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Final Fantasy XIV's Market Board is a worldwide exchange for players to sell items to other players. The majority of obtainable items are sellable, leading to a strong in-game economy that encourages players to compete with others. Market Board competition directly affects gatherers who sell their items, crafters who purchase ingredients and players who have to stay equipped with the best gear. The Market Board is an essential part of the game, to say the least.
Players who are new to using the Market Board are prone to making small mistakes that can hurt their income. Most players will passively sell whatever is junking up their inventory at minimum Gil. However, this is the worst way to work the Market Board. For players who want to earn money, using the Market Board efficiently is key to getting items sold at the highest prices.
Do Not Sell in Increments of 99
Although it's tempting to post that stack of 99 Ash Logs on the Market, it's the worst way to get a listing sold. Nobody wants to purchase 99 Ash Logs when they only need six to craft their item. Buyers are more likely to purchase a bundle of 10 logs, even if the listing price is technically higher. This means that against a flood of 99 stack listings, the player who took the extra few seconds to split their stacks into sections will be favored.
Selling items in small increments is a much more efficient way to get items sold. Depending on the item, this will mean something different. For example, selling materia in pairs is the best way to go while selling mob drops works better in larger stacks. As a rule of thumb, do not group more than 15 items in a single stack.
Update Prices Every Few Hours
The biggest mistake new players make is posting an item and then forgetting about it, only to find out days later that their item is hundreds of Gil over the lowest price. Much like the real-world economy, FFXIV's Market prices change by the hour. Prices creep downward as players compete to get their items sold by undercutting others. For the unsuspecting seller, neglecting their item price puts them in a situation where they have to sell items at a loss or wait until the Market recovers.
Players don't have to lose sleep over the ever-changing prices, but it's always wise to double-check the Market Board before logging off for the day. After all, every item that isn't sold takes up one of the 20 precious selling slots in a retainer's inventory.
Do Not Go With the Flow
In addition to staying on top of Market prices, players have to know how much their item is worth and what they're willing to sell it for. As other players continue to lower their prices, items quickly lose all value. A player who's managed to obtain a hearty amount of rare silk may be disheartened to learn that it's worth nothing more than 15 Gil on the Market Board.
The best way to combat this severe undercutting is to hold off for a few days. While this may seem counterintuitive, waiting to sell more valuable items will prove much more fruitful. After the Market Board mongers have purchased all the cheap listings, a patient player can then list their item and set the basis for the next cycle of undercutting.
Sell More Than Just Your Junk
Players who only sell junk aren't likely to become Gillionaires. Dodo meat and animal hides may be crafting items, but they usually only sell for one or two Gil. To increase earnings, players need to become proactive in their selling. One way to do this is to take advantage of crafting jobs and crafting logs.
Players who enjoy crafting will find themselves at an advantage. Making popular clothes as a Weaver or Leatherworker is a lucrative way to bring in income. For players who can't stand the crafting mini-game, their best bet is selling high-demand crafting commodities. Players who enjoy hunts or FATEs should be pleased to know that high-level mob drops are high-price items for crafters who aren't willing to farm for their own ingredients. A quick look at level 50 and up crafting logs on the official site will provide hunters with all they need to know about valuable drops.
Take Advantage of World Hopping
Those who become familiar with the game's economy may consider visiting other worlds and buying stock to sell back home. Each world has its own trends, and while high ticket items like drops from Treasure Maps tend to stay stagnant across worlds, smaller ticket items like fabrics and metals always have price disparities.
The trick to world hopping is staying on top of trends in one's home world before purchasing stock in another. Keep in mind that while players can purchase on other worlds, they can't sell. If players inadvertently buy too much stock at too high a price, they'll be stuck selling it in their home world.
Selling on the Market Board can be both simple and complex. It's an opportunity for players to earn thousands of Gil through their time spent crafting or gain passive income through maximizing efforts in dungeons and hunts. Either way, working the Market Board is an effective way to earn income when players use it correctly and play by its rules.