The internet has ruined the Hunt.

Many, many years and pounds ago, the Hunt was a glorious sport. Back then, I could sport the Hunter's regalia without being too self conscious. I could infiltrate any toy store, make a dash towards the boys section, pick what I wanted, pay for it (usually in coins), and leave.
Of course I was a kid back then and a teen After the Dark Ages. For those who aren't aware, the dark ages are the time period when I was not a collector.
Scalpers existed, but weren't as common as nowadays. The dawn of the Adult Collectors attempting to recapture their childhood by obtaining totems of that era was the beginning of the end. Now, other kids weren't the enemy. Other adults like myself became the enemy. With the improvements in sculpt and articulation,  more former kids began to look at toys as something cool and not necessarily childish. "Museum-like displays" of Mint on card toys became a rage. Having the figures stand bext to each other in vanilla poses was popular.

Having dioramas with the figires displayed dramatically and doing aounds while creating said diaplay was frowned upon... guess which style is mine.

Awful case ratios, other adult collectors, scalpers, KB Toys closing didn't help things either...

I know what you're thinking: "Nefty, where does the internet fit in all of this?"

It domesticated us. With a few clicks, items travel all the way to your home with ease. No more waking up at the crack of dawn to stalk a store. No more going at the graveyard shift hours to 24-hour stores to get those freshly placed figures. No need to dash faster than the Hot Wheels resellers. The internet fattened us, dulled our senses...

"But what about the tools, such as brickseek, or blind box guides?"

Yeah those are useful but the scalpers use them as well...  not to mention the other collectors.

The hunt USED TO BE EXCITING but now, it's too much of a hassle. I have to admit that finding that Casey Jones Raphael 2 pack a while back was pretty cool. but at the same time heading to a Walmart not finding the Super Shredder, MOTU Origins, the MOTU WWE figures, and other Walmart exclusive really sucks ass. I understand that we currently have an issue with the pandemic, but even before that, the Hunt had begun to lose its appeal to me. (Maybe it has to do with my aversion to driving, or people in general) Probably is that I'm getting old and I'm becoming a curmudgeon.

Don't get me wrong. I still love going to the store to get out the toils and being surprised buy an awesome toy. It's the actor hunting part that I no longer get excited about. I'm tired of going to multiple Walgreens and only finding Magicks, Emma Frosts, and MoonStars. No Cuckoos, no Moonknight, not even stragglers from waves after Smart Hulk.

 it's weird the internet made collecting somewhat easier but at the same time somewhat Less Fun...  on the other hand the traditional toy Hunt is exciting when one gets to find a trophy. Problem is that most of the time when returns home empty-handed... or with a Mosquitor Funko POP despite Brickseek stating that my closest WalMart HAD MOTUO He-Man.