I think Location and Shop both have pros and cons.
I think the shop mechanic can be used by scum to sell fake items as well. In regards to this
@Dragomir @Kiwipom @Cray Cray your return/cancellation policy is horrible ;--;
Location gives you a drawback, but I think getting an item from that location is more of a lottery.
I can confirm we don't start with the same amount of money ^^
Also, apparently items can be stolen from you, so money isn't really a prerequisite to obtain an item.