Masquerade! Paper faces on parade. Masquerade!
As it stands, even crafting high-end RIG items is next to impossible anyway seeing as how you have to level up before you get them, and leveling up is extremely hard with needing items people are now hoarding that are in very limited supply.
I agree with you, though, that this whole thing was planned worse than the lowest bidder would to construct a building. It makes me wonder what in hell those that planned it were thinking or doing at the time things were laid out. I would not be surprised if this caused more people to keep their money to themselves and/or just up and leave the site. This was a bad move and if not remedied correctly, will cause Gaia to slide down that slippery slope to bankruptcy even quicker than ever before.
Hide your face so the world will never find you.