Factor

The Factor in Shops

The factor is a central comparative measure between different sales shelves of the same product. It significantly determines the attractiveness of a product for potential customers.

Basic Principle of the Factor

• The city is divided into blocks, which go shopping throughout the day (visible under Product Overview → Shopping Statistics)
• Each store sells to the blocks in its catchment area
• The catchment area forms a rectangle around the store (depending on the building's reputation, with a range of 6 to 12 squares in each direction)
• Stores only compete with each other where their catchment areas overlap

The Local Trader as a Reference

• The Local Trader is a competitor for everyone, as they sell to every block in the city
• They offer every product with a factor of 10.33 (10 base factor + 0.33 from a salesperson at the shelf)
• The price of the Local Trader serves as a reference price (influenced by the current economic situation)
• A player who offers the same product without reputation and quality with one salesperson at the same price also has a factor of 10.33

Influencing Factors Through the Seller

The seller can influence the factor through the following measures:

• Price:
  • Increasing the price → Lowering the factor
  • Lowering the price → Increasing the factor
• Staff:
  • Additional salespeople increase the factor (up to an upper limit)

Influencing Factors Through the Manufacturer

The manufacturer of the product can also influence the factor:

• Quality: Higher quality increases the factor
• Reputation: Higher reputation increases the factor (up to a certain point)

Important: Both values are linked to each other, so that the effect becomes increasingly weaker as the difference increases.

Effects and Strategic Use

• In the Product Overview-Overview, you can see the exact influence of price, reputation, and quality
• A higher factor results in a higher sales volume
• Alternatively, the seller can increase the price until the factor corresponds to a previous level again
• Through this mechanism, reputation, quality, and staff have a positive effect on profit
• The sales volume can thus be adjusted to product availability

Additional Influences

Some Shops additionally have a bonus or malus on the factor. More on this under Specialty Market Bonus.