EVE Online at Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMOG Gamers to the Next Level!

The Five Usual Suspects

These small items might not make hundreds of millions of isk a week, each, but they will resell for much higher than their market hub purchasing cost, assuming you have found a resale market niche that is sufficiently distant. I have attempted to explain the principles behind why each item is in such demand, so that you can understand my rationale and spot your own investment opportunities in the future, without a guide doing your thinking for you.

1. Skillbooks

The vast majority of skillbooks are seeded by NPCs in so-called school systems. The NPC price will usually act as a price floor, meaning that when you buy a skillbook it will be worth whatever you pay for it, or in a worst case scenario a little bit less.

By bringing skillbooks to a well-travelled system that is normally very far from a school system, you add a great deal of value to them. Most players don't care if they are paying 150k isk for a 100k isk skillbook, if it saves them ten or more jumps.

If you work with a corporation or alliance, importing specific lists of skills is a good way to go. Otherwise, almost any skill will eventually see use. Just don't over-invest in any one skillbook.

2. Blueprints

Many blueprints are spawned only in a handful of stations, though far more may be found scattered throughout high-sec. Well-chosen ammunition blueprints, especially when researched, will fetch a nice mark-up if resold via contracts. Battlecruiser and battleship blueprint copies are also in goodly demand, as well. You don't need to own the blueprint original to sell copies, though, just grab them in Jita or Amarr, and sell them on your market for a markup.

As with skillbooks, importing special orders of blueprints for specific people is a great way to go.

3. Implants

Of all the implants, the attribute enhancers that allow skills to be trained faster are by far in the most demand. Buying and selling +1 or +2 implants can be affordable even to new players, and there will always be a market for them. Don't bother with the Charisma-boosting implants, though, as most players aren't interested.

Other high-demand implants will often be a bit too rich for most new players' blood, but once you have some more serious investment cash, consider the PG-4 and KMB-50. They sell like hotcakes in areas where battleships are used for PVP.

Another tool of elite PVPers, faction ammunition does extra damage, but is often quite pricey compared to normal ammo. On the other hand, for many null-sec and low-sec dwellers it is considered essential, so they are often willing to pay excessive markups to get it.

The large-sized ammo seems to see the most brisk trade in my experience, though there are exceptions. Imperial Navy Multifrequency L and M, as well as Imperial Navy Microwave L and M both see a ton of use by Amarr pilots. Other good options include Republic Fleet Carbonized Lead L, Republic Fleet EMP L and perhaps M. Federation Navy Antimatter Charge L and Federation Navy Iron Charge L and M see some decent trade, as well. The reason large ammo is favored is because the pilots buying it are usually trying to get the most out of their ships for large-scale fleet combat, or for quasi-elite PVP. Because it is so much more expensive, people tend to only invest in the ammo that they think most likely to be used, which is often the longest or shortest range option.

5. Small Rigs

Small rigs tend to cost between half a million and a million isk, and see use by everybody from month-old newbies in mission-running destroyers, to veterans flying T2 electronic attack frigates. Whether you can afford to use them or not, they can command a decent markup so long as the materials to make them aren't available locally.

The best-selling smaller rig in my experience is the Capacitor Control Circuit I, which is used to render a lot of fits more stable. Auxiliary Thrusters I and Polycarbon Engine Housing I are used by small ships that rely on their speed to survive, and also sell very well. Finally, the Gravity Capacitor Upgrade I is used by practically all explorers.

If you want to get into medium rigs, any of the damage improving rigs will sell, as will the essential Cargohold Optimization I , which is used by the majority of industrials.