To actively engage in trading on the Market Board in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, players must first complete the crucial quest titled “Scions of the Seventh Dawn,” which becomes available when you reach level 17. This quest marks the beginning of your journey toward utilizing a retainer—your personal merchant in Eorzea.

Here is a detailed breakdown of how to use the Market Board:

Unlocking the Market Board

1. Complete “Scions of the Seventh Dawn” Quest:
– This quest allows you to hire a retainer, which is essential for selling items on the Market Board.

Accessing the Market Board

– Finding a Market Board:
– Market Boards can be found in all primary cities, including Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, and Ul’dah. They are clearly marked on the map with a distinctive Market Board icon. Additionally, these boards are accessible from various residential areas.

Selling Items

To sell items, follow these steps:

1. Manage Your Retainer:
– Ensure that you have assigned the items you wish to sell to your retainer’s inventory.

2. Interact with the Market Board:
– You can access the Market Board either by going directly to a board or via your retainer.

3. List Items for Sale:
– Choose the specific item from your retainer’s inventory that you want to sell.
– Set your desired price for the item.

4. Proceeds Management:
– Once sold, the gil earned from the transaction will be temporarily held by your retainer until you decide to retrieve it. Unsold items will remain in your retainer’s inventory until you either withdraw them or relist them.

Buying Items

To purchase items from the Market Board, do the following:

1. Approach a Market Board:
– Simply walk up to any Market Board and interact with it.

2. Searching for Items:
– Utilize the search bar or browse through different categories, which include items like weapons, armor, crafting materials, and housing items.

3. Making a Purchase:
– Select the desired item. The Market Board will display a list of sellers sorted by the lowest price.
– Make sure you have enough gil to complete the transaction.

Important Considerations

– Shared Listings:
– All Market Boards share the same item listings, which means it doesn’t matter which board you utilize for buying or selling items; your trades will be consistent across all locations.

– Retainer Limit:
– Initially, players can have up to two retainers. Additional retainers can be hired for a fee.

– Market Dynamics:
– Item prices can change due to market fluctuations. Some players engage in undercutting—pricing items lower than competitors to attract buyers. However, excessive undercutting can destabilize the market economy, so it’s advisable to price items competitively but reasonably.

– Free Trial Accounts:
– Players on free trial accounts are unable to access the Market Board until they upgrade to a full account.

Summary

Engaging in trading through the Market Board involves unlocking the services of a retainer, which enables players to list items for sale and interact with any available Market Board for purchases. With careful management of pricing and awareness of market conditions, players can effectively navigate the economic landscape of Eorzea while benefiting from the extensive trading system the game offers.