#2
by Aileron
That is how auctions work.
Prices of items go for as much as anyone is willing to pay. There is no rule for, say, haste elixirs to be at 4k, it simply follows the law of supply and demand. Fashion, charm, etc. collectors overpay for stuff they want, they're all arbitrary.
The AH taking 5% commission also means prices will likely be at least 5% higher. The convenience of selling in the AH also allows sellers to take advantage of buyers who are impatient to wait for auctions to end and pay a higher than usual Buy It Now price. Sellers who are smart enough to know the market conditions take advantage to profit more. I'd venture to say they're not your average noob who don't know how much "things cost", if anyone's a noob, it would be the buyer who purchases an item way over the typical market price.
There are two types of people in this world: Those who crave closure
A business is more profitable if they don't gouge and piss off customers.