Sure, selling things seems to be the new way. Sadly that is a race after the crashes and after that it is usually pretty filled up everywhere.

>A handy snippet from 'help barter' I've made use of:
However, shopkeepers have been known to barter for items they wouldn't normally purchase but at a much reduced rate.

Well I could not barter a 8000 copper worth item for a 1500 one, so I assume it ratio is something like 1/10. You need to find a quite hefty item to use that, and that is getting harder with most items getting nerf..ment balanced so empire cannot get too easy donations.