I don't think you understand the simple concept of competitive=/=forced..
Perhaps I was a bit unfair to you. Allow me to explain my position more clearly.
Tools for real businessman like Ibarruri, Ichorus, Yeonan etc should exist to make their crafting more specialized and unique, like a seal of authenticity.
When star vault creates a system that the economy is deal with the above via pm's, buy from predatory merchant A thats selling you full grain leather heat gear for 8g or, deal with predatory merchant B whos selling ironsilk for 40g. Then I believe it is on star vault to create a better economic system than MO 1, and you're suggestion of high specialization is harkening back on to MO 1 and my feedback for them is to do the opposite of what you're suggesting.
Or
create a blacklist and review system for the broker or some sort of alignment system for crafters based on their customer reviews.
And before you challenge me on the free market, can we acknowledge that no free markets exist on earth, we've always felt the need to say "Hey mr.business you're no longer allowed to take advantage of us in such and such way". You may know them as "regulations".