My idea is that if there were full time buyer and sellers, relatively limited in number these people might be prefered by most players as a matter of conveinance. They would be in the known market district. Now other markets could develop organicly, but my suggestion is not in the city. These other markets would probably have some better deals and some totally overpriced stuff, and would probably be more difficult than traders in the city who (as I see it) would have specialty item shops. One guy does swords, another armor, another potions, with signs out so you can figure it out real easy and you probably know how much you will pay and how much you can sell for.
IMO start out the game with NPCs running these shops, however give the NPCs limited cash and limited goods, and maybe some limited crafting skills if they can get players to bring them resources. They would also need to pay the rent or at least their own 'living expenses'. There goods and money would not replenish, so Potion Sam of Sam's Potion Emporium needs to buy all his potions and ingredients from players and sell them for more money than he's buying them for. If he stops making money, his money starts deteriorating until finally he needs to offer his shop up for lease or sale, and perhaps get a job working there. Of course if he gets fired by his new player boss he might have to turn to banditry, but Potion Sam sucks at PvNP and will soon come to a sad end.
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