I see this topic as OP just doesn’t want to pay for optional cosmetic items. Like it would be one thing if stuff like mounts and pets were not in abundance, so making store stuff achievable ingame would make sense.
But there is so much in game that is already easy to get.
its a loyalty reward, one that is entirely optional
it does not provide any progression or bonus that makes my toons more powerful in any way
cosmetics don’t matter
if they were selling armor that had stats on them or boosts to power or exp I would be against that
they have never sold anything in the shop that made anyone more powerful
Please explain how you came to this conclusion using quotes from my post to support your points.
Please explain how Blizzard is ‘milking’ the cash shop, given they are neither exploiting nor defrauding their players.
I wish I could have that as a title in game
I would have no problem with Blizzard adding an alternative method to obtain the store cosmetics/mounts/pets/etc. It would certainly have to be a method that would require little developer time on their end, otherwise, we know they would never implement something like that because “it would mean adding one less raid/dungeon/whatever to X expansion” as they like to say. So, yes, for Blizzard to do something like that, the achievement/whatever would have to be tied to something that they wouldn’t have to spend much time implementing. Blizzard seems willing to occasionally add cosmetic stuff to the shop for a monetary value that requires artist and animator resources, but they seem hesitant to spend programmer and encounter designer resources on anything they don’t think contributes to an expansion. I don’t think the op has a bad idea at all and non-micro-transaction methods to acquire these things would be nice; however, I simply don’t see Blizzard ever considering it with the way they have complained about spending developer time and with tokens being available to purchase these things with a big chunk of gold.
However, I also do not want “hard achievement”/“mage-tower-style challenge”/etc to be the only method for obtaining stuff like this. I have some accident-related nerve damage that makes certain things extremely difficult to do (left ring finger is effectively useless, and the others besides pinkie and thumb are… un-cooperative and painful most of the time) , so I have had lots of trouble with the Mage Tower and other things (though I was able to get 4 specs’ mage tower appearances, it was simply physically impossible for me to do the Archmage Xylem one). I’m not at all saying Blizzard shouldn’t have difficult solo content that awards cosmetic, mount, and pet stuff, but I don’t want to see the cosmetics they currently decide belong on the shop—usually more fanciful, less serious stuff—moved solely to that kind of content.
Everything in the “cash” store IS ALREADY AVAILABLE via in game activity. Make gold HOWEVER you choose, buy token, trade for Blizz Bucks, buy store item 
. It’s that simple. If the token didn’t exist I would 1000% agree with you, but it does so stop complaining and go earn some 
. 
I left this topic as a flagged post isn’t likely to last before being deleted but came back to say this post has interesting usage of emotes 
a hard achievement? like say farming large amounts of gold?
Yeah, what would these hard achievements even be?
How about you sit down and come up with some and get back to us on that.
Hell no.
That line on reasoning is why only mythic raiding has the real sets.
Unlike all the idiots who surf these forums hourly and act like a hall monitor as though every post must get the grace of their approval (god forbid something is posted often). I think more coverage and people talking about this is a good thing. It is absolutely worrisome to think adding transmog sets to the shop may become a regular thing when we’re already giving them money in the form of expansion purchases and a monthly sub. When does Blizzard ever do anything cute or cool for the playerbase? Never unless it has a price tag or is a regular event with subpar rewards.
Microtransactions in a game that already takes so much of your money is disgusting, plain and simple. Justifying this and saying you can just farm gold isn’t helping and shows you’re oblivious to the long-term ramifications of enabling such behavior. I’m also sick of how limited mog feels for some classes after years of the same pieces and the removal of class sets.
Apparently having a cash shop at all is an “exploit.” Never mind that the store items (a) can be earned purely in game, (b) are cosmetic only and have no impact on player progression or power, and (c ) likely wouldn’t exist at all if they were not able to be sold separately to those willing to pay a little bit more for convenience/speed.
It has no impact on the actual game. If they want to create new cosmetic items such as mounts or transmogs and sell them for money I see no reason not to. If I like the item I will buy it if I don’t I will not. I never bought any of those 3 headgear transmogs from a while back and have never once thought I wish I got those.
First off, no one is taking your money. The game is not a necessity. You are choosing to pay for this particular entertainment.
Secondly, compared to other forms of entertainment, WoW ranges from about equal to quite cheap. (My $15 has bought me between 150 and 420 hours of entertainment a month during covid.)
Thirdly, the cosmetics available are also not a necessity. You can play the game just fine from only paying the $15 mouth sub.
Fourthly, extraneous sales contribute to keeping the game profitable, and therefore successful and on-going, while keeping the sub cost steady.
Be creative.
Or buy it and be grateful you have another path to dressing your character/s.
Not everyone lives their entire lives in wow forums Karen. Go get mad about posts somewhere else
It’s the principle of it which you are clearly disconnected with since you quoted me on several points with the “it’s a choice” argument. Just because they aren’t forcefully taking our money or because WoW does provide some entertainment value monthly, still doesn’t justify additional microtransactions and doesn’t justify greedy business practices becoming more of a trend in this apathetic world. We can agree to disagree on that one. Actually I’m quite sure we will.
Some people don’t like microtransactions and possess a top-down view of what microtransactions have done to gaming as a whole and the long-term ramifications of them going forward. I’m one of those people and I realize there’s no stopping that train but sorry, I’m still going to express my distaste towards these things and I know plenty of people who feel the same.
It is a choice.
It is like souvenir shops placed at the exits of rides. Is it tacky? Yes. Is it money-grubbing? Yes. But purchasing anything is still optional.
It doesn’t need to be justified because it is an option.
Most definitely 
!
It is not a microtransaction, it is a reward-system for loyal customers who sub for 6 months at a time. It is also offered to those that choose not to sub for six months or cannot. For those choose to buy the item, they can do so by earning the gold in-game and using the token system, if they choose not to spend real money.
There is nothing wrong with the system as it stands, you or anyone else could have any item offered this way by simple hard work. In any case, no item offered has been game-breaking, they are purely cosmetic.
Can every item in the shop be purchased through in game actions and in game currency?
Yes.
Not seeing the problem or anything to worry about.
I mean, I’m mainly arguing that it’s money-grubbing and has bad long-term ramifications and sets a new precedent. I can agree with the core point that yes, it’s indeed optional.