Merchant

For in-game information, see Vendor.

Suspicious Vendor in Hearthstone.

Merchants (also known as traders, tradesmen, salesmen, and vendors) are buyers and sellers of goods. It is a popular profession, and those in the business range from humans and goblins to imps and abominations. Ethereal merchants are known as wind traders.

History

Tazavesh, the Veiled Market

Long ago, the city-state of Tazavesh had an enormous market with goods from all over the planet of K'aresh.

Around 2,700 BDP, as the Empire of Arathor expanded its territoy, the city-state of Kul Tiras built up a mighty fleet of merchant vessels that sailed throughout the known lands in search of exotic goods to trade and sell. In the coastal region known as Gilneas, the settlers constructed a series of robust harbors, from which they engaged in rigorous trade with other parts of Arathor. In 1,200 BDP, the kingdoms of Gilneas and Alterac led expeditions in Khaz Modan, where they discovered the gnomes and dwarves. The three cultures eventually engaged in rigorous trade, exchanging knowledge of smithing, mining, engineering, and even arcane magic.

On Draenor, the orc clans and draenei sometimes met in the town of Telmor, where carefully crafted tools and weapons and decorative pieces of carved stone were traded with the thick pelts of the forest animals, brightly woven blankets, and raw materials the orcs culled from land and stone.

After the Liberation of Kezan in 100 BDP, the goblin cartels branched out into commerce, selling their goods on the open market. When kaja'mite supplies ran low, the goblins turned increasingly to mercantilism as a source of income, in the process transforming Kezan into a profitable trading hub. Quickly rising to prominence as masters of mercantilism, their global trade conglomerates eventually began to dominate all commerce across Azeroth.

Decades before the First War, while Azeroth enjoyed a time of relative peace, the humans of the Seven Kingdoms were engaged in rigorous trade with the dwarves of Ironforge, the gnomes of Gnomeregan, and the high elves of Quel'Thalas.

During the invasion of Outland in 26 ADP, Shattrath City became a pivotal staging ground on the broken world, where trade flourished between the peoples of Azeroth and many of Outland's creatures, such as weapon, armors, and information.

After the events of the Wrath Gate in 27 ADP, the night elves shut down all trade avenues with Orgrimmar and the Horde, which meant no fresh lumber for building, no hunting rights in Ashenvale, no safe passage anywhere the Sentinels patrolled. When kaldorei and tauren druids met in Ashenvale to peacefully negotiate trade routes, they were ambushed and slaughtered by the Twilight's Hammer, in a calculated plot to sabotage any remaining relations between the Alliance and the Horde.

Trade infrastructure

Conduct and regulations

Souvenir merchants in Suramar City.

According to the nightborne, amateur merchants worry about losing face from bad products, look back on their previous work as a learning experience, and complain about supply and demand.

According to Bronwyn Hewstrike, a responsible merchant is always keeping an eye out for good deals.

The Fifty Rules of Commerce followed by goblin society mention that:

• The First Rule of Commerce: Time is money!
• The 8th Rule of Commerce: Fast goblins are smart goblins!
• The 17th Rule of Commerce: A contract is a contract is a contract...but only between goblins!
• The 34th Rule of Commerce: War is good for business.
• The 35th Rule of Commerce: Peace is good for business.

Dornogal observes strict rules about what can be traded and with whom. As all commerce must serve the Edicts and not the interests of individuals, the earthen do not abide unsanctioned trading.

Transportation

• Carriages are often used by itinerant merchants to travel with their marchandises.
• Wagons are open vehicles for transporting heavy loads or military supplies.
• Merchant ships (or trading vessels) are used to transport general goods around the world.
• Transport ships also carry troops, equipment, and merchandise across bodies of water.

Marketplaces

The Trader's Hall in Stormwind City.

The town halls are the nerve center of many community and serves as the primary exchange for gold. The details of commerce were dealt here, notably the distribution of resources and the spending of money. They also serve as centers for the commerce in towns and military outposts. As the chief economic building in any settlement, these sites were equipped to process vital resources such as lumber and gold. In large and well-defended settlements, keeps replace the town halls as centers of commerce, where peasants can deliver shipments of gold and lumber for processing. Mardenholde Keep was notably the center of commerce and trade of Hearthglen for the bustling region of Lordaeron.

The trading posts served as the garrisons' center of commerce with the natives of alternate Draenor.

The auction houses are public marketplace where adventurers, guilds, and merchants can sell or purchase items through an organized, regulated exchange system.

Notable

Main article: Merchant NPCs

•  Adamman the Trader
•  Billy Boomballs
•  Bloodhorn
•  Fleuris Asterleaf
•  Gaades
•  Lespin Silverleaf
•  Merchant Woolhands
•  Merchant Zin
•  Trader Ba'gor
•  Trader Caelen

Organizations

Artisan's Consortium's stand in Valdrakken.

Name	Leader	Role(s)	Affiliation(s)	Status
Artisan's Consortium	Aisha	Worldwide company of entrepreneurs, artisans, and merchants.	Independent	Active
Ashvane Trading Company	Priscilla Ashvane †	Kul Tiran company shipping and manufacturing weapons.	Admiralty of Kul Tiras	Unknown
Azeroth Commerce Authority	Unknown	Alliance commerce and supply network in the Eastern Kingdoms.	Alliance	Active
Azeroth Express	Unknown	Delivery organization operating across Azeroth with ships.	Independent	Active
Black Market	Madam Goya	Shadowy network selling exotic wares from across the world.	Independent	Active
Durotar Supply and Logistics	Unknown	Horde supply and expansionist network across Kalimdor.	Horde	Active
House Malem	Unnamed father	Noble Darnassian merchant family.	Nation of Darnassus	Active
Kajaro Trading Company	K.T.C President	Company focused on mining kaja'mite and producing Kaja'Cola.	Bilgewater Cartel	Bankruptcy
Keenbean Kafa Co.	Uncle Keenbean	Company specialized in brewing kafa into coffee-like beverages.	Independent	Active
Merchant Marines	Unknown	In charge of the merchant and their ships entering Menethil Harbor.	Alliance	Active
Trade Coalition	Unknown	The goblin merchant empire, including its numerous cartels.	Independent	Active
T&W Trading Post	Tawny Seabraid  Wilder Seabraid	Company selling goods of the finest quality to adventurers.	Alliance	Active
Undermarket	Trade Master Kovic †	Cutthroat traders who sold and traded anything for the right price.	Independent	Defeated
Zen'shiri Trading Post	Zen'kala  Shiri	Company selling rare antiquities and treasures to adventurers.	Horde	Active

Notes and trivia

• The  [Market Tent] toy can be created with Dragon Isles Tailoring.
• The Dark Riders were originally traveling merchants who wanted to cheat Medivh.
• The dwarven city of Ironforge is famous for its industry and as an Alliance center of commerce.
• Marin Noggenfogger once attended Undermine Commerce College, where he was roommates with Marty Zoomcart.
• According to himself, Tony created a piratical mercantile empire in the Barrens, before moving to Thousand Needles.

Gallery

Hearthstone

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  Armor Vendor
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  Balloon Merchant
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  Banana Vendor
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  Crystal Merchant
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  Expired Merchant
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  Guild Trader
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  Knife Vendor
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  Potion Vendor
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  Refreshment Vendor
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  Snack Vendor
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  Soup Vendor
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  Traveling Merchant
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  Vendor Maiev