Having no shop, while it's not as attractive for the business running the server, it's certainly healthier for the gameplay dynamic and economy of the server itself if all gear has to be earned through playing the game. The shop system obviously works as a business because Icecrown is probably still the most popular WOTLK server out there and it's a full buffet of shop items, but I think the Outland system (partial shop, staggered release, limited item pool) is much better, since it allows people to pay to catch up without destroying the gear progression aspect.
Like Icecrown is pretty much a server stuck at endgame where everyone has BIS gear and Legendaries while most of them have never stepped inside a raid. So the whole experience is really skewwed and poorly balanced for anyone playing the natural way, the shop has a massive effect on the game in both PVP and PVE that makes it a very different experience (gameplay wise and social dynamics wise) due to the average gear level.
They have already said no to a Vanilla server anyway, though they could probably stand to make a lot of money from an Outland style setup they still would have to put all the work in to get the server up to the quality level, and then would have to market it to bring the numbers in and keep them coming it.
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Please if anything just open a fresh Wrath server.
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