Probably Stolen Beginner Guide: Your First Shop

Which start should you choose?

Apprentice is the generalist start and the best place to learn the counter. You can explore the business before choosing a specialty. The launch version has nine starting scenarios and four difficulty options, so there is no need to combine a demanding business with the toughest settings on your first attempt.

Keep the tutorial enabled. It introduces the store’s handling and trading flow in context. Rock Bottom starts with nothing; save that challenge for when you understand how to turn ordinary stock into working capital.

What should you do before accepting an offer?

Inspect the item rather than trusting the seller’s description. The game uses different checks for different goods: cigarette packs need visual inspection, rare items need appraisal, water needs testing and weapons involve permits and modifications. An expensive-looking object can be a bad purchase if you misread its condition or have no suitable buyer.

A useful buying routine is to ask three questions:

1. Can this item be identified or tested now?
2. Who will buy it, and what additional work does it need?
3. Will the purchase leave enough cash for rent and supplies?

Declining a confusing offer is a valid business decision. A full inventory is only useful when its contents can earn their space.

How should you spend your first profits?

Keep a rent reserve before buying more machinery. Rising rent and confiscated stock can interrupt an otherwise profitable business. The long-term goal is buying the shop, so treat every expansion as a way to improve cash flow rather than a collection target.

Try one small water purification batch or one recipe from the crafting table. Finish the entire process, including finding a buyer, before scaling up. Buying inputs, buying power and finding storage are all part of the investment.

What needs attention before ending the day?

Organize stock, look at the next rent date and prepare any overnight work. Leave room for output so the following morning is easy to read. The full release adds vending machines that sell after closing, but they are an expansion of the shop rather than a replacement for understanding your customers.

Use the shop-management guide for a repeatable daily routine. When a decision involves a named visitor or faction, slow down: the station’s politics can matter long after the current sale.

Sources

• Steam store
• Official 1.0 preview
• Official launch announcement