I couldn't be bothered to read the entire first post, was too much of an essay and I got bored half way though.
Things change in games, EC and other things are much easier to get now. I remember when having like a thousand ec was like holy *** you're rich.
Just because some things have changed and the way people sell things has changed doesn't mean that we're in a "economy crisis" It just means shit has changed and people are adapting to it. If EC gets easier to get, then things are going to go up in price. If things are harder to get and such, thiings are going to go up in price.
Stuff changes, nothing to go batshit over.