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.

Major Trade Hubs

Jita - The Forge

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.

Rens - Heimatar

The second largest trade hub, in Minmatar space.

Hek - Metropolis

Hek is one the the major trade hubs of EVE, only five jumps away from Aldrat. The other closest 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
• Eram

Placid

• Orvolle
• Stacmon

The Forge

• Jita

Heimatar

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

Essence

• Oursulaert

Domain

• Amarr
• Pernirgman

Sinq Laison

• Dodixie

Lonetrek

• Nourvukaiken
• Nonni
• Sobaseki
• Torrino

Molden Heath

• Gelfiven
• Teonosude

Tash-Murkon

• Tash-Murkon Prime

The Citadel

• Hatakani
• Kaunokka
• Motsu
• Suroken

Genesis

• Yulai

Verge Vendor

• Alentene
• Cistuvaert

Khanid

• Agil

Trade Hubs on Empire Fringe

Solitude

• Octanneve