Good points about the market side. But do skins actually make the game more fun for you or is it mainly about collecting and value at this point?

Bit of both honestly. The collecting part is fun but I play more because my skins look cool. Read something at https://1883magazine.com/the-intersection-of-fashion-and-gaming-how-skins-are-revolutionizing-the-industry/ about how skins changed gaming culture. Not affiliated with them. It explains how customization became part of the gaming experience now. When I'm using a knife skin I like, it just feels better even though it doesn't change gameplay. My friends feel the same way. We compare loadouts before matches and joke about who has better inventory. The value stuff is interesting but mostly I just want my character to look good. Started playing more Valorant recently and same thing there. Skins make games more personal