slightly off topic, but worth mentioning....
I have always dreamed of a system where all Special Item properties that are not immediately apparent(ie emit light, flaming, adjusted weight etc) are stored on the item in the form of a variable. The players would have a widget(or radial skill) that can be used to target an item. Upon use the PC would have a roll against a set DC for any of the special properties. For those properties that they succeed on, a script fires to add them to the weapon, for those they fail... they gain no insight that they exist. Thus making it much more worthwhile to seek out a true sagely type to uncover any possible rare abilities. Then remove the option to "identify" from shops, and perhaps add in a few NPC's who players can seek for the information if no PC seems approachable. Have the NPC's Lore skill check rolled and only reveal the things they succeed on too... leaving one to wonder if there isn't some untapped potential to an item in their possession.
On topic... I agree that identifying items via shops is mostly a waste of coin and could deserve a nerf.... however, I also wonder how so many respectable Barovian businessmen/women have managed to gain so much insight into the properties of the arcane.