4) Other than the market channel, how do I best go about selling my wares without being a shop owner? Set up a deal with shop owners, use the forums. go stand somewhere and shout like a fishmonger?
I don't know about others, but most of Mirami's early business came from word-of-mouth. Get a reputation for being reliable, not too terribly expensive (but not working for free), and go from there. For example, I regularly buy from younger tailors because they're more willing and often more able to show me what designs they can make. This probably holds true for other trades, too- know your catalogue. If you know the five cheapest designs in each of your skills, then you'll get a good deal of business from people that come saying "I need a belt, any belt, make it cheap", or what have you, being satisfied, and coming back again. Knowing your catalogue also helps when customers (especially influential, friendly leader-types) come and ask something along the lines of "I need something soft, white and green, masculine, and not made from silk." If you can spring off a list of a few possible designs to match what a customer is looking for, that is far more valued than having the lowest price, or the most shop stock. It also gives your character some roleplay 'expertise' when it comes to tailoring, which can be used to build a character if you need something else to work with.

Also, about shop owners- there's nothing wrong with asking shop owners if they want to stock something! I know Serenwilde lacks a varied selection of watches, for instance. Just have to make sure that the niche isn't filled yet. Also, if you see somebody buy a shop or transition into shopkeeping, they may want stock to help draw people in (To make the Serenwilde General Store the 'store with everything' or what have you).

I don't see the Forums as a good place to sell wares, honestly. Really only used to sell big items (aetherships and cartels).

5) How big a % of your income is your trade skill as a non-shop owner? And as a shop owner?
Mirami's not a tailor anymore, so as an artisan <1% of her income is from her tradeskill, the shop being irrelevant. I've been considering having her become a tailor again, but the fact of the matter is that you'll be making better money (less reliable, but better per unit) selling to individuals rather than through a shop, be it your character's or somebody else's. Before Mirami got a shop, 75% of her income was from tailoring. As a shopkeeper, most of the shop profit comes off of kegs and cubes. Even as a tailor, most of the profit would still be in kegs and cubes, not tailored wares.

6) Is it a realistic plan to start with some initial credits, sell good, buy credits with the profits, invest in skills to sell more and better goods and so forth?
Only as an herbalist. For everybody else, I don't think you'll get enough middle-skills to make it worth it.

7) Any other advice for a tradeskill newbie? Maybe share your experiences as a practitioner of any of these trades?
-Find a trademaster that's friendly, willing to submit some designs for you, and has a large catalog to browse through for ideas.
-If you're a tailor, get at least to greatrobes. Greatrobes are where most of the money is.
-If you're an artisan, either go 66% mythical (thrones), trans, or Boxes (kegs). I never really saw any good stopping points in the middle.

I think I'm one of eight people who've made profits with cooking.

I have two rules.

Number One: Advertise Aggressively. I mean it. Dig in and carve a niche. I was gone for about 6 months, and people still remember my Market Ads. Get in there, get people to link your name to your craft.

Number Two: Know your trade. Don't just know designs. Research it. If you take cooking, research recipes and figure out what goes with what. Look up woods and varnishes for artisan. It sounds like work, but it pays off when you learn enough to make new designs properly. Learn what goes with what, why things go together, and how to make different things work out so they don't clash. If you take cooking, learn what food goes with what, and how to set a table. Learning what foods should follow what foods is often something people don't think about, but it's one of those things which easily stands out if it goes wrong and someone pipes up about it. As a cook I've done wedding meals, banquets, all sorts of things, right down to picnics and dinner for two. Knowing how to set a table, do it right, and most importantly, serve the right food to the right people (Hint: Feed Fainites merian meat.), and you'll be regarded as a good cook.

With these two tips, you can do well, with or without a shop.

Another hint! Sometimes Celestians love blood-splattered strawberries.. Always offer something unusual!

I would always be paranoid about ignoring trade bans, and not to mention, Tynghall is loyal to Mag, so I don't think he would do it in the first place.

Since when does Magnagora have trade bans? It's traditionally been Magnagora's policy that personal freedom and trade is good, it doesn't matter (on an organizational level) if the person is an enemy or not. Take their gold!

Individuals have decided not to supply enemies, but I wasn't aware someone had actually made it law.

Here's a good tip for being profitable: Don't be afraid to charge for your work.

Fain wants gold. He cares not from whom you overcharge it from. Murder those who report you, bribe those who can punish you to escape punishment. That is the Magnagorian way.

Beware of Enchantment. If you take it, no one will need you until you QQ.

Generally. Now you can find the margins instead of 1 or 2 gold upwards to 25 gold. If you can bribe a mag to rise the purchase prices in the comm shop, you can essentially bankrupt the trade ministry in one fell swoop if you have enough money. But that doesn't work with Celest, who has one citizen buying out villages to an extent and donating them to the city. Now for Serenwilde, meh, don't know if it's the same thing there or not, but the purchasing prices are at 1 gp. Hallifax prices are 5 gold less than glom prices. And yeah.

But in hindsight, i don't recommend it. it's a very selfish thing to do, and can ruin an economy if you do something like that for a week every day, potentially.

So, this would be a perfect method of completely crushing the economy like an evil villain and then working to restore it would make you look like a very good person who could run for City Leader, ja?

I like this idea.

Feel free to use it. The fun part is if you die on the path to make the transaction, dropping 6k comm goods.

Edit: Did it with a city, and got a favor for returning part of the money. Fun stuff

Edit 2: if you buy, buy several different times, otherwise people who might be watching the comm shop at the certain time would know who bought a massive amount of silk.

The shop will show that the amount was sold, but not to whom, so you can fool trackers when it comes to it.

Use one of the methods that lets you memorize a location at the destination, then buy things at the source and directly go to your destination to cash in?

I have been looking at trade routes but lacking the gold for any investments I let it slip, profit wasn't very high either. And being enemied to two out of five cities doesn't really help either. Also, living in Mag, I think I rather bribe another city and bankrupt them, bit less risky than Jigan's cunning plot there.

Speaking of you Jigan, your aggressive advertising is certainly working, being a cooking enthusiast was one of the first things I learned about your character. I like the idea of building a niche and taking my trade into my roleplay.

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Now, a few more questions to help me decide on a trade skill:

- How high are the chances that we will ever see artisan or bookbinding being able to sell their goods in a store, other than the select few available now? If not, is it a viable alternative to create a public manse, advertise it on ads, and have goods on display in that manse with fire sigils and what not attached to them so thieves can't make off with them? And has that been done already, because I do see a potential for bringing something new there. Unless everyone now quickly runs off with this idea. Please send me gold donations if you do

- Jewelry: Can I have various tierstones and focus them on different planes? Or must I destroy it and make another to focus on another plane?

- Tailoring: Without splendour I can only have a max of three proofings - coat, cloak and greatrobe - correct? Is the enhanced quality of enchantments only for the defense ratings, or also the proofings? And lastly, are they noticeable increases or only little values and lies the real strength in the extra proofing?

Lol at artisans and bookbinders selling their wares in stores. Good luck.

One tierstone only.

Greatrobes can take two proofings.

It seems very likely that it's done the way it is for some reason of either design or technical considerations, so it's very unlikely to change. If it had been going to, it would have by now.