Gold buying by real money is a bad practice in ESO - Please Restrict it!

Universe · April 2019

Hello,
Since Update 18 players are able to buy gold by real money by the following method:
1. Used their credit card to buy crown packs.
2. bought the crown store items.
3. They sold the items and received GOLD.

The gold currency is extremely useful, used for various purposes, such as: guild stores bidding, buying/upgrading gear, repair, crafting etc.
It is literally gold buying through the sale of crown store items, a form of P2W/Pay for Convenience.
While ZOS said it's fine to trade crown store item for gold, it became ridiculous how fast players were accumulating massive amounts of gold.
I believe that ZOS needs to change their mind about this and restrict or disallow it by some manner.
I suggested the following as the first step:
Please limit the number of gifts an account can deliver, for example:
1 gift of 1-500 crowns per week.
1 gift of 501-1,000 crowns per month.
1 gift of 1,001-1,500 crowns per 2 months.
1 gift of 1,501-3,000 crowns per 3 months.
1 gift of 3,001-5,000+ crowns per 6 months.

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom
I never participated in this form of trading and I believe it is inappropriate.
***Note: P2W/P2Convenience or not, it is harmful to ESO's game economy, such as: increasing inflation of prices, bids on guild traders are higher etc.
Please share your thoughts

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

Please share your thoughts

it's fine.

Universe · April 2019

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Please share your thoughts

it's fine.

It's not fine at all.
It's pure P2W for the reasons I mentioned.

Sheezabeast · April 2019

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

xilfxlegion · April 2019

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Universe · April 2019

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

xilfxlegion wrote: »

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Gold is extremely useful currency, used for many purposes to improve the characters power/game account/guild store trading.
Some examples: Buying/upgrading gear is a way to increase the power of the character, guild stores bidding process - easier through crown store gifting since gold is accumulated faster through this method.

xilfxlegion · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

why would they restrict it when they are making money from it ?

todokete · April 2019

Completely p2w. Please remove

AlnilamE · April 2019

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

As a Grand Master Crafter, I refuse to touch Crown Store exclusive motifs. I would rather they didn't exist at all and you are contributing to their continued existence by buying them, even if indirectly.

xilfxlegion · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

xilfxlegion wrote: »

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Gold is extremely useful currency, used for many purposes to improve the characters power/game account/guild store trading.
Some examples: Buying/upgrading gear is a way to increase the power of the character, guild stores bidding process - easier through crown store gifting.

question ---- can you get gold and upgrade materials without buying them in the crown store ? yes --- therefore it is not pay to win.

what i dont get is why people complain about this ---- it literally hurts no one.

KaraBela94 · April 2019

So gaining Skins, Motifs, pets and mounts via CrownsForGold is P2W?

LUL...nothing from the Crownstore gives you a certain advantage over in-game items.

Sheezabeast · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

Gina said in a forum post that Crowns were deemed a tradable item in game, thus trading crown items for gold was allowed.

Gold selling off-site is wrong and against TOS. Exchanging crown items for gold is allowed completely. Your arguments don’t make sense, they are not literally buying gold. Two players who agree on a price decide to make the trade.

Universe · April 2019

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

xilfxlegion wrote: »

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Gold is extremely useful currency, used for many purposes to improve the characters power/game account/guild store trading.
Some examples: Buying/upgrading gear is a way to increase the power of the character, guild stores bidding process - easier through crown store gifting.

question ---- can you get gold and upgrade materials without buying them in the crown store ? yes --- therefore it is not pay to win.

what i dont get is why people complain about this ---- it literally hurts no one.

No one can make the amount of gold the traders of crown store items for gold make per day.
Many of them have millions upon millions of gold, maybe even close to a billion gold!
There is no better method for accumulating gold than crown store gifting.

Kikke · April 2019

a system, where people that cant spend in real life can buy stuff that costs real life money for gold.

Naaaaah, don't see an issue with this. Know many that thanks to update 18 finaly got to 'pimp' out their character by the help of the gold they had amassed ingame by buying it from other players.

Universe · April 2019

Sheezabeast wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

Gina said in a forum post that Crowns were deemed a tradable item in game, thus trading crown items for gold was allowed.

Gold selling off-site is wrong and against TOS. Exchanging crown items for gold is allowed completely. Your arguments don’t make sense, they are not literally buying gold. Two players who agree on a price decide to make the trade.

They are exchanging the crown store items which they bought through crowns(bought by real money) to gold.
It's pure gold buying.
Zos can restrict it.

KaraBela94 · April 2019

Dudes its like IRL...if people can afford it let it be.

Dont be jealous and let the people play how they want it.

xilfxlegion · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

xilfxlegion wrote: »

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Gold is extremely useful currency, used for many purposes to improve the characters power/game account/guild store trading.
Some examples: Buying/upgrading gear is a way to increase the power of the character, guild stores bidding process - easier through crown store gifting.

question ---- can you get gold and upgrade materials without buying them in the crown store ? yes --- therefore it is not pay to win.

what i dont get is why people complain about this ---- it literally hurts no one.

No one can make the amount of gold the traders of crown store items for gold make per day.
Many of them have millions upon millions of gold, maybe even close to a billion gold!
There is no better method for accumulating gold than crown store gifting.

um, i have millions and millions in gold and i have never sold anything out of the crown store.

again, your example of pay to win is not a real example because it is not pay to win.

also ---- zos is the main beneficiary of it so good luck getting them to stop it.

Sheezabeast · April 2019

AlnilamE wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

As a Grand Master Crafter, I refuse to touch Crown Store exclusive motifs. I would rather they didn't exist at all and you are contributing to their continued existence by buying them, even if indirectly.

I respectfully disagree. One 5k crown purchase does not make or break an item that the art team took time to develop, write the story inside the motif when you read it, code the clothing styles...all that was done before a piddly 5k crown trade could have any effect.

Universe · April 2019

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

xilfxlegion wrote: »

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Gold is extremely useful currency, used for many purposes to improve the characters power/game account/guild store trading.
Some examples: Buying/upgrading gear is a way to increase the power of the character, guild stores bidding process - easier through crown store gifting.

question ---- can you get gold and upgrade materials without buying them in the crown store ? yes --- therefore it is not pay to win.

what i dont get is why people complain about this ---- it literally hurts no one.

No one can make the amount of gold the traders of crown store items for gold make per day.
Many of them have millions upon millions of gold, maybe even close to a billion gold!
There is no better method for accumulating gold than crown store gifting.

um, i have millions and millions in gold and i have never sold anything out of the crown store.

again, your example of pay to win is not a real example because it is not pay to win.

also ---- zos is the main beneficiary of it so good luck getting them to stop it.

I have many millions of gold too.
But this is not the point of this discussion.
Crown store items for gold is pure P2W.

KaraBela94 · April 2019

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

SoLooney · April 2019

You dont even know what p2w even means.
Skins, mounts, motifs are COSMETIC! aka they have no impact in areas like pve and pvp.

P2w is something like including weapons and armor that give a clear advantage in those areas and can only be attained via crown store

Zos has not included anything in the crown store that affects combat. They've done a good a job with that. They can add all the cosmetics they want

xilfxlegion · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

xilfxlegion wrote: »

im still not getting how it is pay to win ?

Gold is extremely useful currency, used for many purposes to improve the characters power/game account/guild store trading.
Some examples: Buying/upgrading gear is a way to increase the power of the character, guild stores bidding process - easier through crown store gifting.

question ---- can you get gold and upgrade materials without buying them in the crown store ? yes --- therefore it is not pay to win.

what i dont get is why people complain about this ---- it literally hurts no one.

No one can make the amount of gold the traders of crown store items for gold make per day.
Many of them have millions upon millions of gold, maybe even close to a billion gold!
There is no better method for accumulating gold than crown store gifting.

um, i have millions and millions in gold and i have never sold anything out of the crown store.

again, your example of pay to win is not a real example because it is not pay to win.

also ---- zos is the main beneficiary of it so good luck getting them to stop it.

I have many millions of gold too.
But this is not the point of this discussion.
Crown store items for gold is pure P2W.

you keep saying pay to win but i dont think you know what it means

Universe · April 2019

KaraBela94 wrote: »

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

I know the definition very well.
Gold is used for power too, such as buying gear/upgrading the gear/bidding on guild traders.
There are many other uses.
If gold is available for real life money, it is P2W.
This definition is much broader.

Sheezabeast · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

The ones who sold you the motifs earned the gold by using their real world money.
It is quite literally gold buying, like they approached some websites and bought their gold from the merchants for posted amount of real world currency, such as dollars.
Though in this case ZOS made the profit, not some third parties.
This isn't right and shouldn't be allowed.
No real world currency should allow the player to exchange it to gold.
What is currently being done:
1.Real world currency for crown packs.
2. Crown packs for crown store items.
3. Crown store items for gold.

So it is basically real world currency conversion to gold.
This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to continue as it is now.
If ZOS doesn't want disallow it, they can at least restrict it.

Gina said in a forum post that Crowns were deemed a tradable item in game, thus trading crown items for gold was allowed.

Gold selling off-site is wrong and against TOS. Exchanging crown items for gold is allowed completely. Your arguments don’t make sense, they are not literally buying gold. Two players who agree on a price decide to make the trade.

They are exchanging the crown store items which they bought through crowns(bought by real money) to gold.
It's pure gold buying.
Zos can restrict it.

You and I must have a different definition of the word pure.

xilfxlegion · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

KaraBela94 wrote: »

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

I know the definition very well.
Gold is used for power too, such as buying gear/upgrading the gear/bidding on guild traders.
There are many other uses.
If gold is available for real life money, it is P2W.
This definition is much broader.

no ---- because gold doesnt help you win anything in this game. you cant just make up your own definition

Universe · April 2019

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

KaraBela94 wrote: »

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

I know the definition very well.
Gold is used for power too, such as buying gear/upgrading the gear/bidding on guild traders.
There are many other uses.
If gold is available for real life money, it is P2W.
This definition is much broader.

no ---- because gold doesnt help you win anything in this game. you cant just make up your own definition

I believe it is P2W.
But P2W or not, players shouldn't be allowed to buy gold through exchanging crown store items.
Since ZOS won't disallow it, I suggest to restrict it.

xilfxlegion · April 2019

Universe wrote: »

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

KaraBela94 wrote: »

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

I know the definition very well.
Gold is used for power too, such as buying gear/upgrading the gear/bidding on guild traders.
There are many other uses.
If gold is available for real life money, it is P2W.
This definition is much broader.

no ---- because gold doesnt help you win anything in this game. you cant just make up your own definition

I believe it is P2W.
But P2W or not, players shouldn't be allowed to buy gold through exchanging crown store items.
Since ZOS won't disallow it, I suggest to restrict it.

why shouldnt they be allowed ?

also --- how are you going to tell zos what should be allowed ?

you sound like one of those housing association people that argue that only certain fence colors are allowed because that is what you prefer. why should everyone else be beholden to your preferences ?

AlnilamE · April 2019

Sheezabeast wrote: »

AlnilamE wrote: »

Sheezabeast wrote: »

You’ve never participated in it but you want to restrict it?

As a Grand Master Crafter, Crown store exclusive motifs are my bane, I’ve had to buy them with gold from friends every time one is released. I have financial circumstances limiting my budget irl, why should I get restricted from collecting a new motif on my dedicated crafter because you don’t like other people having a mutually beneficial gold sink?

As a Grand Master Crafter, I refuse to touch Crown Store exclusive motifs. I would rather they didn't exist at all and you are contributing to their continued existence by buying them, even if indirectly.

I respectfully disagree. One 5k crown purchase does not make or break an item that the art team took time to develop, write the story inside the motif when you read it, code the clothing styles...all that was done before a piddly 5k crown trade could have any effect.

The decision to put it exclusively in the crown store was made because people would buy it, either directly or indirectly via crown-to-gold transactions. If they didn't sell, they would instead put the motifs in game to be earned like all the others (and if they then want to put those same motifs in the crown store, I'm fine with that).

Universe · April 2019

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

xilfxlegion wrote: »

Universe wrote: »

KaraBela94 wrote: »

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

I know the definition very well.
Gold is used for power too, such as buying gear/upgrading the gear/bidding on guild traders.
There are many other uses.
If gold is available for real life money, it is P2W.
This definition is much broader.

no ---- because gold doesnt help you win anything in this game. you cant just make up your own definition

I believe it is P2W.
But P2W or not, players shouldn't be allowed to buy gold through exchanging crown store items.
Since ZOS won't disallow it, I suggest to restrict it.

why shouldnt they be allowed ?

also --- how are you going to tell zos what should be allowed ?

you sound like one of those housing association people that argue that only certain fence colors are allowed because that is what you prefer. why should everyone else be beholden to your preferences ?

I'm merely suggesting and expressing my opinion.
ZOS can do whatever they wish.

SammyFable · April 2019

No amount of gold can make you "win" at this game. Spend how much gold/money you want, you won't be magically stronger or at an advantage than/to anyone who doesn't.

Universe wrote: »

KaraBela94 wrote: »

You really need to learn the definition of Pay2Win seriously

I know the definition very well.
Gold is used for power too, such as buying gear/upgrading the gear/bidding on guild traders.
There are many other uses.
If gold is available for real life money, it is P2W.
This definition is much broader.

You know, these have to be farmed in order to be able to sell them. You literally can't get them with gold alone, with no one having farmed those items beforehand. And how exactly is having a guild trader "winning"?

MartiniDaniels · April 2019

This was actually smart move from ZOS. If they allow to buy gold directly with crowns, it will make ESO look like "Clash of clans" or whatever other mobile game (B**des, heh). But this exchange of gold for gifts adds another layer of socialization and immersion to trade, builds up demand for respectable people who everybody trusts so that people can ensure that deals are fair. On the other hand there is "black market" with low prices but high chance of scam.. it all makes game more alive, and in the same time people who don't want or don't have money to buy crowns may obtain CS items, and people who don't have time for grinding may receive gold, and ZOS receives income in process. It's win-win solution.