Last but not least is Gem Trading.  Through the Currency Exchange window you can trade gold for gems or gems for gold based on the current market price.  The Currency Exchange window will also display recent gem sale prices, the average price as well as the highest and lowest over a period of time.  For anyone wishing to convert their gold or gems, it’s well worth keeping track of the market data rather than exchanging them instantly as you might get a little more bang for your buck if you play it right.

Trading Post Summary

• The Trading Post is Guild Wars 2’s equivalent of an Auction House.
• You can list or buy items on the Trading Post from anywhere in the game world by simply right clicking on the item, in your inventory.
• Always check the Trading Post prices of items you have in your inventory before you sell it to a vendor, you might make more money.
• If you have bought or sold an item from the Trading Post you will need to travel to the physical Trading Post (most commonly in Lions Arch) to collect your earnings or the item itself; it will not come to you!
• Analysing Trading Post Trending is key to staying ahead of the market paying close attention to this will provide a clear indication of what players are after.
• The total listing fee for any sold items is 15% of the total sale price.

Two of the key elements of the Trading Post are trends in buyer and seller behaviour based on item values over a period of time and Gem Trading.  The first and arguably most important aspect for anyone intending to take the trading post seriously is Trending. Allowing you to track market data it lists everything from Top Trade Items to the pricing trends of specific items. Staying ahead of the game is all part of the fun in an auction house so analyzing this actively and reacting to it will be key in earning money.

For example, if you see one specific item is selling well and you know how to obtain it easily and quickly, it’s a common tactic to scoop up all those items already being sold (if you can afford it) before re-listing them at an inflated price, bolstered by the additional ones you’ve obtained.  This will create a new market price people will have to meet if they don’t want to farm the item themselves.  Many people may frown at this tactic, but it’s incredibly common (and does work).