Guide 01 of 20

Beginner's Guide

In Merchant Miles, you are a travelling merchant trying to turn a modest cart into a respected business. Success does not come from selling everything at the highest possible price. It comes from noticing what each town needs, buying carefully, protecting your stock and choosing the right road at the right time.

Your first priorities

On the first morning, Old Marlow introduces your stall and gives you enough stock to begin. Your immediate goal is simple:

Open the market.
Set sensible prices on your barrels.
Serve the customers who arrive.
Read the evening market report.
Use the Map Room to plan your first journey.

Completing that first market earns Respect 1, unlocking Brindleport, Salt and Fish.

Before opening a market

Check what is in each barrel and how fresh it is. Then consider the town around you:

Is the good scarce or plentiful here?
What did you pay for it?
Is it close to spoiling?
Does the newspaper hint that demand may change?
Is a law or decree affecting this good or town?

Your price stance is relative to the town's current fair market price. Fair is not a permanent number. If you help resolve a shortage or flood the town with one good, the market can react during the day.

Do not judge success by coins alone

Revenue is the money customers hand you. Profit is what remains after the cost of the sold stock, permits, travel and other expenses. A busy stall can still have a poor day if the stock was expensive or the permit consumed the margin.

Read the Market Report before deciding whether a strategy worked.

Travel with a purpose

Every route trades off three things:

Time: longer journeys consume more days and threaten fresh goods.
Cost: cheap roads leave more room for profit.
Risk: dangerous roads can result in stolen cargo.

A profitable-looking town is not automatically worth visiting. Include the route cost, permit fee and likely spoilage in the decision.

Five useful habits

Keep some coins back for permits and travel.
Use the Merchant Notebook to compare purchase history and recorded town prices.
Treat rumours as leads, not promises.
Avoid carrying too much perishable stock without a clear buyer.
Look for opportunities in towns you have not visited recently; old information can become stale.

Next: Core Gameplay Loop