My personal thoughts would be...(as the person testing out the shop that got 1 visit the first day/turn and none since, in the larger town)
More parties for each town. And I thought the parties would move between towns more? Not so? Must've misunderstood or made a quiet mental assumption somewhere.
I'd also wonder if overcrowding in stores might make a larger concern in the startup phase, so that parties try to seek out a shop all to themselves at the beginning would be good. Also, reputation mattering less at the beginning so that parties don't instantly return to same shop after quest, but try to find a new shop (hopefully all to themselves) in town to try out. As the game goes on, reputation begins to matter more and more and they return to those places that treat them well. But I think its important early on for parties to circulate between shops more fluidly.
And yeah, I wouldn't mind turns 2-3 turns a 24 hour period for this alpha startup phase.
