Are the order in which retainers show on the MB random?

[RavenShadow]

And I'm not talking about the lowest price showing first, I know that how THAT works...I'm talking about when several people list the same item at THE SAME PRICE....It seems that one retainer is ALWAYS on top of the listings even when multiple people are selling the same item for the same price. So my question is, is that random or is there something that said one person is doing to keep their retainers at the top?

[PirateCat]

I highly doubt that it's random, but it also seems to be based on some factor that is difficult for players to control. I can confirm through testing that the order is not dependent on when the item was listed.

Most likely it uses something like the database ID of each retainer as the tiebreaker, so it may come down to something like which retainer was created first.

[StouterTaru]

At the same price, higher quantities list first. Same price and quantity, I haven't noticed any reason for the order given.

[chidarake]

one thing you can do to potentially manipulate it although it is still random is use a dif retainer in a dif city state. this sometimes pushing you to the top with the same prrice / quantity.

that being said it seems quite random who gets the no1 spot with price / quantity being equal.

after two years of playing the mb there doesnt seem a guaranteed way to manipulate it and that is exactly how it should be.

[FunkyBunch]

Weird, for me they always load alphabetically if they are the same price & quantity.

[chidarake]

if it was alphabetical for sure people would be naming there retainers A B C D and so on. <<someone mentioned this a long time ago in a dif post but the sentiment holds true.

no rhyme or reason in the players eyes is the best choice to avoid manipulation and make it the most fair

[viewtyjoe]

My understanding is that the retainer that most recently listed an item/adjusted its price is listed first, assuming price and stack size are the same. So the listing order is by price, then quantity, then by newest.

[chidarake]

newest def doesnt apply ive posted lots of things in the past with the same price as others and stack size and still ended up 2nd 3rd 4th or so on.