Why are extra characters still $3?

[Haru]

Very disappointed. ._.; Looks like I will have to choose which characters to play each month and deactivate the others. I could manage if they were $1 each.. but $3 is just too much.
I don't even know of any other game besides XI that makes you pay for extra characters.

This and possibly having to pay for retainers AKA storage space? As a person who plays more than one character, this game is quite unaffordable for me.

I don't know if they will give the option to do this like FFXI. If they did at least then all the items wont have to hit the floor they can stay in perpetual hiatus.