the reality is that for the majority the inconvenience of having to wait for delivery is offset by the significantly lower costs.
That's certainly true for some people - I don't have a sense as to how big that population is.
However, there are also a portion of the population - again, I don't have a sense as to how big that population is - that is not as price sensitive and they value "instant gratification' a lot more than others. Where I live it is not uncommon for stores to mail out "$50 welcome gift cards" to anyone for in-store purchases, where a basic tie starts at $100 each and a shirt $250 each, and in-store consultation and wine are "free".
On a side note, that example shows you how "free" can be very expensive very quickly,
.
Unfortunately, I don't think the hobbyist market is one where such a business model can work -> thus Radioshack's certain demise.