I would love to see some actual statistics, but the change in buying format of collectors over the past 5-7 years has been undeniable. For a long time I would only buy in person, especially when questing for vintage items. Scanning the shelves at Walmart, Target, FYE, Toys 'R Us, and other physical toy aisles for new items was a mandatory weekly shopping experience, and I had gotten very good at managing my timing to find the latest waves of Star Wars, GI Joe, Transformers, or whatever it was I was looking for. Two of the main reasons I prefered buying in person were (1) to select the exact copy of a figure or boxed set I wanted based on the condition of all the ones available on the shelf, and (2) to avoid shipping fees. I was adamant that paying shipping fees was extravagent and "I could buy another figure with that money." Since Covid 19 in particular, all of that has changed for me, and, I'm assuming at this point, permanently. Finding what I'm looking for on physical toy aisle shelves in my area of North Carolina has become unpredictable at best and non-existent at worst. I don't really even try any more. If I find something in person these days, at a retail store, toy show, or flea market, it's a bonus. My buying format at this point would best be described as "on auto-pilot." I pre-order pretty much all new product on my list, which (so far) has been incredibly reliable from my favorite vendor for years. I use eBay for pretty much all of the older, more obscure items I end up wanting, and even though eBay has a bad reputation for high prices and unfair policies, I've always had good experiences and have consistently found good deals on the things I've been scrolling for. It's always a plus if I can find something (anywhere) online with the offer of free shipping, or flat rate shipping, but at this point I see no alternative. And I don't think alternatives are going to change dramatically anytime soon, unless we magically see some major shifts back to reliable, predicatable distribution in large quantities to our local stores and favorite haunts. I really do miss the physical quest.