Check out or NOMAN’s Trading Guide for more generalized guidelines for trading in the ‘Verse.
For better comprehension, we recommand to study the guide. We use specific language throughout.
In the guide, we also listed a variaty of things to consider, as well as tips & tricks, which you don’t keep redundant.

Cycle - Etymology Link to heading

• “perpetual circulating period of time, on the completion of which certain phenomena return in the same order,”
• “circle, wheel, any circular body,”

Commodity Cycle Link to heading

In a trade simulation are algorithms that pretend a “natural” Supply & Demand effect. In the ‘Verse is a main clock that rules them all, like in the “In Real Life” (IRL) catholic ruling system. When we talk about Commodity Cycle or Inventory Cycle, we mean the same. But what is the distinguishable factor here?

At every buying and selling location, there is a “shop quantity”, that represents the commodities inventory volume or status.
At every buying and selling location, there is a “price / SCU”, that represents commodites price per SCU.

So, the commodity cycle is every 12 minutes - earth clock. That means, every 12 minutes will be a change.

“The clock is ticking, no matter your actions and nonaction!” - Dan

The effect of the clock to the commodity inventories is not the same as commodity prices.

Box Configuration Link to heading

The box configuration is the number and box sizes availble to buy but also to sell. There are locations, where you can buy 16 SCU’s of, but not at all selling locations you can sell that commodity. You’ll need to respect the capabilities of the locations. Box Sizes available: (1, 2, 4, 8, 16,) - possible to traverse with Multi-Tool (24, 32) - MaxLift tractor beam necessary

You can choose your own box configuration, when you buy & load your ship. Depending on that box configuration, the change in the shop quantity is one: in the amount of availble SCU’s but therefore also the availble box sizes after you bought the commodity.

Commodity Link to heading

Commodity factors: shop | amount of SCU | price / SCU

As an example: Shop A where we buy commodities has 90 SCU’s of commodity in box sizes 4, 8 available and costs 4k/SCU. If we buy 40 SCU’s of commodity in box sizes 4 (10 boxes), we’ll invest 4k/SCU40SCU = 160k. Remaining 50 SCU’s of commodity in box sizes 4, 8 available in shop and costs 4k/SCU for the next 12 minutes or next commodity cycle respectively. After the cycle, we buy 48 SCU’s of commodity in box sizes 8 (6 boxes), we’ll invest 4.3k/SCU48SCU = 206.4k

After the cycle of 12 minutes, if nobody does trading, commodity in SCU will increase and/or price will decrease. If somebody trades, commodity in SCU will decrease immediatly and price will increase after 12 minutes.

Inventory Link to heading

Inventory factors: location inventory / player | amount of SCU commodity / shop quantity | amount of SCU

As an example: Shop A where we buy commodites has 90 SCU’s (shop quantitiy in SCU) of commodity in box sizes 1, 2, 4, 8. If we buy 88 SCU0s of commodity in box sizes 8 (11 boxes), we move the amount of SCU from the shops inventory (90 SCU - 88 SCU) to the location inventory (0 SCU + 88 SCU). The player who buys has now 88 SCU commodity of 1000 SCU location inventory capacity occupied with that commodity.

You can exceed the limit of 1000 SCU per location inventory but you really want to avoid it!

Reference Link to heading