teleports are more convienent than chocobos, but people still want choco, and airships and whatnot, AH is more convenient, but it is not necessarily a better game mechanic.
The concept of market wards can be built upon, you can add shops, different locales, methods of advertisement, selling areas, mail systems to reach players. You can theoretically do quests to expand your retainers abilities, which adds content.

But AH is basically AH, it doesnt really have much growth potential, and doesnt add much to the game, definitely not immersion, or shop building.

If they do add an AH it should have a decent tax anyhow, and if it does, most people would rather do bazzar system, most people would not want to pay an extra 20k for a 200k purchase versus 40 seconds of waiting time. because most people do not make 20k in 40 seconds. The only reason people didnt use bazzars more in ffxi is because you have to search through them, and they have negated that element.

for buyers and sellers, mw is actually better. you can find items almost as fast, you can post items infinitely at no cost to your self, and the tax is cheaper. they even made it posible to model items your selling.


Far as manipulating prices in the wards, it is possible now, if you take the time, but doing the same thing on AH is faster, and easier.
We dont really need a history for items, sell it for what you think its worth, or dont sell it. If you feel satisfied selling your gold ore for 1k then do it. if you dont want to part with a gladius for under 100k dont do it.

YOU CAN DECIDE YOUR OWN VALUE OF ITEMS, you dont need some one else telling you what the item is worth, you got the item yourself, you know how hard it is to obtain, you can see how many other people are selling it, dont be a lemming