While the private market is a convenient place to rid yourself of excess food and equipment, you likely will not be well compensated. Using the public market, you can sell your goods to other empires willing to purchase them, often at much better prices.
Once you place items on the public market, they will take 4 hour(s) to reach the marketplace and become available for sale. Items are automatically removed from the market and returned to your empire after 72 hours.
The market coalition collects a 5% commission on all market sales, subtracted from the amount paid by the buyer. If goods fail to sell on the market and are returned, a percentage of those remaining will be kept by the market coalition as payment for their services.
Be wary about selling during times of war, because the market coalition does not concern itself with inter-empire relations and will gladly sell your goods to your enemies.