My idea of how to make a trade system

[Justout]

Hey, this is my thread, I'm going to post what I think are essential to have a working trade system in this game.

The first and foremost thing that you need is for people to actually WANT to earn currency. As of now, the only thing to do with it is play card games, buy/repair ships, and bribe the odd quest character. That's hardly useful.

I think that to get people to spend you need NOVELTIES. Things to show off, really. Things that you don't need, things you can get that other players can't, and things that you want just for the sake of it. So, two words. Ship customization. All our ships look IDENTICAL. The only way to stand out would be to have an awesome looking ship.

There could be different parts of ships that could be fitted to ours, such as masts, railings, rudders, hulls, doors, prows, cannons, crow's nests, riggings, sails...Different sets of them all. Ornate ones, bejewelled ones, wood ones, metal rimmed ones...the possibilities. Players would WANT to spend their money on these to stand out from the other players.

Obviously the only way to make this into a market would be to have it so that these can only be made/obtained from other players, which I'm left a little stumped on as to how would work.

Ideas? Comments? Criticsism? I'm open.