Any registration can often cause the price of a mutt to skyrocket, when the paper it's printed on may only be worth using for housebreaking. The better kennel clubs have gone beyond their original recording function, and will also provide means to show and trial dogs, promote education, health, and the general welfare of dogs. I strongly feel that some dog registries are not in the best interest of the dogs involved. They often make it much easier for irresponsible breeders to sell their puppies. This leads to thousands of dogs being killed annually in shelters, or suffering from preventable genetic problems.
None are saints, but some kennel clubs are worse than others.
Puppy millers and other irresponsible or ignorant breeders count on registration as a selling point. Even the AKC makes millions from registering these puppies. Irresponsible breeders take full advantage of the public perception that registration means more than it really does. Only the public's education can change this. Soon, you may start seeing more dogs from registries other than AKC in pet stores.