I read through the Black market items section last night (CRB 150, I think), but I'm still not sure about the cost of a restricted item. This much is clear:

Restricted items require a Streetwise check to locate, with the rarity modified by the chart ranging from Core Worlds to uncivilized planets. However, how much is the item once it's been found? Does it cost the listed price, or is the purchase price also modified by the adjusted rarity?

Part of my confusion stems from the trading rules. When you purchase black market items from one world, then attempt to sell them at another, the sales price is adjusted by the difference in rarity between the worlds, with a potential for up to 4X the value. If the value is increased due to rarity, it makes sense that purchasing follows the same rules, but the CRB doesn't go into this.

A corollary to the above, but the CRB goes into much better detail re: the selling side of things. There are clear rules on how much Streetwise and Negotiation effect the value of sold goods with successful checks pushing the resale value up to 75% of base value. However, nothing is said about how things work in reverse, when you're trying to purchase something from a merchant and want to haggle the price down.

Table 5-2 and 5-3 I believe are typically only intended for bulk trading, such as illegal and quasi legal goods and/or regular freight.

Locating a Restricted item is indeed a Streetwise check. Much like Negotiation for "white" market goods, additional successes and advantage/threat are typically used to lower/raise the cost of the item in question. Being restricted really only mandates that the items "must" be treated as black market.

I tend to think of the prices in the CRB as reflective of MSRP in our world. You can find things in other markets (ebay, craigslist, amazon) for a greater or lesser value, as well as relative licsensing.

I would advise the following:

When purchasing black market items use 5-2 as a guideline on the difficulty to find them, but modify the roll (up/downgrade) depending on how much Obligation the persons involved have (the more the easier it will be to acquire). I tend to start start said items at 2x the listed value.

The streetwise roll to locate it could influence the final cost, more or less depending on the following

+/- 10% for advantage/threat

+/- 15% for triumph/despair

the same system in reverse for selling such things, but I typically set the base cost at half of the CRB table. As PawnStars has taught us, the middle man needs to make a profit as well.

Also, never overlook the plot uses of Adv/Thr Des/Tri. If you need/want the PC's to get/off load something, an innocuous black market contact can suddenly become a valuable ally or dire foe.

Hope this helps

In the description for the skill Negotiation, it states the extra successes can count as 5% discount when you are buying. It also says that un-cancelled threats can increase the cost when buying.

Yeah,the trading is for bulk trading, like 1000 disruptor rifles for resale, not 1 for personal use.

The price of a Restricted item (and any item really, but more so restricted) is ultimately up to the GM. The value listed in the book is just a kind of baseline, the actual street value can be higher or lower as the adventure requires.

I'm a fan of starting with outrageously high prices and then letting my PC's try and bargain it down to only marginally outrageous for Black Market type goods. Though, my groups obligations is also in the Mid-80's and they can't really buy from "white" market merchants.

I'm ok with letting Advantages help discount the price, but threat? Not likely... I'm going to use that to complicate how the players have to get the item. For something very rare there will never be a "price" on it anyway. Perhaps the Hutt (Obligated) catches on to what they are looking for and dangles it as the carrot for a mission they don't really want to do. Perhaps they find that a bounty hunter that is looking for them owns one and they can get two birds with one stone. I'm not telling what I'll do with a Despair... *cackle*

Don't forget the "black market contacts" talent for inspiration.