If someone wants cheap materials there is a solution in game already that’s perfectly viable; spec for it.
Like everything else with the profession system there are choices to be made. In DF there reached a point rather quickly where quality materials didn’t matter anymore since Inspiration bonuses could get so high that it was cheaper to rng an item multiple times. This destroyed the mat market and made anyone who invested in mat refinement set back greatly.
Now, at least for some professions, there is a better balance in profitability between gear makers and material refiners. It also creates a better balance between those who are fine with the increased socialization/time requirements the Work Order system brings (gear crafters), and those who prefer the old style to make money off just listing stuff on the AH.
In DF I was a primary gear crafter, I spammed trade chat to no end, and got lucky with some patterns so I had my niche. Now, there’s so much spam happening in trade that I’ve leaned heavier into material refinement as the thought of spending hours spamming trade isn’t as alluring. Sure have to deal with AH bots, but I get to see some return and play the game outside of a city.
In time some things will get cheaper as people gain more talent points and invest into material refinement along with more gatherers able to pick rank 3 raw materials. For the moment the people who believe things cost too much need to evaluate how important the difference between Rank 4 versus Rank 5 of a piece of gear is. There has always been a premium to be paid in this game to be on the bleeding edge of gear. If the cost is too high at the moment just get Rank 4 done which can easily be done with waay lower cost mats, and just upgrade when the cost of mats drop.