Throughout the rulebook there is a lot of flavour text about legal trade and intergalactic commence. The players are likely to start out with a light freighter and the group may include a PC trader. Legal trading is likely to be the backbone of a long-term campaign while the PCs are doing a bit of smuggling on the side and help people they meet on their way. Meanwhile, the PCs are accumulating more and more finances which they use for investments in better equipment, infrastructures, projects etc. in order to increase their influence in the galactic hierachy. At the end, they might gain enough influence to be important players in the future of the galaxy and buy themselves a seat in the senate - at least, that is what they hope for. This has been the general structure in our RPG campaigns in the past, and it is also how we envisaged to play SW RPG. Therefore, for our group it is a disappointment that no rules on legal commence and taxation are presented in the beta version.
I recommend that characteristics such as major exports and major imports and some sort of trade and taxation modifiers should be listed in the location characteristics for planets, moons, spaceports etc. A list of ordinary cargos, rarity and base price should be in the Gear and Equipment chapter along with rules for determining the amount of available cargo, negotiation of prices, and cargo manipulation. I could certainly use some help in setting the base prices of one encumbrance of Tibanna gas or Kriin wood?! Also, how do PCs become members in a trade federation or guild and what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Please use this thread to give your thoughts on trade and taxation mechanics.