Trade Systems and etiquette.

In Gand, trade is a cornerstone of commerce and the economy. Trade and bartering predates all currency and for more regional areas it is the main source of obtaining goods.   Modern trade has become more standardisised with the development of trade routes and industry. This has caused two forms of trade to emerge; registered and unregistered. An unregistered trade involves two parties simply coming to an agreement over the exchange of goods and services. There is no documentation required but the trade is not legally recognised and cannot be pursued in claims count. Any disputes must be settled through personal means between the two parties, making it riskier for businesses. The benefit to unregistered trade is that it is quick and required no tax to be paid unlike that of registered trade. This for of trade is frequently in the black and grey market where illicit goods need to be moved. Other then that this trade system is employed in rural areas and amount the lower class but is banned in a number of the Major Cities.   Registered trades are costly and require for 10% of the trade to be paid directly to the crown- delegated between both tracing parties, as well as an additional fee for processing with the local registerary.  Registered trades are advantageous as they are registered with the crown and documented, meaning that if a trade is broken it can be pursued in claims court. If also provides a paper trail of completed trades which is great for building a reputation as a reliable trader. For a registered trade to take effect both parties must complete documentation which outline what the exchange of goods and services are sign off the document with a stamp seal.  

Enforcing Proper Trade

In order to enforce proper trade there are a number of processes to ensure legitimacy. For a registered trade to be finalised both parties must 'sign' the document using a wax stamp seal; this typically belongs to either a family, a guild or a business. Upon stamping the document by both parties the trade is finalised and the terms and conditions are locked in. Only after this can goods and services be exchanged. It's recommended that every registered trade is viewed by a minimum of two people who are able to provide verbal testimony of the trade taking place, it's not uncommon fo this role to fall to scribes, business partner, shop guards or even the local street urchins. Once the trade has been completed it can then be submitted to the town hall for documentation by the trade guild, this guild can be commissioned to review terms and can adjust the index of 'stamp weight'- how much power a stamp seal holds and can impact trading power.

It is common place for registered trades, particularly those conducted by merchants and nobles to hire a scribe to read aloud the terms and conditions. Scribes form a central part of middle and upper class trades, as scribes will often mediate terms, review clauses and act as witnesses, there are even a number of scribes which offer direct submission to the guild as part of their freelancing wage.  
Part of the benefit of registering a trade is the ability to pursue reparations of a trade is broken or otherwise mis handled. This is done in claims court and is over seen by the areas trade guild who revie the initia contract, conduct interviews and collect testimonies if an issue is found the offending party may be ordered to pay reparations in either monetary value, goods or services. At a stretch they may receive prison time. Those who partake in Stamp Forgery  through either the theft or illegal replication of a stamp may also be charged for their crimes.   

Wax stamp seals

Wax stamp seals act as a signature for declaring important document matters, as many of Gand's residents, particularly those of a lower status are illiterate this becomes a short-hand way of proving identity. Most people with have at least one seal within their family that is passed down through generations. Most nobles have an individual seal per person. It's also commonplace for most guilds and larger businesses to have a specific seal to represent multiple people. Wax stamp seals are typically an oblong shape roughly the size of a palm with an  engraving on either end; one embossed for ink and one carved for wax. You can tell a lot about a persons status based on their seal, nobles tend to have seals carved from bone or marble and are designed to seat comfortably in one's hand. These tend to be carried in velvet pouches. Where as a humble farmer might have a simple block seal carved from brass and pine and carried hung on a short leather wrap. For important documents some important people may opt to additionally sign their documents but for those who are illiterate it's often their main sign of ownership. Further identity markers can be added through the colour and qualities of the wax/ ink used, Lady Farrow, for example is well known to use grey wax dusted with gold powder in her trades.      

Stamp Weight

Some seals carry more power than others; they have more trading power and stronger reputation, this is referred to as 'seal weight' and indicated the value that entity has. Seal weight is tracked by the Trader's Guild's registery by looking at a cross reference of successful registered trades and a history, if any of going through claims court. Bad trades bring the seal weight down as will offences taken to court whereas consistent trade, wealth and status bring it up. Older seals, like that owned by older families automatically have a higher seal weight as do seals of people close to or descended from the king. If a seal weight is reduced too low, say by repeatedly trading rotten food, then very few will engage in trade. A seal's weight can be disputed or reviewed by the Trade Guild, and can even be apealled to change its weight.    

Trade Etiquette

In addition to the legal outlines of registered trade there is also a secondary set of informal social codes to follow, known as trade etiquette. This outlines the proper way for two trading parties to interact in order to foster positive partnerships and a clean conscience. Common belief is that once the wax or ink is dry a contract is as good a signed in blood. The first practice to to present you seal to the other party for inspection, the trading party is invited to inspect the seal for damage, any indication that the seal is a fake or forgery, or to inspect the seal weight it holds, those who skip this step are often to be seen as people of ill-reputation. Its also customary to 'stamp high and proud' which means to hold the stamp up high and clearly where as bad or illicit trades are stamped quickly and lowly this is to conceal testamp being used. It is customary where a trade takes place on 'another's ground' meaning their store, farm or home to supply a scribe for the visiting party, taken from the local trade guild, it is also customary to supply the ink or wax needed for the trade to take place