In the ever-evolving markets of Faerûn, where trade flows through cities like Waterdeep, Calimport, and Neverwinter, the Waterdeep Trading Company (WDTC) has mastered the art of pricing not just as a tactic, but as a philosophy. Whether wooing noble houses or clearing surplus from the warehouse, WDTC applies a variety of pricing strategies to meet demand, encourage loyalty, and maintain dominance across the Realms.
This article explores the diverse pricing incentives and models in use today, revealing how the company leverages both magical and mundane economics to drive trade.
What It Is: Pricing Strategies Explained
Pricing strategies define how the WDTC sets, adjusts, or discounts its prices based on market conditions, customer behavior, or product lifecycle. These incentives range from structured trade policies to flexible merchant decisions, shaped by guild partnerships, regional scarcity, and arcane forecasting.
Why It Matters
Without dynamic pricing, inventory stagnates, customer loyalty fades, and regional trade collapses under the weight of surplus and seasonal variance. Strategic incentives ensure that:
- Excess stock is cleared efficiently
- Loyal clients are rewarded
- Demand can be created or shifted on command
- Profitability is maintained even in turbulent markets
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Core Incentive Strategies Used by WDTC
The Waterdeep Trading Company employs a wide array of pricing models, tailored to product lifecycle, inventory level, and customer segment. Below is a breakdown of key strategies:
Realms-Aware Considerations
Faerûn is far from homogenous. Pricing incentives must flex across:
- Regional Economies: A village’s buying power is not equal to a merchant enclave like Amn. WDTC adjusts incentives accordingly using modifiers like the Economy Modifier and Demand Index.
- Guild Regulations: Pricing below market minimums in cities like Waterdeep can draw attention from merchant guilds. Flash sales are thus regionally authorized.
- Supply Chain Disruption: When teleportation fees increase due to leyline instability, certain discounts are suspended, or offset with alternate incentives.
- Festivals and High Holy Days: Pricing may shift due to demand spikes or religious restrictions on trade.
WORKED EXAMPLE: Bulk Purchase Discount – Crates of Ginger Ale in Amn
Context:
The proprietor of The Swaying Bough, a well-established tavern on the edge of Esmeltaran in Amn, places a recurring monthly order with the Waterdeep Trading Company. The drink of choice this season is the Sparkroot Ginger Ale, brewed in Athkatla and prized for its fizzy bite and preservation charms.
Standard Pricing:
- Product: Sparkroot Ginger Ale
- Unit Price (single bottle): 5.19 FSD
- Crate Size: 12 bottles
- Bulk Pricing Threshold: Orders of 5 or more crates
- Bulk Price Per Bottle: 4.60 FSD
Order Details:
- Quantity Ordered: 7 crates (84 bottles total)
- Customer Type: Standard merchant (not VIP)
Price Breakdown Without Incentive:
5.19 FSD × 84 bottles = 436.00 FSD
Price With Bulk Incentive Applied:
4.60 FSD × 84 bottles = 386.40 FSD
Savings Achieved Through Incentive:
436.00 FSD – 386.40 FSD = 49.60 FSD
Narrative Summary:
When the quartermaster from the Waterdeep Trading Company reviews the order in the pricing ledger, the incentive engine within the sales scroll identifies that the order qualifies for bulk pricing. The system reconfigures the per-bottle price automatically and applies it to the invoice. A merchant-signed agreement confirms the updated amount.
A small note is added to the delivery parchment:
“Thank you for stocking Sparkroot in quantity. Your bulk pricing rate of 4.60 FSD has been applied across all crates. Consider enrolling in a replenishment contract to lock this rate for the next three months.”
Merchant Response:
“I was able to offer a discounted pint to travelers without cutting into margin,” said Elva Rosebottom, tavernkeeper of The Swaying Bough. “They emptied the kegs faster than a bard’s purse.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: Seasonal Clearance – Fireproof Cloaks in Calimport
Context:
In the coastal city of Calimport, the summer sun bakes the streets and causes enchanted items to flicker and sweat. With temperatures already high, few are interested in winter gear or flame-resistant clothing, especially when most local fire sources are magical and well contained.
The Waterdeep Trading Company finds itself with 42 units of Fireproof Cloaks originally enchanted for the northern markets of Luskan and Mirabar. These cloaks were shipped south in error and now rest unsold at the Calimport warehouse.
Product Details:
- Product: Fireproof Cloak (Arcane-treated wool, heat dispersion sigils)
- Standard Price: 75.00 FSD
- Age in Inventory: 62 days (30 days is average turnover)
- Seasonal Status: Out of season
- Clearance Discount: 30%
Trigger Event:
Warehouse supervisor flags the cloaks as out-of-season stock. The pricing engine applies a Seasonal Clearance Adjustment per standard policy for non-perishables held over 60 days in the wrong climate.
Price Breakdown with Incentive Applied:
75.00 FSD × 30% discount = 22.50 FSD off
Final Sale Price: 52.50 FSD per cloak
Additional Note on Margin:
The original cost to produce and ship the cloaks was 38.00 FSD per unit, including enchantment fees and teleport tolls.
New margin after discount = 52.50 – 38.00 = 14.50 FSD per cloak
Sales Strategy:
A targeted promotion is sent to guild-certified smithies and flame-related tradesmen:
“Brace for the heat with last season’s flame-wear. Protective, enchanted, and now offered at midsummer rates while supplies last. Ideal for furnace workers, forgehands, and alchemists.”
Result:
- 34 out of 42 cloaks sold within 3 days
- 8 units held in reserve for barter during the upcoming festival
- Warehouse space cleared for autumn imports
Merchant Feedback:
“I’ve been scorched twice this season already,” said Zol Margrin, a Calimport forgewright. “I don’t care what season it is. For 52.50 FSD, give me two cloaks and make it fast.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: BOGO – Health Elixirs at the Daggerford Apothecary
Context:
A traveling merchant named Fennel Whistlebottom stocks a small shop near the gates of Daggerford, specializing in minor magical aids and common adventuring supplies. With trade routes temporarily closed due to bandit raids in the Ardeep Forest, foot traffic from adventurers has increased, and so has the demand for Health Elixirs.
To capitalize on this, the Waterdeep Trading Company issues a 2-week Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) promotion on their standard Elixir of Minor Restoration to move high-stock inventory nearing its arcane shelf limit.
Product Details:
- Item: Elixir of Minor Restoration (restores 1d8 + CON mod HP)
- Standard Price per Vial: 18.00 FSD
- Inventory on Hand (Local Warehouse): 220 vials
- BOGO Offer: Buy 1 vial, get 1 free
- Max Promotion Quantity per Customer per Day: 4 paid + 4 free = 8 total
Transaction Example:
Fennel purchases 10 vials in one visit under the BOGO program.
Pre-Incentive Cost:
10 vials × 18.00 FSD = 180.00 FSD
(But under BOGO, the customer pays for only 5 vials and receives 10)
Actual Billed Amount:
5 vials × 18.00 FSD = 90.00 FSD
Effective Price per Vial: 90.00 ÷ 10 = 9.00 FSD
Operational Notes:
- The pricing scroll detects the eligible product and auto-applies the BOGO rule
- Promotional flag is shown on the invoice
- All free vials are still tracked in inventory and flagged as non-billable
Outcome:
- Fennel resells at 14.00 FSD locally, undercutting local healers without harming his margin
- 80% of the warehouse’s stock clears in under 10 days
- Customers receive a free parchment scroll with each pair explaining how to enroll in a potion subscription program
Merchant Feedback:
“These flew off the shelf faster than a pixie on pixie dust,” Fennel said. “The free vial got them through the door. The quality brought them back.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: VIP Customer Pricing – Dried Meats for Mike’s Meals
Context:
Mike’s Meals, a premier provisioning company based in Baldur’s Gate, supplies rations to adventuring companies, merchant caravans, and city guards across the Western Heartlands. As a certified VIP Client of the Waterdeep Trading Company, Mike’s account is flagged for automatic pricing advantages due to high order volume, timely payments, and long-standing contract terms.
Product Details:
- Item: Smoked Boar Jerky (standard travel ration)
- Standard Price per Serving: 3.00 FSD
- VIP Discount Rate: 10%
- Monthly Standing Order: 100 servings
Standard Cost Without VIP Pricing:
3.00 FSD × 100 = 300.00 FSD
Discounted VIP Price Calculation:
300.00 FSD × 10% = 30.00 FSD discount
Total After VIP Discount: 270.00 FSD
System Behavior:
When the order is logged through the Trade Network Stone (TNS), the account identifier is matched to Mike’s VIP profile. Pricing scrolls auto-adjust and apply a VIPPRC-10 incentive code on the sales order.
Additional Perks:
- Priority pick and pack in the Baldur’s Gate warehouse
- Free crate reinforcements for fragile shipments
- Quarterly rebate of 2% based on total annual spend
Operational Note:
The VIP rate is not visible to general customers and is stored under tiered pricing matrices in the Company’s Incentive Ledger.
Customer Feedback:
“We’re provisioning twelve expeditions this tenday,” said Mike, founder of Mike’s Meals. “That 30 gold stays in my pouch and buys healing poultices. WDTC keeps my margins strong.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: Bundle Pricing – Adventurer’s Survival Set
Context:
The Waterdeep Trading Company partners with Lara’s Fine Fabrics and More to produce a travel-ready Adventurer’s Survival Set. This bundled kit includes essential gear commonly purchased together at the start of expeditions, targeting both solo wanderers and company supply officers.
Bundle Contents:
- 1 Woven Satchel (reinforced canvas with leather tie)
- 10 Trail Rations (jerky, dried fruit, waybread)
- 1 Waterskin (holds 2 quarts, sealed with pine resin)
Individual Prices (If Purchased Separately):
- Woven Satchel: 12.00 FSD
- Trail Rations (10 × 1.25 FSD): 12.50 FSD
- Waterskin: 2.00 FSD
Total Standalone Cost: 26.50 FSD
Bundle Offer Price:
20.00 FSD per set
Bundle Savings: 26.50 – 20.00 = 6.50 FSD
Percentage Savings: 24.5%
Sales Mechanics:
- The bundle is given a single item number in the inventory master (ADVSURV-BNDL)
- All components are consumed in stock upon sale via Kit Disassembly Logic
- Discounts are shown at the kit level, not on individual lines
Promotion Strategy:
A small parchment tag attached to the satchel reads:
“May your rations stay dry and your boots stay moving. This bundle saves coin and time, just like a true adventurer should.”
Outcome:
- 300 kits sold within a week of the Harvest Moon Festival
- Popular among novice adventurers and independent rangers
- Warehouse space freed up by moving bulk trail ration stock
Merchant Feedback:
“These bundles practically sell themselves,” said Lara. “And they keep my satchel line moving through the slow season.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: Aging Inventory Reprice – Willow Slap Wine in Baldur’s Gate
Context:
The Waterdeep Trading Company maintains a cellar depot just outside the Black Dragon Gate in Baldur’s Gate, used to store high-end consumables and luxury items. One particular item, Willow Slap Wine, a strong white varietal from the Greenfields, has lingered longer than expected due to an overstock error and a sudden swing in market preference toward red fruit wines.
With the shipment unsold for over 180 days (well beyond the 90-day optimal turnover), it is flagged for Aging Inventory Reprice by the system’s Inventory Valuation Scroll.
Product Details:
- Item: Willow Slap Wine (750 ml, arcane-sealed bottle)
- Original Retail Price: 12.75 FSD
- Aging Duration: 180 days
- Reprice Policy Threshold: >90 days
- Aging Discount Applied: 25%
Adjusted Price Calculation:
12.75 FSD × 25% = 3.19 FSD discount
New Clearance Price: 9.56 FSD per bottle
Inventory on Hand:
94 bottles across 3 warehouse racks
System Actions:
- The pricing engine applies incentive code AGEDISC-25
- Bottles are reclassified from “Standard” to “Clearance” stock status
- Shelf placement updated to “Front of House – Discount Display” in warehouse manifest
Marketing Message:
A placard reads:
“Bottled six moons ago, now ripe for your coin. Same vintage, fresher price. While supplies last.”
Outcome:
- 72 bottles sold within the first 5 days
- Remaining inventory used as part of a promotional pairing with cheese bundles
- Stock rotation policy updated to flag similar high-tier wines after 60 days
Customer Feedback:
“I don’t care if it’s old,” said Gorvik the Dockhand, cradling a bottle. “It’s 9 coin and still sings on the tongue. This’ll do for dinner and dice night.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: Flash Sale – Chill Bear Saison in Silverymoon
Context:
The bardic celebration known as Starfall’s Eve descends upon Silverymoon, bringing a wave of travelers, street performers, and celebratory feasts. With a surplus shipment of Chill Bear Saison ale arriving unexpectedly from the Ice Lakes region, the Waterdeep Trading Company sees an opportunity to capitalize on the festivities.
The warehouse in Silverymoon initiates a 3-day Flash Sale tied directly to the festival, both to drive volume and to avoid cold storage costs on surplus stock.
Product Details:
- Item: Chill Bear Saison (6-pack of seasonal ale)
- Standard Price: 6.14 FSD per pack
- Flash Sale Price: 4.50 FSD per pack
- Sale Duration: 3 days only
- Limit: 2 six-packs per customer, per day
- Inventory on Hand: 180 six-packs
Flash Sale Mechanics:
- Sales ledger updated with event code FLASHSTAR-SMY
- Magical ink on shelf labels changes color during active flash periods
- Clerks are issued enchanted click-beads to track customer quantity limits at point of sale
Pricing Calculation for a Customer Purchase:
2 six-packs × 4.50 FSD = 9.00 FSD
Compared to normal price: 2 × 6.14 = 12.28 FSD
Customer Savings: 3.28 FSD per transaction
Festival Tie-In Message:
“Celebrate Starfall’s Eve with a chilled mug of lake-sprung brew. Priced to dance off the shelves, for three days only!”
Outcome:
- Entire inventory of 180 six-packs sold in under 48 hours
- Additional foot traffic to WDTC’s booth increased sales of salted nuts, cheese wedges, and corked drinking horns
- Sale flagged as a success and archived for reuse during Shieldmeet
Customer Feedback:
“I came for the lute fights, but stayed for the ale,” said Harvala Moonsong, a traveling performer. “I bought two packs, then came back in a cloak pretending to be my own sister to buy two more.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: New Product Launch Price – Crystallized Honey Brandy in Waterdeep
Context:
A newly commissioned distillery out of the Golden Hills introduces Crystallized Honey Brandy, a gleaming spirit infused with slow-melted gnomish sugar crystals and bee-stirred honeycomb. The Waterdeep Trading Company secures exclusive rights to its distribution and launches the product in Waterdeep’s Trades Ward, timed with the mid-season Guildhall Market.
To encourage trial purchases, the item is assigned a 30-day Launch Price, lower than its expected long-term retail value.
Product Details:
- Item: Crystallized Honey Brandy (single 750 ml bottle, hexagonal base, wax-sealed)
- Projected Standard Price: 24.00 FSD
- Introductory Launch Price: 19.00 FSD
- Launch Duration: 30 days from date of product activation
- Early Inventory: 300 bottles
Price Reduction Amount:
24.00 – 19.00 = 5.00 FSD savings
Savings Percentage: 20.8%
System Actions:
- Item registered in inventory master with pricing flag LAUNCH-30D
- Launch price is valid only in Waterdeep and select trial markets
- After 30 days, price auto-adjusts via scheduled pricing scroll refresh
Shelf Signage Message:
“New arrival from the Golden Hills! One month only. First sip sweetens the tongue, second sip stirs the soul. Try it now for 19 coin.”
Promotional Enhancements:
- Free tasting station at the Trades Ward
- Purchase includes a miniature branded crystal stirrer (cost offset by marketing fund)
Outcome:
- 238 of 300 bottles sold during the 30-day launch window
- Customer reviews submitted via sending stones prompted a second order
- Item promoted to full release in Neverwinter and Athkatla based on pilot success
Customer Feedback:
“I bought it because the bottle looked like a dwarven temple. I bought more because it tasted like sunrise in a beehive,” said Elgren Stormbrew, a dwarven jeweler.
WORKED EXAMPLE: Customer Group Discount – Twilight Wheat Ale for Innkeepers
Context:
The Waterdeep Trading Company classifies customers into trade-based groups using magical scroll identifiers linked to their account profiles. One such group is INNKEEPERS-GUILD, which includes licensed taverns, inns, wayhouses, and mead halls registered with the local hospitality guilds.
The product in focus is Twilight Wheat Ale, a crisp beverage brewed from moonlight-harvested wheat near Baldur’s Gate, popular among both travelers and townfolk alike.
Product Details:
- Item: Twilight Wheat Ale (bottled, 500 ml)
- Standard Price per Bottle: 3.26 FSD
- Customer Group: INNKEEPERS-GUILD
- Group Discount Rate: 10%
- Order Size: 100 bottles (5 crates of 20)
Standard Pricing Calculation:
3.26 FSD × 100 = 326.00 FSD
Discounted Pricing Calculation:
10% of 326.00 = 32.60 FSD
Final Price After Discount: 293.40 FSD
Effective Unit Price: 2.93 FSD
System Behavior:
- Account flagged under INNKEEPERS-GUILD using embedded tags in the customer ledger
- Upon order entry, pricing engine auto-applies discount via rule GRPDISC-INN10
- No clerk intervention required, discount is embedded in the pricing tier
Additional Benefits to Group Members:
- Priority access to seasonal variants
- Early notification of price shifts
- Eligibility for festival co-branding and signage
Marketing Message to Group:
“Innkeepers of Faerûn, your casks flow more freely when backed by trade loyalty. Enjoy 10% off Twilight Wheat Ale all season long, exclusively for our partners in hospitality.”
Outcome:
- Repeat orders from inns in Elturel and Beregost surged 18%
- Stronger ties with the Faerûnian Hospitality Guild led to exclusive rights for two new product launches
- Minimal sales effort required due to embedded logic and group association
Customer Feedback:
“Twilight Wheat keeps our patrons seated, singing, and returning,” said Barla Fenn, owner of The Copper Tankard. “And the discount helps me keep my own books in the black.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: Territory-Based Pricing – Pure Lord Cider in Icewind Dale and Calimport
Context:
Pure Lord Cider, brewed with frost apples from the Greypeak foothills, is widely consumed across the Sword Coast. Its price, however, is anything but fixed. While cities near the orchards enjoy plentiful stock and low shipping fees, far-flung regions, especially those in arid climates, experience pricing shifts based on distance, scarcity, and magical preservation costs.
The Waterdeep Trading Company employs a Territory Pricing Engine to account for such factors. Below, we examine pricing for two drastically different cities: Icewind Dale and Calimport.
Product Details:
- Item: Pure Lord Cider (750 ml bottle, frost-sealed)
- Base Price (Waterdeep Standard): 7.08 FSD
- Regional Modifier – Icewind Dale: +0% (local access, preferred route)
- Regional Modifier – Calimport: +25% (desert climate, long-distance portal surcharge)
Icewind Dale Pricing
- Base Price: 7.08 FSD
- Adjusted Price: 7.08 FSD × 1.00 = 7.08 FSD
Customer Note:
“Standard pricing due to proximity and regular caravan delivery via Silverymoon Way.”
Calimport Pricing
- Base Price: 7.08 FSD
- Adjusted Price: 7.08 FSD × 1.25 = 8.85 FSD
Modifier Explanation:
- Arcane chillers required to prevent spoilage in desert transit
- Portal waystations taxed by the Calimport Arcane Freight Consortium
- No local orchards = full import reliance
Label Tag (Calimport):
“Imported Cold – Enchanted for freshness. Pricing reflects rarity and distance.”
System Actions:
- Sales order origin triggers region code CAL-TERR25
- Modifier stack applied via regional price rules
- Inventory tagged as High-Value Consumable
Outcome:
- Icewind Dale moves volume and supports bundling with other beverages
- Calimport sells at a luxury price point, but with fewer volume discounts
- Local taverns in Calimport use this rarity to their advantage, charging over 12 FSD per bottle
Customer Feedback:
“This cider makes it through the desert, cold and crisp. I’d pay ten coin just for the taste of winter,” said Rasheem al-Fael, proprietor of The Sapphire Hookah.
WORKED EXAMPLE: Arcane Subscription Pricing – Potion of Vitality in Neverwinter
Context:
The Neverwinter Enclave of Rangers requires a steady monthly supply of Potions of Vitality, used to sustain patrols through the crags and forests beyond the city walls. Rather than place separate orders each tenday, the Enclave opts into the WDTC’s Arcane Subscription Program, a magical agreement that ensures auto-replenishment, predictable costs, and loyalty-based pricing.
Product Details:
- Item: Potion of Vitality (minor grade, restores endurance over time)
- Standard Retail Price: 35.00 FSD per vial
- Subscription Term: 12 months
- Monthly Delivery: 10 vials
- Subscription Discount Rate: 18%
- Additional Benefit: Priority delivery via winged courier sigil
Standard Annual Cost Without Subscription:
35.00 FSD × 10 vials × 12 months = 4,200.00 FSD
Subscription Pricing Calculation:
35.00 FSD × 82% = 28.70 FSD per vial
28.70 × 10 × 12 = 3,444.00 FSD
Total Savings Over 1 Year:
4,200.00 – 3,444.00 = 756.00 FSD
System Setup:
- Customer agreement flagged with ARC-SUB-VIT
- Orders auto-generated by the Monthly Requisition Ritual
- Invoices billed at fixed rate regardless of market fluctuations
- Cancellation requires a 60-day notice scroll and a dispel ritual overseen by the WDTC Pricing Scribe
Subscription Contract Clause (Excerpt):
“The undersigned shall receive no less than ten (10) units of said potion per moon cycle, sealed and certified, with price fixed by the initial agreement, guarded against escalation by binding glyph.”
Outcome:
- The Enclave receives potions without delay or need for reordering
- Annual savings allow for reallocation of coin to rare equipment purchases
- WDTC secures guaranteed monthly revenue and optimized production planning
Customer Feedback:
“We don’t miss a patrol or potion anymore,” said Captain Ellana Wildleaf. “WDTC’s subscription saved more than coin, it saved us from rationing in the cold months.”
WORKED EXAMPLE: Trade-In Credit – Merchant Scale Upgrade in Elturel
Context:
Dandor’s Weights & Wares, a general goods merchant in Elturel, uses a decade-old steel scale for weighing coin, spice, and contract bundles. With enchantment stability beginning to flicker and the weight stones becoming uneven, Dandor seeks a replacement.
The Waterdeep Trading Company offers a new Weight-Calibrated Scale enchanted with permanent leveling runes and improved ledger compatibility. Rather than discard the old scale, Dandor uses WDTC’s Trade-In Credit Program to reduce his purchase cost.
Product Details:
- New Item: Precision Rune-Weighted Scale (enchanted, ironwood base)
- List Price: 60.00 FSD
- Old Scale Value (Appraised): 10.00 FSD
- Trade-In Credit Applied: Full appraised value deducted
- Final Price Paid: 50.00 FSD
System Behavior:
- Sales clerk logs the product return into the Item Recovery Register
- Trade-in ID: TRDCRD-SCL10 is applied to the new order
- Old scale is transferred to Rework Division for potential resale, scrap, or apprentice training stock
Ledger Entry (Simplified):
Inventory Out (New): 60.00 FSD
Inventory In (Used): 10.00 FSD
Customer Charged: 50.00 FSD
Customer Note on Invoice:
“Thank you for participating in WDTC’s Trade Advancement Program. Your old item has been credited 10.00 FSD toward this purchase.”
Outcome:
- The merchant receives a modern, calibrated scale at a discounted rate
- The old unit enters the reclamation stream for additional margin recovery
- WDTC deepens merchant trust while promoting higher-tier equipment
Customer Feedback:
“I didn’t expect my old rust-bucket to be worth anything. Getting ten coin off the new scale made it an easy decision,” Dandor said, adjusting the new balance with a grin.
WORKED EXAMPLE: Early Payment Discount – Invoice Settlement by the Silverymoon Academy
Context:
The Academy of Natural and Arcane Sciences in Silverymoon places a bulk order for enchanted laboratory glassware and alchemical reagents. As a well-funded institution with disciplined bookkeeping and predictable treasury cycles, the Academy qualifies for WDTC’s Early Payment Discount program.
This incentive offers a modest discount when full payment is received ahead of standard terms, common among large customers with steady income streams.
Invoice Details:
- Order Value: 500.00 FSD
- Standard Terms: Net 30 (payment due in 30 days)
- Early Payment Window: Within 10 days of invoice
- Discount Rate: 2%
Calculation of Early Payment Discount:
500.00 FSD × 2% = 10.00 FSD discount
Total Amount Due if Paid Early: 490.00 FSD
Academy Payment Timing:
Invoice issued on 1st of Eleint
Payment received on the 7th of Eleint → Within early payment window
Discount applied automatically
System Behavior:
- The invoice includes notation: “2% discount if paid within 10 days”
- Upon receipt of payment, the system applies rule EARLYDISC-2 and closes the transaction at 490.00 FSD
- Cashflow updated in treasury ledger under “Accelerated Settlement Gains”
Invoice Footer Message:
“Thank you for your prompt payment. Your 2% early settlement discount has been applied.”
Outcome:
- The Academy saves 10.00 FSD on the transaction
- WDTC receives coin 23 days ahead of schedule
- This liquidity is used to expedite delivery payments to the artisan glassmakers in Hillsfar
Customer Feedback:
“Our quarterly budget appreciates even a small discount,” said Scholar-Magister Tenelra Voss. “Plus, we like to be in good standing with our reagent supplier.”
Final Thoughts
The Waterdeep Trading Company does not treat pricing as a static tag but a living enchantment. Discounts become levers of influence, incentives become tools of loyalty, and pricing itself becomes a spell of persuasion cast across the markets of Faerûn.
Whether it’s a struggling merchant clearing crates of stale cider or a noble court seeking a volume deal on mead for a wedding feast, pricing strategy transforms commerce into an art form.
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