Ironically the reason why it's popular is that it's got many items that otherwise you can only get online, which is also the reason why you find it useless since you prefer the online experience.
Speaking as an Australian, to me it would be a dream to be able to drive to a place like that and getting those things in store as opposed to ordering online then waiting days or sometimes weeks for delivery.
There is also the factor of being able to see the item in person, and perhaps hold it in your hands, might not be very relevant for something like RAM sticks, but it certainly is for something like a gaming controller for example.
If only you could actually hold things in your hands, though. To me, bringing a shrink-wrapped box to a checkout is like buying food at a grocery store to drive to a food bank, when you could just give them cash.
At least record stores let you listen to an album on headphones before you buy it.
Still, I appreciate your perspective. Different strokes for different folks.
There's loads of things at Microcenter you CAN hold in your hand though, plenty of keyboards, mice, game controllers out on display you can handle and see what you think. Their 3d printer section usually has all the printers running and printing something so you can see the speed and judge how noisy it is. Same with their computer cases, out on display so you get a feel for how big it is or how easy it is to get to the drive cages for example.
There's a lot of products there you can inspect in a way that online just doesn't do.
Speaking as an Australian, to me it would be a dream to be able to drive to a place like that and getting those things in store as opposed to ordering online then waiting days or sometimes weeks for delivery.
There is also the factor of being able to see the item in person, and perhaps hold it in your hands, might not be very relevant for something like RAM sticks, but it certainly is for something like a gaming controller for example.