TrailHead says:
... examples where a trade deal was made without getting too detailed.
I read the (really short) Trade chapter. It is simple enough, but also versatile enough, and does not impose on our options much.
The players can choose to engage in as much trade as is desired.
Often we --the players-- do not even need to know what is in the cargo the PCs picked up --maybe just the category. If we are doing boring trade runs where the goods are legal it can all happen in the background.
I don't know how the numbers hold up, it looks like --with a little bit of effort-- you can make millions on the right trades. I assume it is set easy enough so it does not become frustrating, the GM probably
has to throw in complications to set the appropriate rate of wealth gain. The Trade system does look interesting enough though, and could help us flesh out the world (assuming we are not using the existing one).
On the other hand, players can roleplay the process of locating and negotiating for cargo if they don't want to use the dice. I found myself wanting to roleplay out solutions to the dice's answers, and that is wrong of course, we should pick one or the other, each time, and live with the consequences. This applies equally for Speculative Trade, Freight, finding Brokers or Passengers.
If we want, we can turn the process of finding cargo or buyers into a mission that needs some sessions to complete. Whatever the players find fun. Lucrative cargo hauls could be rewards for jobs well done, and so on, too.
The book does not mention it, but you could take on passengers (or --less likely-- cargo) heading
towards your 'current destination' or anywhere you are stopping along the way. Or take them partway if your destination moves them closer to the passenger's destination (but that might pay less, as they need to pay for another flight, and layover costs).
