Crafting Rules to Maximize Profits and Minimize Loss!

1. ALWAYS buy your materials for the lowest possible markup. The closer to TT you can get your stuff for, the more room for profits... And for you Star Trek fans out there... It's easy, just think like a Ferengi :-)
2. NEVER trade terminal anything with a markup over 105%. Virtually any trader will pay you SOME markup even on something that sells below 105%. Just save up mass quantities if possible so that the traders won't feel like you are wasting their time. Remember, 5% of nothing is still nothing!
3. ALWAYS place orders at auction. You can obtain materials for tens of percent below actual markup sometimes by doing this! i.e. you need Basic Sheet Metal... Auction is about 180%, but you can pick it up by placing an order at 165%... Always offer slightly more than the highest order that has any significant quantity... This ensures your order will get filled first!
4. ONLY fill orders with your crafted components IF the price the order is at is fairly close to what the item is selling at on auction.
5. If an expensive material becomes TT food, and you use it a lot, STOCK UP ON IT if possible.
6. ALWAYS buy stuff at TT value when it is possible to, GUARANTEED you can make profit reselling it or using it.
7. ALWAYS use the highest possible QR blueprint you have access to. Trust me, I learned this the hard way and after many many Peds.
8. RESEARCH the things you are able to craft before you craft them... Only craft items reasonably within your skill level, and some items are in more demand than others... Basic Sheet Metal is in super high demand, while something like basic sensors are not needed so often... Simply because people are addicted to crafting OA 101's!
9. TRY mining for the materials you need... You would be surprised... If you just hang onto the stuff you can use and get what you can from the rest of your finds, it will add up nicely! And it might work out better than trying to source an affordable supply. On the other hand, it might be more costly. Use your best judgement on this one.
10. IF you are in a society, always check to see if a soc mate wants to sell what you need, it is better to help an ally than someone who doesn't care one way or another about you.
11. NEVER undercut a good markup item terribly... For instance, I was selling a weapon at around 200% no problem, until the next person to sell them came along and listed them at 140%... It is totally asinine to undercut someone by 60 points! Not to mention, if they would have put 180% even, they would have made 40 more points than they did! Compete reasonably, but don't kill the market! That hurts everyone! Especially if the materials cost a lot to make the item!
12. If one crafting terminal is doing badly, don't be ashamed about changing location or terminals! It does help quite often!
13. DO NOT get greedy! Getting greedy = soon to be bankrupt! Take a break if you start feeling the "go big or go home" attitude. YOU WILL lose all your Peds if you don't, most of the time at least. A FEW get lucky and hit it big, but don't count on you being one of those few if you wish to work your way towards profit!
14. DO NOT craft things that are little used or little needed. Good markup items are always good business if they are used a lot!
15. I will write a second part to this soon as I come up with more great tips!!! GOOD LUCK AND ATH! CHECK BACK OFTEN FOR MORE GREAT INFO!