How the trader cycle works in Clash of Clans

Once you hit Town Hall level 8 in Clash of Clans, you should notice a new addition to your village in the top left corner. Previously, there would have been a sign mentioning the presence of the trader, but he’s not unlockable yet. Now, this will be replaced with a man in a hat, with a tent next to him. This is the trader, and he is here to offer you some storming deals on magic items that in the right circumstances offer better value for money than simply using gems for boosts.

However, the trader will only have three items on him every day you check his wares. This is because the trader works on a cycle system, whereby he will have a set inventory that changes each day over a period of 39 days. This means that for the items that appear on Day 1, you will need to wait 39 days for the cycle to complete back around to the first day’s inventory for the exact same three items to appear again.

This means that if you are looking to purchase a specific item from the trader, it will not be random, and instead, you will need to calculate how many days you will need to wait for the item that you want to appear. While this might not be helpful to those looking to use boosting items at a specific time, it is a more reliable system than waiting for a randomized inventory change for your desired item to appear. 

It should also be noted that once you hit Town Hall 8, you don’t immediately start at Day 1 on the cycle, so be wary that the inventory is unlikely to be the same for everyone when it unlocks.

The Trader also provides another very good benefit for players who keep track of their items regularly: free Training and Clock Tower Potions. When used, the Training Potion boosts all training production by four for an hour, including troops, spells, and even Hero recovery times. Meanwhile, the Clock Tower Potion will provide a 10x boost to all building and researching in the Builder Base area for 30 minutes, similar to what is offered in the free boost by the existing Clock Tower. 

Here is the cycle of discounts on offer at the trader’s shop.