This is very true & endemic & not just confined to the music industry, it's something I experience buying videogames too. Digital distribution is definitely the way to go & my primary method of buying stuff. For music these days I find that by and large my subscription to Tidal covers my needs.

But I still value the physical product sometimes, y'know w/artwork n shit, you know the complete package instead of just some file sitting on my computer or phone with a small jpeg (tho, there's an argument to be made for the artistry inherent & inspired by those limitations too, don't get me wrong).

But I did have a similar experience to the one you're describing recently. Such is my damaged memory I can't quite remember what it was I was looking for but I was wanting a physical copy of it & of course the shop didn't have it in stock yet it was available online (& was on general release, whatever it was they had just chose not to stock it). It was like "I want to give you my money, why don't you want it?!"
Aye but that's the way it's going. Floor space in shops is getting more squeezed & rates rising making it harder for these stores to justify keeping going.

In terms of buying vinyl tho, the done thing is to include a download code. Obviously sometimes these codes are packaged with the record rather than emailed thru which means you HAVE to wait until it arrives to hear it, unless you're dedicated to listening to it on vinyl then you've made the decision to wait anyway. I mean I'd think amazon would work around this with their auto rip offer but maybe Metallica are one of the special cases, some stuff isn't included in that auto rip thing or maybe the download code is nonexistent/charged extra/packaged with the record.
Whatever, it is it's a dicky thing. But I'd say most of us have been on the shitty end of amazon at one stage or another. The reverse was actually true for me as well tho - the Beatles mono set I had it preordered on the high street & they fucked me over until eventually I just cancelled my order & bought it on amazon, so I guess it can work both ways.

So your idea has leapt from 95% of all GnR fans to 95% of those that attended a gig in Hicksville?

The problem isn't that Axl is getting politicised, it's that its come too late: or isn't in his music. Why couldn't he open his big fat mouth (or his fat fingers) before the election?
Why wasn't he tweeting what makes good people before the election? Do good people belittle disabled people/lie about everything all the time/boast about assaulting women/defraud/all the other despicable shit Trump (& his supporters) pulled? Why wasn't uncle Axl outraged or brave enough to speak up then?
Asshole.
Or maybe it's a case of better late than never.
I dunno.

Good people don't listen to, acknowledge, nominate or elect people like Senator Jeff Sessions.

You don't know what "hello" or "good morning" mean anymore?