If you buy something in the Ats store, it will get deducted from your points.
But let's say you have 5k points and want to buy yourself into the rats section of the forum, you will have zero points again and it looks like you just registered.
Wouldn't it be better if your points get converted in store credits, so that other people see your true points, and not the ones you have at that moment, because you have spend them to customize your profile id.

If people are reading your entire profile, they'll see the ATS points and the date you registered, not just how many points you may or may not have.

You can spend points???

Actually I'm saving mine up for the day the Amigo's offer a ride on an alien space ship. I'm sure I'll have enough by then

Points really are only to spend.

Some will give the impression that points alone are the reason why some start threads. Or they attribute unnecessary status to having them.

I would scrap the whole system and make Rats available to anyone who has been in good standing for X amount of time.