sounds something like call of cthulhu rules.
If you successfully use a skill during play, without the help of Luck points, mark the box next to it. Between scenarios, you get to roll to improve any skills you marked. To improve the skill, roll 1d100. If you roll higher than your skill, it improves by 1d10. After you’ve rolled for all the marked skills, erase the marks.
personally i think xp is too fiddly. i prefer systems like fate where you can just rewrite skills to fit your style of play better.
but like… if your entire customer base is saying you’re wrong, aren’t you then wrong by definition? the buyers set the prices, in a way.