Frequently asked questions

What kind of game is Trade Empire?

A text-based resale business game about finding overlooked value, judging risk, negotiating, and selling. Money and objects are fictional.

Is it free to play?

The current base game is free. Create an account to keep your business and saves.

Does the game keep running while I am away?

No. You control the calendar by sleeping to the next game day.

How do I save?

Actions save immediately. Use Saves for named checkpoints; sleeping also creates an automatic checkpoint.

Why was my purchase rejected?

Check available cash, acquisition fees, storage space, remaining action time, and whether the opportunity is still open. A seller can also reject your price.

Why can I not sell an item?

Known counterfeits cannot be listed. Electronics containing personal data need a secure wipe first. Sold, lost, or discarded items are unavailable. An ordinary customer return restores the item to stock; a counterfeit discovered on return remains unsellable.

Why did my item not sell?

Demand, price, listing quality, and channel affect buyer activity. A reserve does not guarantee an auction sale. Review your price and channel. Fixed listings expire after their advertised duration; expired or unsold stock can be relisted. Dealer buyers pay less for speed, while specialist consignment offers higher budgets with slower demand.

Can I repeat cleaning to keep increasing value?

No. Each preparation action is available once per item, and repairs have a chance of failure.

What happens if I run out of cash?

Operating costs and refunds can create a negative balance. You can still receive offers and sell existing stock, but paid actions require enough cash. Account also provides a confirmed fresh-start option.

Why does cash differ from trading profit?

Cash includes all receipts, purchases, equipment and daily expenses. Realized trading profit counts completed sales, allocated item costs, losses, disposal and refunds. Unsold inventory still ties up cash. The ledger shows opening capital separately from earned cash flow.

Does free shipping cost me anything?

Yes. Online and auction sales still charge the displayed fulfillment cost when the buyer pays no shipping. The listing preview shows the resulting net proceeds.

How do returns work?

The selected 7-, 14- or 30-day window uses game days. Final sales retain a three-day dispute window. Refunds include buyer-paid shipping, but selling fees and fulfillment costs remain your expense. Undiscovered counterfeits have a much higher chance of a dispute.

How do skills improve?

Appraisal, negotiation, restoration and sales gain experience from useful work and completed trades. Business shows their levels, thresholds and exact benefits. Repeating the same inspection or conversation approach does not earn extra progress.

Where are employees, pawn shops, and branches?

Those systems have been removed from the base game for future expansion development. Hiring, wages, loans, store credit, transfers, work orders, contracts, and legacy identities are not active.

What happened to my older save?

Older checkpoints were converted to the base game. Retired assets and unfinished paid operations receive applicable refunds; active collateral and seller-owned consignment stock are returned. Ordinary inventory and trading history remain.

Can I trade with another player?

The current game uses simulated sellers and buyers. Player-to-player trading is planned for a future expansion.

How do I recover or delete my account?

Use Forgot password on Login to recover access. Account contains password changes, operation reset, and account deletion. See Legal for privacy and data information.

How do I report a bug?

Use Feedback and include the page, action, and what happened. Do not submit passwords or other sensitive information.