My opinion on the downloads:
If this is the way they want to handle it, so be it. The people will make the final decision. The people with consoles really don't have much of a choice do they (if they do, someone tell me - 'cause I have no idea)? So if it's a little mod for $1.99 like horse armor - whatever, no biggee. It is nice that the 360 community should have something to choose from in the future. Anyway, lot's of people will think $2 sucks for a price. Some people may want to show off their horse 'cause they like the Role-playing style more than others - and because it's an 'official mod'. Fine by me.
I think some people like mods that are 'official' because that may mean (to the buyer) the mod is (hopefully) tested and will be a high quality piece of work as opposed to community made quality. If they want to live a sheltered life, that's fine - it's not my $$$! Now, if you get 3 new areas with 10 quests, some new weapons and some new spells, how much would you pay then? $5.99? $9.99? If it got great reviews, would you spend the cash? That's probably as high as I'd buy for an 'official' online mod.
NeverWinter Nights (Bioware) did it, and I believe they are successful because the mods they created were definitely high quality work. However, I will admit their modules are selling cheaper and play much longer than a $2 horse armor mod...
I think Bethesda is looking for extra $$$ with these smallish mods mainly from the 360 console community, because they know that the PC community could whip this stuff up for free in a few hours. Seriously. I mean, there are PC mods already out for the game and it's been only 2 weeks...
...So they are following the business model that Bioware have created. Okay. We get it.
Now, understand that the (PC) Bioware community have made FAR more mods and modules than Bioware (NeverWinter Nights) could ever possibly imagine when they first created the game!!
That said, Bioware has proven that it can sell expansion packs and single modules alongside the huge, free community offering.
The free stuff isn't going away people. It's just going to sit along side the pay stuff. Bethesda gave the PC community the tools to do what they want. I do not believe they will pull the rug out from their client base to force people to buy only their mods...