SimCity BuildIt Global Trade HQ Guide
SimCity BuildIt Global Trade HQ Guide
The Global Trade HQ is where you buy what you do not have time to make, and this SimCity BuildIt Global Trade HQ guide explains how to use it without wasting Simoleons. It is the buying side of trading: other mayors advertise their Trade Depot listings here, you tap an item, visit the seller’s city, and buy from their depot. Used well, it saves hours of production. Used carelessly, it drains Simoleons on overpriced items.
How to unlock the Global Trade HQ
The Global Trade HQ becomes available once your population grows large enough, and community guides place the unlock at 10,000 population and Mayor level 11. You will find it just outside your city limits on the main highway, next to the motorway junction. Before that point, you can still buy from Daniel, your neighbour mayor, whose Trade Depot is open for business from early in the game.
How buying works
Open the Global Trade HQ to see advertised sales from other cities. Tap an item you need and the game takes you to the seller’s city, opening at their Trade Depot. You can buy the advertised item and anything else that mayor has listed. Once you confirm the purchase, the goods go into your City Storage. The seller sets the price, so check who has the best deal before you buy. Goods are on sale globally, so another mayor can buy the item first — if you want it, do not delay.
Before you buy: check your storage
You cannot buy anything if your City Storage is full. Community guides stress this clearly: always have free storage slots before you open the Global Trade HQ, or you will travel to a seller’s city and be unable to complete the purchase. Free space first, buy second. The same applies to visiting a friend’s city to buy from their depot.
What to buy, and what to skip
Buy items that are hard to make, slow to produce, or needed right now for an upgrade, cargo shipment or Contest assignment. Buy expansion and storage items when you see them at a fair price — they are rare and hard to earn. Skip items you can make in five minutes, items priced far above their usual maximum, and anything you do not need for a current goal. The best buyers in the game are not the ones who buy the most; they are the ones who buy only what unblocks progress.
Gift bubbles while you shop
Visiting other cities through the Global Trade HQ is also how you find gift bubbles, which can contain items, expansion materials, Golden Keys or SimCash. The bubbles are tied to a timed cycle, and community guides report they respawn every four hours. Check for bubbles while you are in a seller’s city — it costs nothing and it is the free SimCash route covered in Article 1 of this batch.
Daniel’s city
Daniel is your AI neighbour, and his Trade Depot is a reliable fallback. If an item has sat unsold in your own depot for 48 hours, Daniel buys it. In the other direction, Daniel’s city is a place to buy when the Global Trade HQ has nothing you need. He is not a real player, so his stock is limited, but he is always there.
FAQ
When does Global Trade HQ unlock?
Community guides place it at 10,000 population and level 11. The Trade Depot itself unlocks earlier, at 8,000 population.
Why can’t I buy an item in Global Trade HQ?
Your City Storage may be full, or another mayor may have bought the item first. Free storage space and buy quickly when you see what you need.
Can I buy OMEGA items in Global Trade HQ?
No. OMEGA items are not sold in the Trade Depot or Global Trade HQ, according to EA Help.
Is there a search filter in Global Trade HQ?
No. The HQ shows a random selection of advertised items, and high-demand items sell fastest. There is no item search, according to EA forum answers.
Who sets the price in Global Trade HQ?
The seller. Compare prices across sellers before you buy.
Start at our homepage — and read our Trade Depot guide for the selling side of the same market.