I personally love the Point of Sell suggestion though I know it would be a ton of work. I'd hope that if it was set up right it make inRP routes profitable also.
Example? (Since I always feel I don't get my point across)
Zoner ID/Zoner Guard ID buys Consumer Goods from Ames. Instead of paying full price he gets a discount. Said ship then flies to any of the Freeports that buy Consumer Goods (and hopefully Malta since, we inRP supply them also) and instead of selling it for the listed price, they sell it for more.
Thus a discount at purchase, and more profit at the selling point. Of course this would require deciding what is and is not an inRP route for each and every trade faction. Though I am fairly sure most trade factions can tell you that.
I also quite like the idea of having an escort around boosting your armor and such. Would this stack and apply to other transports too?
Example!
OSI-Tydirium, OSI-Lazarus, OSI-Kikimora, & OSI-Gauntlet are all grouped and all transports. They have an Eagle and a Sabre as escort, OSI-XXX and OSI-XXX. Would all the transports get buffed from both escorts?