploader can use to send current data to the aggregated database. (Yes, this takes a little time, as it's about 30 items, but it's worth it.)
-. Alt-TAB (if you are using a PC) to the EVE-Central Market Uploader program. Force a scan of your system for market data files - this will upload the most current data to EVE-Central. Eventually, the uploader program does this automatically, but you want to make sure you have added all the latest data, so it's good practice to do this.
+'''6'''. Alt-TAB (if you are using a PC) to the EVE-Central Market Uploader program. Force a scan of your system for market data files - this will upload the most current data to EVE-Central. Eventually, the uploader program does this automatically, but you want to make sure you have added all the latest data, so it's good practice to do this.
-[[File:EVECentralSearch.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE-Central System-Region Search]]7. Alt-TAB back to EVE, and view the browser to see the EVE-Central website. Select the trade route finder, then select a System to Region search. Enter the name of your current system plus your current region. Confirm the search.
+[[File:EVECentralSearch.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE-Central System-Region Search]]'''7'''. Alt-TAB back to EVE, and view the browser to see the EVE-Central website. Select the trade route finder, then select a System to Region search. Enter the name of your current system plus your current region. Confirm the search.
 [[File:EVECentralRoutes.png|200px|thumb|right|EVE-Central Trade Routes]]
-. You'll then get a list of all available trade routes from your current system to anything in your region. It's a good idea after your first search to enter your cargo capacity and to click the "filter for security" options - you want to find routes that will fill your ship and which stay in high-sec. Look for trade runs that generate the largest amounts of ISK per trip, and which are short duration. In systems with lots of stations, you will likely discover some good trade runs with 0 jumps! NOTE: be sure to check the volumes of both the seller AND the buyer before you purchase them - EVE-Central will tell you this. You don't want to buy 100,000 of an item only to find that your buyer only wants 20,000.
+'''8'''. You'll then get a list of all available trade routes from your current system to anything in your region. It's a good idea after your first search to enter your cargo capacity and to click the "filter for security" options - you want to find routes that will fill your ship and which stay in high-sec. Look for trade runs that generate the largest amounts of ISK per trip, and which are short duration. In systems with lots of stations, you will likely discover some good trade runs with 0 jumps! NOTE: be sure to check the volumes of both the seller AND the buyer before you purchase them - EVE-Central will tell you this. You don't want to buy 100,000 of an item only to find that your buyer only wants 20,000.
 One important factor to consider before selecting your trade run is sales tax. The universal sales tax rate in EVE is one percent (1%).  EVE-Central does not include the effect of sales tax in its calculations, and this is a potential trap for haulers carrying low margin goods.  While the vast majority of trade runs in EVE have more than a 1% margin between the buying and selling prices, it is never guaranteed.  Smaller haulers are unlikely to haul low-margin items, since they naturally tend to focus on trading goods that maximize profit per cubic meter (m3) of their very limited cargo space.  But freighters, and haulers with very large capacities, are more likely to select larger volumes of goods at lower margins, so they can fill their expansive holds, and they can get caught more easily in a sales tax trap.
@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 A good rule of thumb, therefore, when selecting your trade run is to look at the potential profit margin of the run, and compare it to the original purchase price - if the profit is not more than 1% of the purchase price, pass on it, and find a better run, even if it means one that will not completely fill your cargo hold.
-. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT: Most of the time, EVE-Central provides good trade run suggestions, but it's always a good idea to double-check. Verify that the EVE market window data is the same as the EVE-Central recommended route information. This is why you want to start in a system that is NOT a trade hub. The market in a busy trade hub, such as Jita, can be so volatile that between uploading market data and doing the route search, it can change significantly. Better to do this in relatively quiet systems with more market stability.
+'''9'''. THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT: Most of the time, EVE-Central provides good trade run suggestions, but it's always a good idea to double-check. Verify that the EVE market window data is the same as the EVE-Central recommended route information. This is why you want to start in a system that is NOT a trade hub. The market in a busy trade hub, such as Jita, can be so volatile that between uploading market data and doing the route search, it can change significantly. Better to do this in relatively quiet systems with more market stability.
-. If your trade route checks out, buy the items from the station that you will haul. Warp to that station, open Items, and drag them into your ship's cargo hold. Undock, warp to the buyer destination, dock there, unload back into Items, then right-click your items and select "SELL THIS ITEM". Check one last time that the buying price is the same as what you expected from the EVE-Central data - if it does, execute the sale. (If it doesn't, you may want to sell it anyway if it's still profitable. Use the Wallet/Transaction tab to find the price that you bought the item, if you forget.  Be extremely leery about using the Advanced selling option to set your own selling price, as this will apply a broker fee, in addition to the usual sales tax, that can further erode or eliminate your profits.)
+'''10'''. If your trade route checks out, buy the items from the station that you will haul. Warp to that station, open Items, and drag them into your ship's cargo hold. Undock, warp to the buyer destination, dock there, unload back into Items, then right-click your items and select "SELL THIS ITEM". Check one last time that the buying price is the same as what you expected from the EVE-Central data - if it does, execute the sale. (If it doesn't, you may want to sell it anyway if it's still profitable. Use the Wallet/Transaction tab to find the price that you bought the item, if you forget.  Be extremely leery about using the Advanced selling option to set your own selling price, as this will apply a broker fee, in addition to the usual sales tax, that can further erode or eliminate your profits.)
-. The market window for the item you just bought and sold will now change. Click on that item, export a new file, and upload it again to EVE-Central, so that it has the most current information.
+'''11'''. The market window for the item you just bought and sold will now change. Click on that item, export a new file, and upload it again to EVE-Central, so that it has the most current information.
-. Go to step 7 and repeat for the next few trade runs. Every half-dozen or so trade runs, go back to step 5 to upload refreshed market data on all your target trade items.
+'''12'''. Go to step 7 and repeat for the next few trade runs. Every half-dozen or so trade runs, go back to step 5 to upload refreshed market data on all your target trade items.
 =='''What's the payoff?'''==