This is precisely the 'problem' with gun shows that operate today the same way they operated a decade ago.
In the 90s and before, there was no wide proliferation of the internet and access to the variety of businesses on the internet that there is today. In the 90s and before, it made sense to go to a gun show, and have the convenience of seeing so many different vendors with so many different products at one place and one time. It was often worth paying the gate price for that convenience. I whole-heartedly agree with your point...if it were 10 years ago.
Today, with the access of the internet, and the wide variety of vendors that are set up on the internet, it has essentially made gun shows 'obsolete' in terms of that advantage. Even better, the internet allows you to find exactly the product you want, and many times even from multiple vendors so you can comparison shop price and shipping costs.
Yes, there are still some vendors that don't operate online that you can find at a show. Yes, there is the 'convenience' of being able to take your purchase home with you that day. No, you don't have to pay for shipping....but all of that comes at the 'risk' of the fuel you burn going to and from the show (which could be big, depending on where you live) as well as the door entry cost. You might just spend that $ and have nothing to show for it at the end of the day, too.
Overall, though, the 'importance' of gun shows has significantly decreased in the firearms community. They're still fun to go to, and I can sometimes write the travel and entry costs off as entertainment, but if the shows aren't good (or the costs are too high) it's not even worth it for that.
