And this why the only type of store system that would work is for SG to make a site wide store (which they already have in place) to actually sell the ascension items for 1 and let players decide weather thier prepared to pay for those items or not to ascend thier heros.
This option gives SG total power and pretty much guaranteed increase in revenue.
As for the trading of heros there could also be a site wide structure which allows players to place heros they don’t want anymore in the store which would (1) automatically revert those heros back to basic strengths (2) place up for an auction style format for say a week starting each hero at lets say 600 gems and let players bid on it and then once the auction ends both SG and the player that placed the hero there go 50/50 on the outcome.
Doing this would stop abuse, make if fair to every player across the board, bring in extra revenue but most of all SG would be the first in the gaming world to have created this type of structure which both gives players what they want, actually lets them earn gems and provides a fair system.
For heros not sold they then are returned to that player in same condition it was before putting up.
And I do agree any kind of alliance store/trade system will without any doubts be abused in so many different was it can never happen which is why the only way is a site wide system.