Keep operating cash visible
The shop needs cash for replacement parts and licenses. Treat that reserve as unavailable before considering optional stock or speculative flips.
A repair with a clear checklist and known cost is easier to value than an unfamiliar device bought only because the sale price looks high.
Calculate the whole job
Include the device cost, replacement parts, license requirement, and time needed to unlock the sale. A high sale number alone is not profit.
Community price guides can help identify candidates, but use the current game value at the moment of purchase.
- Protect license cash.
- Add device and part costs.
- Confirm the needed license.
- Compare current sale value.
- Choose jobs with a clear completion path.
Use story work and flips for different goals
Customer jobs advance relationships and story context; resale devices focus on cash. A healthy shop can use both without forcing every repair to maximize the same metric.
If progression stalls, return to the jobs that unlock new work rather than grinding a lower-value device indefinitely.
Sources
Steam community device sale-price reference →