Stainless and PVD are definitely premium (expensive) manufacturing options, and this was the best I could do in terms of price at any acceptable quality level within those two requirements. Most factories quoted me much higher, and after quite a few samples, most were what I would consider unacceptable cosmetic quality. So, any rate, I sympathize about the costs; some people are just into stainless + PVD in particular and really want those features, in spite of the costs involved.
I’m currently invstigating making powder-coated (non-stainless) steel back-plates eventually, likely in connection with the Mark II project. They’ll weigh less, can’t be PVD coated, and will ship much later, but they would make for an acceptable budget option that is still an upgrade over the Mark I aluminum plates. I’m still working out the details on all this, however, so I can’t make any promises, as I’m still about a month off from even getting completed samples on those, but it’s an option I’m exploring.