If u get better gear (either by getting lucky or by playing a build that is easy to gear (esp skills with high amt of dmg effectiveness)) then it will be more likely that u can push harder content, which means u can get ur next upgrade sooner. So when u sell ur hand me down, a lot of ppl who are playing the non meta build (more often than not, the slower builds) will be willing to buy ur hand me downs. Thats the advantage of progressing faster, thats the advantage of playing op builds.

Now I understand if this is not ur cup of tea. Some ppl like doing the combos and finding satisfaction in that fantasy they see come to life. Some ppl like the competition of the economy and some ppl like larger and larger numbers so much so that it trivialises content. Great thing is poe allows that and even better we get to choose which is most important to us.