I have spent a lot of time trying to develop workable solutions to the limited edition skin "problem" and have very little to show for it so far. There are many issues setting back the idea of a skin auction or trading system. Here are a few: Legal issues in different countries. Hacking risks. Concerns that 5,000+ RP skin prices will piss off more players than it will satisfy. Tech prioritization vs. ideas that will benefit more players. Nothing that can't be solved or mitigated with the right effort, but only if a skin auction becomes the number one priority of a decent number of Rioters, and there are a lot of competing priorities.

That said, I will find a solution to the problem in 2013, one way or another.

I will wrap up this thread at the end of 2012, but now that I've been at Riot a few months, I am better equipped to answer more questions more quickly in more places, so the flow of information should increase overall. For those of you who haven't had enough upvotes here to have your questions answered, look for an eCommerce AMA on Reddit in mid December.

And to those who have been hoping to be able to purchase RP or champs/skins as gifts for in-game friends during the holidays, your wait should be over soon...

What if you gave everyone a "Legacy Credit", like how we have Refunds.

Everyone would be able to buy 1 unavailable Legacy skin.

Hey Hippalus.

Firstly, thank you for the legacy skin sale next month!

I think a trading system would be better overall - it lets the owners of the limited edition skins decide on its value by what they're willing to trade in return for it; rather than Riot waltzing along and deciding for them. I would NEVER trade Bewitching Nidalee for 5,000RP, and I know a lot of people wouldn't trade theirs either.
Riot could charge both players an equal amount of RP for the trade? That way you benefit too
I understand the security risks involved, which is why I'm patient enough to let you guys do your thing, but ultimately the trading system is the way to go in my opinion!

Oh yes.

Hippalus

Does Riot plan to make UI Skins purchaseable for RP, Ip or as Reward like "gold , platinum, diamond, ionia, noxius Style skins including a themed loading screen? That would be really cool!

FINALLY!

I have a really stubborn boyfriend who won't let me purchase skins for him. To be able to purchase it and send it to him will be amazing. xD

I can't say that I like the idea of a limited skin auction house (for the exact reasons that you're having trouble with), but it is nice to know that you are taking a serious look at it. Hopefully you come up with something good that can satisfy all the sane people (since satisfying everyone is impossible).

Also really happy about gifting. Thanks a ton for that.

Why is this a problem again, out of curiosity? You've proven that you are willing to break your commitments: case in point, Legendary skins. Riot made a commitment to all players that Legendary skin WOULD NEVER GO ON SALE. And yet, coming this January, that promise is going to be Broken.

So, regarding the Limited edition skins, why the double standard? If the "commitment" is preventing you from relisting them in the store, I don't buy that one bit. If you're willing to break your commitment for Legendary skins, then you've already proven you're willing to break your commitments. Cherry picking which commitments you break doesn't erase the fact that your commitments hold little to no water at this point.

According to your logic, those who had bought limited edition skins in the past already had gotten value from holding them for so long, so the exclusivity from the time they bought it to the present time is the value that they should be happy with.

What about new packs for S1 and S2 champions, big bundles are in dire need of an update.

I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but I use Steam alot. They have a trading system as well. Wouldn't it be possible to have a "Trading Interface" that you can open with someone else, and it displays all your Skins. You can drag and drop skins in to the "Trading Window", and trade it for other Skins. Maybe you can even "lock" skins that require a special password (different from your account password, or maybe have Legacy/Limited/Skins Costing more than 975 RP "Automatically Locked"). This is to prevent if you get hacked, you have backup protection to save your limited/legacy value skins from getting scammed away.

But I would be excited to see this happen...gifting RP would also be pretty cool. Then we could open up a "Trading" subform here!