(Description)
Contracts are EVE’s “grown-up trading” system. The Market is great for basic buying and selling. Contracts are for everything the Market can’t do well: fitted ships, bundles, custom deals, hauling jobs, and auctions. If you’re in a corp, contracts are also how logistics stays sane.
A contract is a secure player-to-player agreement in EVE. It’s basically the game saying: “Here are the exact terms. If both people accept, the system enforces it.”
That enforcement is why contracts matter. They’re designed for:
• Direct trades (public or private)
• Hauling jobs where someone moves your goods
• Auctions for items that don’t belong on the Market
Item Exchange contracts are the bread-and-butter option for most players because they handle everything the Market is awkward about: fitted ships, bundles of loot, doctrine kits, blueprint copies, and clean private deals between corp members. You pick the items, set the ISK price (or request items in return), then choose whether it’s Public or Private. If you’re selling a ship with a specific fit or trying to move a “package deal” fast without confusion, Item Exchange is the move.
Courier contracts are for hauling. You put items into a wrapped package, set the pickup and destination, then offer a reward for delivery. The important part is collateral, which is basically the hauler’s safety deposit: they put that ISK up when accepting, get it back on successful delivery, and lose it if they fail. If you set collateral too low, you’re practically inviting someone to “accidentally” keep your stuff, so match collateral to the real value of the cargo (or slightly higher) and don’t fall for routes that look like easy money but are basically a gank invitation.
Auction contracts are for when you want bidding instead of a fixed price, like rare items, collector stuff, or anything you don’t want to underprice. You set the starting bid, duration, and any buyout rules if you’re using them, then let the market fight it out. The only catch is that auctions can confuse newer players because the “winning” step isn’t always as automatic-feeling as they expect, so it’s smart to be clear in your listing and double-check the flow before you treat it like a normal instant sale.