Guild Wars 2

Why is it that when I first click on the exchange tab I get one set of Market Data, but when I actually go to do the exchange of gold for gems, I get a completely different set of data (50s+ higher)?! I almost accident went through with the transaction for a much lower return on my gold.

This is misleading, since most people click on the tab to look at the rates and make a decision there. It’s annoying and gives the impression of deceptiveness (even if that’s not the intent).

That’s because one tab is the exchange rate of gold to gems, while the other is the rate of gem to gold.

The spead exists as an invisible tax.

There is no misleading.

There are two exchange rates. Gems->Gold and Gold->Gems.

When you first select on the exchange tab it shows you the Gems->Gold rate. They had to show one of them and it makes sense to show that one because GW2 stays open because of players buying Gems with actual money so the rate shown is for players who have Gems and are looking to convert some/all of it into gold.

Edit: Ninja’d