The Money:

My wife and I are making money off our crafters hand over fist, and that's from crafting 1-30 stuff. You have to play the market. If someone sells a 99 stack of an item you know most people only want 10 of, sell 10. Your retainers have 20 slots allocated for the market, us them.

The Applications:

I don't know how many times I've passed or greeded on dungeon gear when leveling a sub-class because the crafted gear I had on was better and convertible. I've need for styles for the upcoming vanity slots, but have crafted gear that is better in many many cases.
.............................................

Crafters aren't s.o.l. like some people make them out to be. It's also apparent, imo, that crafters will have a key role in vanity items in the future much like they have a key role in vanity furnishings for housing.

Could it be better? Ya, but what in life couldn't be?