Trading - what am I missing?

So I started playing recently and I ended up in the swamp, talking to the guy who wants help with the big worm. I decided to trade with him.

The only thing he had that I wanted at the time was a magic ring for 100 gold. I wanted to unload a bunch of useless weapons and other items, which amounted to 362 gold. (or something around there)

I was expecting him to give me the ring and 262(ish) gold for my stuff. But when I clicked the finalize trade button (can't remember the exact wording), he tells me that my stuff is worth less than his, so he takes a bunch of my money on top.

What gives? Did I miss something important, or does trading just work differently in Risen?

Oliver

Are you sure thats what he said? It is confusing because he says "I'll accept your X amount" which means he'll "accept your price" and pays you. Bit confusing at first.

Vendors buy things from you just for 1/5 of their value.

Yeah, I knew he only paid 1/5 of the value.. but I assumed that that's what was showing on my side of the trade window - the items I'm offering, at the price he's willing to pay. Why would it show their full price?

Besides, before clicking accept, I did a quick calculation, at their 1/5 value and it looked like the correct amount… but he still took a bunch of my money anyway. I'll see if I have an earlier savegame and try again.

Is it normal you don't get gold?
I have the impression that I'm not getting anything if I only put stuff on my side of the trade window.

No, it works properly. The dialog is confusing though, it sounds like the trader is going to take your gold but you take it as you should.

Works every time, there are no problems - even a trader with just a few miserly items will accept a warehouse full of stuff and return the balance in gold.

Don't trade with anyone is my suggestion - unless you can't hurt him…
Especially in the bandit camp you can lure almost anyone to a secluded spot, kick his ass and rob him… save your game before any of these raids to find out who will still talk to you and who will stop offering you things… I think the blacksmith is someone you can't hurt, the girl you can't hurt, and the best fighter there you shouldn't fight because I think you will lose dialogue options with him but everyone else is pretty much fair game and will still be friendly to you after you rob them - they may give you a sharp comment the very next time you talk to them before going into conversation - but other than that it will be alright… some of their comments are pretty funny… especially when you beat the living crap out of someone and then ask him if "anything interesting happened today?" and he tells you "nothing happened" - after you just beat him down and robbed him

PS
I think once someone calls you by the name "Fucker!!!" he will not be your friend anymore…This really happens I love this game…

PS#2
You should probably keep on to any gold you find so you will have enough to spend on training…most of the items, jewelery, amulets, scrolls and good weapons and shields are found throughout the land . You only HAVE to buy few items…if any at all… I still haven't had a need to buy anything 27 hours into the game (still chapter one). I think I will start the game all over though, because I used to eat some plants that boosted your stats and I really shouldn't. I should have kept them and learned alchemy to make potions out of. I also wiped out almost the entire map without a shovel or lock-picking ability and now I don't really want to revisit those barren places for the loot and I have no indications of where it is as far as seeing what kinds of creatures are guarding… This time I won't even talk to Sara on the shore before I go and:
1)Don't Kill anything and don't talk to anyone unnecessary for these following abilities
2)Find a shovel (from graveyard with skeletons close to Jan's hut I think is close by)
3)Learn lock-picking and find lockpicks (in swamp or town)
4)Learn sneaking (in swamp or town)
5)Learn Hunting and find tools for all types of trophy collecting (to maximize each and every kills "earning potential") (remember - try not to kill anything) (in swamp or town)
6)Learn prospecting and find tool (in harbor town - there are ways of getting in and out as pleased)
7)Learn pickpocketing (in swamp or town)
8)Get back to the beach, make a permanent saved game, wake up Sarah and finally start the game (probably also more equipped and leveled up enough to start the game and not feel as fragile as you would have normally)

Well that was much more of a reply than I was expecting.

Thanks for that. I'm just gonna continue where I'm at. I'm a bit of a softie, ya see. Plus, I have much less spare time now.

There is no way ANYONE could have expected that
Sorry for the verbal blabber… I just hate it when virtual characters take advantage of innocent game-playing people with their high prices and low trade-ins and all… Rise against the machine !!!

Just have fun thats the real mission…have a good one…

must be a bug then in the swamp area. i've yet to trade with anyone at the swamp area but the trading system works fine at harbor city.

as matziq mentions "I'll accept your X amount" means the PC Hero (you) are the one saying that to the trader.