This was what convinced me to level my crafters (still a work in progress), so I can gear Alts myself. However with regard to MB prices, the market is the market, people will sell things at whatever price the market will bear. One thing I find depressing is how much stuff can be bought from vendors and then resold on the MB for a good profit because there are so many players who either don't know you can get the item from a vendor, or just can't be bothered looking for it.