Shopping plays a part in Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, and Mass Effect: Andromeda. Knowing both shopping locations and who operates them will assist you in completing the game by either selling or buying weapons, armor, and upgrades necessary to complete your missions, or clear up your inventory. Each game is different in what shops and merchants do, and what products are offered.
Mass Effect
In Mass Effect, there are various merchants that buy and sell various weapons, armor, upgrades, and licenses that give your squad more firepower and allow you to survive better in combat. Since you can only carry up to 150 items in your inventory at a time, you need to make sure that you are selling it off to these people at regular intervals. If you have access to Dr. Chloe Michel and complete the Citadel: Doctor Michel assignment, she will provide you with significantly better sales prices – up to 100% of the standard price – for any item. Merchants also feature a "Buyback" system where you can buy back any items you have sold, allowing up to the last 20 items you have sold to be bought back. Also check in with them often to see what new equipment they have; some specific details on when their stocks reset are detailed below.
Merchant Locations
This list includes all vendors, their general zone and specific location therein, and finally any notable items in their stocks, some of which may not be available at certain time of the game as the story and plot progress. Capacity upgrades for medi-gel and grenades are not included, and are instead listed here.
| Operator | Location | Stock Types | Notable Stock | |
| Dr. Chloe Michel | Citadel | Wards - Med Clinic | (Upgrades) | Medical Armor Upgrades |
| C-Sec Requisitions Officer | Citadel | Wards - C-Sec Academy | (Standard) | Kassa Fabrication, Spectre Gear |
| Expat | Citadel | Wards - Upper Markets | Standard | Armax Arsenal |
| Morlan | Citadel | Wards - Lower Markets | Standard, Alien | Geth Armory |
| Delan | Citadel | Presidium - Financial District | Standard, Upgrades, Alien Armour | Serrice Council |
| Ledra | Feros | Zhu's Hope | Standard | Haliat Armory |
| Opold | Noveria | Port Hanshan | Standard, Upgrades, Alien | Rosenkov Materials |
| Petozi | Noveria | Rift Station | Standard | |
| Commander Rentola | Virmire | Salarian Base on Virmire | Standard | Armali Council |
| Commander Rentola | Normandy | Cargo Bay | ||
| Normandy Requisitions Officer | Normandy | Cargo Bay | Standard/Various | Spectre Gear, any licensed equipment |
Stock Changes
Once spoken to, merchant inventories remain the same until Shepard levels up. However, by saving before speaking to the merchant and reloading this save, a constantly changing inventory can be seen. New items populate a merchant's inventory during a reset, though on occasion some of the old stock is still there.
The first method has a potentially lengthy execution time for practical use. Save-reloading, however, gives the player the chance to acquire different items from merchants much faster. The method should work on all merchants, although variations may be required for the Normandy Requisitions Officer. It is particularly useful if you're searching for the more elusive or higher level items – particularly armor – such as those manufactured by the Geth Armory or Kassa Fabrication. You may have to do the glitch many times in order to get these rarer items in the game as they have a much lower percentage of being in stock. Some merchants are better than others for stocking what you may be looking for. Morlan and Opold stock a specific section of alien armor, whereas the C-Sec Requisitions Officer and the Normandy Requisitions Officer have general stock and are more likely to have human gear. Some methods for using this trick are described below:
- Standard: Simply travel to whichever merchant you wish to purchase from: Morlan, for example. Before talking to him – or any other merchants – save your game. After saving, continue to view the items as usual. If the item you're looking for is there, then buy it, equip it to whoever needs it and carry on; you'll need to leave the planet and return to start the method again. However, if you wish the inventory to reset so that different items are on sale, just reload and check their inventory again.
- Normandy Requisitions Officer: Because the inventory reset works differently for the NRO, the standard of saving before speaking may not work. It's important to make sure that you have the correct license in order for the corresponding equipment to spawn from that manufacturer. The more licenses you have will also improve the odds of getting a particular item from a manufacturer. If this is the case there are different parameters that will make sure it does reset.
- The inventory will reset automatically after you complete each mission world for the first time.
- If you're doing assignments or there are no mission worlds you wish to complete, go back to either Feros or Noveria (if you've completed them), or the Citadel. Spend time on the planet conversing and traveling. Next, go to any of the assignment worlds (even one you've completed an assignment on) and, after landing and returning to the Normandy, go to the cargo bay and save before talking to the NRO. The glitch will then work as standard.
Mass Effect 2
In Mass Effect 2, merchants and shops change from Mass Effect. One can no longer sell components and the merchandise changes. Instead of offering new weapons and armor, merchants now offer armor components for Shepard's N7 Armor, and upgrades for the squad's weapons. These can be purchased by using credits which are earned by completing Missions and Assignments. In addition, now that purchasing is completely automated, using terminals at each shop, talking to the merchants that operate the shops can get you a discount.
Merchant Locations
| Vendor | Merchant | Location | |
| Sirta Foundation | Kian Louros | Citadel | Zakera Ward, Level 26 |
| Saronis Applications | Marab | Citadel | Zakera Ward, Level 26 |
| Citadel Souvenirs | Deleia Sanassi | Citadel | Zakera Ward, Level 27 |
| Zakera Cafe | Unnamed turian | Citadel | Zakera Ward, Level 27 |
| Rodam Expeditions | Etarn Tiron | Citadel | Zakera Ward, Level 28 |
| Harrot's Emporium | Harrot | Omega | Omega Marketplace |
| Omega Market | Marsh | Omega | Omega Marketplace |
| Kenn's Salvage | Kenn | Omega | Omega Marketplace |
| Baria Frontiers | Erinya | Illium | Illium Trading Floor |
| Gateway Personal Defense | Unnamed asari | Illium | Illium Trading Floor |
| Memories of Illium | Ereba | Illium | Illium Trading Floor |
| Serrice Technology | Hermia | Illium | Illium Trading Floor |
| Fortack's Database | Fortack | Tuchanka | Urdnot Camp |
| Ratch's Wares | Ratch | Tuchanka | Urdnot Camp |
Discounts
All of the shops in Mass Effect 2 offer a way to get a discount, but getting it can involve anything from completing a quick dialogue option, to completing a mission. Each shop is different and each has a different method of getting a discount.
- Shops on the Citadel or Omega require just a quick conversation and choosing a Charm or Intimidate option to get a discount at the store.
- On Omega, a discount at two stores can also be obtained by completing a small assignment.
- The shops on Illium require either a dialogue option, completing a small assignment, or even a conversation.
- Note: Baria Frontiers and Zakera Cafe don’t have discount options, but you will spend only 2,000 credits and 510 credits respectively for all of their merchandise.
- The shops on Tuchanka require completing a mission or completing a small mini-game.
The discount is worth taking advantage of as you will save a significant amount of credits over the course of the game. The discounts aren’t that hard to get, and they are worth doing.
Obtaining Credits
Getting credits in Mass Effect 2 is a bit different than in Mass Effect, where credits are earned by selling merchandise, killing enemies, or picking them out of crates. Credits in Mass Effect 2 can only be picked up on Assignments and Missions through Bypass and Hacking, and they are earned by completing Assignments and Missions. Credits are more difficult to obtain, so you might need to watch what you buy as you may have to wait a bit to get a particular upgrade or armor component.
Mining
In addition to using credits to purchase items from stores, credits are also used for mining by purchasing fuel and probes. Fuel and probes are small expenditures compared to some items in stores, but over time, they do add up. Mining is also essential in Mass Effect 2 because you can also pickup research items on missions, and from squadmates while talking to them aboard the Normandy SR-2. You do need resources to get every upgrade and you need to mine to get all of the resources you need to research everything. So you also need to watch how many credits you are spending on mining as well, as it may prevent you from buying all of the items from the stores.
Mass Effect 3
In Mass Effect 3, shops operate only through terminals — merchants no longer play a part in transactions. Weapon Mods, armor, fish, and model ships can be purchased in stores. Weapons and Galaxy at War mission items that were missed during missions can also be purchased. Credits are earned by completing missions, finding datapads while on missions, and searching the galaxy. Discounts can be obtained through intel found by exploring the galaxy.
Merchant Locations
| Shop Name | Location | Details |
| Aegohr Munitions | Presidium Commons | Right shop on upper level of Meridian Place Market |
| Batarian State Arms | Docks: Holding Area | Cargo Hold: C |
| Cipritine Armory | Presidium Commons | Left shop on upper level of Meridian Place Market |
| Elkoss Combine Arsenal Supplies | Presidium Commons | Bank area near Barla Von |
| Kanala Exports | Presidium Commons | Bank area along the same wall as the elevator |
| Kassa Fabrication | Presidium Commons | Right shop on lower level of Meridian Place Market |
| Nos Astra Sporting Goods | Presidium Commons | Left shop on lower level of Meridian Place Market |
| Sirta Supplies | Huerta Memorial Hospital | Parallel to reception desk in the Patient Lounge |
| Spectre Requisitions | Citadel Embassies | Right terminal inside Spectre Office |
| Harrot's Emporium | Aria's Bunker | Requires Mass Effect 3: Omega |
| Home Spun | Silversun Strip | Requires Mass Effect 3: Citadel |
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Overview
Mass Effect: Andromeda allows the purchase and sale of a wide variety of items:
- Armor
- Consumables
- Mods
- ND1 Nomad - Upgrades and paint jobs
- Resources
- Weapons
All merchants:
- will purchase whatever Ryder is willing to sell, regardless of their default goods.
- have an unlimited credit supply. However, not all merchants pay the same price for the same goods.
- are marked on the map with
.
Commerce cryo pod perks that affect buying and selling of goods include:
Merchants
In Mass Effect: Andromeda, each good for sale falls into one of nine categories.
The table below lists all of the merchants in Mass Effect: Andromeda and the goods categories that they provide. A check mark (✓) in any column implies that the vendor provides that category of goods.
Merchant Notes
- Annea sells goods for 25% more than other merchants and buys goods for double what other merchants will pay.
- Depending upon Ryder's decision during the mission Water Supply, Annea may be replaced with an Initiative Merchant. The Merchant only buys and sells goods for standard rates and doesn't follow Annea's rates.
- Black Market Dealer on Kadara sometimes has different good types other than what is shown in the table.
- Thrasia sells goods for 10% less and pays 15% more after the completion of A Packaged Deal.
- Team Ryncol Manager and Blood Threshers Manager don't sell anything other than fighting pit betting tickets.
- Team Ryncol Manager sells the Blue Ticket for 10
. - Blood Threshers Manager sells the Red Ticket for 10 .
- Purchased tickets and Winning Tickets will only display while speaking to one of the fighting pit Managers AND only in the "All Items" inventory screen (not the Special Items section).
- Team Ryncol Manager sells the Blue Ticket for 10
- The fighting pit in New Tuchanka on Elaaden is the best place to dispose of unwanted items, especially salvage.
- Team Ryncol Manager and Blood Threshers Manager will buy all weapons, weapon mods, armor, consumables, materials, and augmentations for full price.
- Team Ryncol Manager and Blood Threshers Manager buy salvage items for five times the base rate.
|
Mass Effect Guides |
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Walkthrough • Morality • Experience • Systems • Mako • Codex | ||
| Achievements | Completionist • Rich Achievement • Party Member Achievements Scholar Achievement • Weapon and Ability Achievements | ||
| Classes | Adept • Engineer • Infiltrator • Sentinel • Soldier • Vanguard | ||
| Other | Squad Members • PC Tweaks • Merchants | ||
|
Mass Effect 2 Guides |
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Walkthrough • Morality • Upgrades • Planet Scanning | ||
| Classes | Adept • Engineer • Infiltrator • Sentinel • Soldier • Vanguard | ||
| Other | Squad Members • PC Tweaks • No One Left Behind • Data Hound • Merchants Research Guide • Interrupts | ||
|
Mass Effect 3 Guides |
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Walkthrough • Morality • Search and Rescue • Equipment and Items | ||
| Classes | Adept • Engineer • Infiltrator • Sentinel • Soldier • Vanguard | ||
| Other | Squad Members • Power Combos • PC Tweaks • Interrupts • Merchants • The One and Only | ||
|
Mass Effect: Andromeda Guides |
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Completion | Walkthrough • Dialogue • Inventory • Experience • Remnant Decryption Puzzles • Hang Time Achievement Guide • Codex Entry Guide (Mass Effect: Andromeda) | ||
| Profiles | Soldier • Engineer • Adept • Sentinel • Vanguard • Infiltrator • Explorer | ||
| Other | Squad Members • Merchants • Skills • Research • Development • Narrative Actions | ||