Problem with "Optional" Items in the Cash Shop

[Riardon]

This modern day issue with gaming has been discussed many times.
Companies exist for profit and if you want to be a successful company you need to find ways to milk the cow as much as you can without killing it.
Consumers are also to blame for this. Consumers have the half responsibility of what happens in the industry.
Companies experimented with that and people baited so now it's the new standard like it or not. We made it successful and we are responsible for that.
Pre-orders, cash shops and DLC's are a standard thing now. As long as people still fall over it it's gonna be everywhere. XIV is no exception.

[Zojha]

Consumers are also to blame for this. Consumers have the half responsibility of what happens in the industry.

In fairness, it's a lopsided battle: Consumers are usually far more disorganized than companies (much like employees), which is why their bargaining power and prowess tends to be fairly limited and things such as labor/trade unions become necessary. I don't think that kinda thing exists for consumers yet.