Trade hubs

Trade Hubs are centers of trading in a region of space, usually found in a solar system with many gates that serve as a main pass-through center. Volumes of goods traded in trade hub systems far exceed goods traded in other systems in the region, marked by high availability of goods in one place. The volume of goods increase customers to the system, attracting more sellers, increasing volume, and stabilizing prices. In busy regions such as The Forge, a large fraction of trade takes place at the hub, such as Jita.

The convenience of "one-stop shopping" is such that buyers are usually willing to pay a slight premium just to get the items at the hub rather than elsewhere in the region (this can usually be seen by examining the sell orders of an item). However, in low-population regions where the hubs are not as developed, there may be no premiums charged on goods and often the range must be increased on buy orders in order to reach more sellers.

Trade hubs are created in certain locations for a number of reasons, including location (choke points, proximity to mission hubs or different regions) and available facilities (research facilities, manufacturing lines etc). These factors cause players to use particular stations and systems over others, and once a station is known as a trade hub then players are more likely to use it, cementing its status.

Major Trade Hubs

Jita (Caldari - The Forge)

Population: 31,199

Location: Jita IV - Moon 4 - Caldari Navy Assembly Plant

The current center of trade in Jita is at Jita IV - Moon 4 - Caldari Navy Assembly Plant. This is the largest trade hub in the game, often having over 1000 players in the system, with consistent traffic in and out of the system. Unfortunately due to its intense activity, trading in Jita is highly competitive. This often results in fairly low profit margins, and is harder for players with low ISK to succeed in due to the richer able to shrug off the low margins by trading in volume. Be careful as well, since if you do find products with decent profit margins (say above 20%), these items flow a lot slower than those with narrower margins.

Which trade hub is second to Jita is debateable (and debated). Some people think Amarr is the second largest trade hub, some think it is Rens. In the end there are 3 major trade hubs beneath Jita.

Rens - Minmatar Space - Heimatar

Rens VI - Moon 8 - Brutor tribe Treasury

Amarr - Amarr Space - Domain

Amarr VIII (Oris) - Emperor Family Academy

Oursulaert - Gallente Space - Essence

Oursulaert III - Federation Navy Testing Facilities

Hek - Minmatar Space - Metropolis

Hek VIII - Moon 12 - Boundless Creation Factory

Hek is maybe not really one of the major empire trade hubs but as it is the one closest to the Uni HQ it is listed here as well. It is only five jumps away from Aldrat. The other closest minor trade hub to Aldrat is Pator.

Note that the route from Aldrat to Hek takes you briefly into Eystur, which is in Heimatar -- Rens's region -- as the last system before Hek. This means you can check prices in Rens, if you want to, before shopping in Hek.

Trade Hubs in Empire Space

Metropolis

• Hek, Hek VIII - Moon 12 - Boundless Creation Factory
• Eram

Placid

• Orvolle
• Stacmon

The Forge

• Jita, Jita IV - Moon 4 - Caldari Navy Assembly Plant

Heimatar

• Rens, Rens VI - Moon 8 - Brutor tribe Treasury
• Lustrevik - many mission runner's base of operations.
• Eystur
• Pator - the second closest trade hub to Aldrat, 5 jumps away.

Essence

• Oursulaert, Oursulaert III - Federation Navy Testing Facilities

Domain

• Amarr, Amarr VIII (Oris) - Emperor Family Academy
• Pernirgman

Sinq Laison

• Dodixie, Dodixie IX - Moon 20 - Federation Navy Assembly

Lonetrek

• Nourvukaiken
• Nonni
• Sobaseki
• Torrino

Molden Heath

• Gelfiven
• Teonosude

Tash-Murkon

• Tash-Murkon Prime, Tash-Murkon Prime II - Moon 1 Kaalakiota Corporation Factory

The Citadel

• Hatakani
• Kaunokka
• Motsu
• Suroken

Genesis

• Yulai

Yulai is the old major empire trade hub. CCP didn't like one system being the major single trade hub and closed routes to and from Yulai. This made Jita the new major trade hub of New Eden.

Verge Vendor

• Alentene
• Cistuvaert

Khanid

• Agil

Trade Hubs on Empire Fringe

Solitude

• Octanneve