[jorvi]

What really sucks about mass production is that it inevitably kills the middle tier of craftsmanship, whilst doing nothing to offer something of similar quality.

So before, you had 3-5 levels or craftsmanship to choose from, with an exponential cost increase. Now you either get to choose the dirt-cheap mass-produced stuff, the middle tier mass-produced stuff (still relative cheap), or like you stated, you're gonna have to drop $1000 on a pair of leather shoes. Full hockeystick-graph.

And sometimes the craftsmen just disappear. These days for example, it is hideously difficult to find high quality linnen.