Why are they trying to re-invent social media monetization schemes instead of incorporating already existing ones that are value-adds?
I could easily see a 'reddit marketplace' work well for them (i'd never fucking use it but i'm betting a bunch of people would), and it would drive more traffic to the site and lure more advertisers. Better than facebook marketplace, which requires real personal information to use, or craigslist, which feels a little too seedy and un-moderated for the faint-of-heart. Reddit could leverage their reputation for being a place for passionate hobbyists and even provide users a way to make their own income from their reddit activity.
Milking your users for paid-content seems over-the-top obnoxious when they absolutely had more options before needing to resort to that. What a trash company.