Different items in the Crown Store have different costing procedures, factoring in such variables as intended audience size, balancing content play to convenience, in-game utility, window of availability, etc.

Dungeon game packs have a smaller audience size than overland game packs, so the dungeons are cost more crowns.
In-game motifs have more in-game utility and requests than seasonal motifs, so the in-game motifs cost more crowns.
Motifs have a smaller audience then game packs, so the motifs cost more crowns.

I know, some people would love to think all it takes is a dart board and some evil laughs. But there's an appropriate methodology to it.

I'm actually pretty sure that the motifs that are also available in game are priced as they are so as not to destabilize market. Because if you compare crown exclusive motifs (2000 crowns) to motifs that can be acquired in game (usually 5000 crowns) there's a definite difference.

You can either spend the time farming (for chapters or gold), but save money or spend real life money but save time. Even factoring in gold-to-crown gifting, it's about the same. Time spent but gold saved (for cheaper trader deals) or time saved but more gold spent.

Neither is clearly superior to the other; it all comes down to personal preference and what assets you have more of.

Yes, and it is, imo, a good thing.

Using crowns to circumvent the in-game economy should always come at a steep cost.

In real life, a fancy sports car can cost the equivalent of years of food and water and shelter. Cosmetic/luxury/vanity items have an exaggerated pricing model. Generally, the *less* important and necessary an item is, the easier it is to sell at extremely high price points. And whether that random person you pass while questing is wearing "Orc" or "Ancient Orc" armor is not very important or necessary to gameplay.

There's also the fact that it's in their interest to keep the cost of DLC down if they can because then people are more likely to buy it and spend more time in the game while they complete it (which increases the chances of them buying other stuff in future).

Also people tend to be happier playing in populated maps - if you hardly see any other people you might start thinking they know something you don't and are avoiding this area for a reason, or that the game as a whole is pretty empty. (Not to mention the practical aspect of needing people for group content.)

The Crown Store motifs are priced as high as they are because its a pay-for-convenience option for people who don't want to obtain them through in-game methods.

That's why you see things like the Ra Gada motif selling for 5000 crowns, when the pages were selling for 2k gold on PC/NA at the time.

Theoretically, the high price in the Crown Store encourages people to obtain the motif by playing the game as well as offering a pay for convenience option.

However, ZOS has been messing with that formula with recent updates. Releasing DLC motifs before they drop from the dungeons, or increasing the grind for Welkynar enormously relative to the Crown Store price all smack of ZOS wanting to encourage players to pay for the motifs through the Crown Store, with in game acquisition becoming a grindy, more painful alternative.