I'm thinking that you were probably playing before the update that removed mist energy from the game... Yeah, there would be a lot of prices changes from that. Anything bought with energy has to be paid for entirely with bought energy. For instance, you can't use an alt's mist energy plus CE to buy a weapon slot to make it a bit cheaper, you have to pay the full 250 ce and thus have to charge more to make a profit. That also effects all of the new rarities: sparks of life, orbs, and fire crystals, which all cost energy to buy unbound if you choose to buy them and again take full price in CE, no mist. These items are rather expensive too, orbs are the same price as using energy to craft a weapon of that star value before.

Without mist, using alts to "rage craft" 2* weapons and armor for UVs isn't possible anymore either, and thus these items are more expensive, as are UV'd items.

I'm not sure about regular mats, there is less crafting of low star gear which reduces the demand for materials to make, say, wolver coats, but there is still a bit of a market in higher star mats for sprite food, another new higher-costing item. 5* sprite food takes two 5* mats plus minerals plus some crowns, so it costs more than a lot of things on the AH before the mist update.