Last thing the world needs is to increase a player's financial burden in a videogame.

[stilljustacatinacage]

You seem to be missing the point. Even in this "buyers market" prices, and profits are far higher now than during the "manufacturers market"

What market force do you think might have contributed heavily to that?

The capacity to earn has increased.

Higher prices are not bad in of themselves. The capacity for a person to purchase is what's important, and with the various systems that are in the game, combined with the state of the markets - that haven't supported 200k rings in ages despite your protestations - means very few items are out of reach of an invested player.