People who have been playing longer have the upper hand...

I'm really aggravated about the retainer system. I haven't been playing that long... so when I figure out I need a retainer for the market wards to sell everything because SE has so graciously decided not to give us an auction house (worked fine in ffxi.. why would you discontinue it in 14?? that was a bad move on your part SE...). I cannot set up a retainer in the "main city" because all of the areas are full...

So, ok, I guess its great that I can send my retainer to another city to sell stuff there when I can't sell it in the "main city". But here's the problem. Its a simple supply and demand. If I send my supply to an area that has no demand.. I can't sell it for squat. I am better off to npc it. Here's an example... linen cowl: Limsa Lomensa sells for 3k in the market wards. In Ul'dah it sells for 15k. So I have to take a 12k cut on my items on the minium.. because you know I won't get more than a couple of thousand for it at an npc.

And do you know what the really bad part is? All the gear that I want I have to buy it in the marked up price areas of Ul'dah because NO ONE IS SELLING IT IN THE OTHER CITY.

So thanks for messing up my ability to play because I'm "new" to this game SE. Thanks a lot!

Don't fret, it happens to long-time players too. I accidentally dismissed my retainer recently, and now I haven't been able to get him back in without renting a stand. I don't log on consistently each day, so the stand doesn't help for me.

I'm pretty sure in ARR, they will be revamping the market system.

Just keep trying to summon your retainers, and don't just summon them in one ward and if denied go to another ward. Try moving 15 feet forward, try to summon, moving 15 feet forward, try to summon, and go through all the wards this way.
Try it once a day. Eventually you'll get both your retainers in the Ul'dah wards.

It isn't just new players that don't have retainers set up. If you try daily, you'll eventually get in.
(and yes, you've discovered a glaring flaw in their 1.0 market ward vision)

Use the stalls in the mean time.

500 gil per day is a very small price to pay for a chance to sell your shit.

Another option is to materia your equipment, meld it to new stuff, and then when you're done with them, sell them for higher profit OR trade them into one of the 3 hamlets to regenerate your anima a little. A little bit of crafting goes a long way with low level gear.