I think what is up with that is that at least 30 %, and I would venture to guess likely 50 %, of the people who come onto Goldtent and who are interested enough to enter a Goldtent poll, do not have the interest, nor the courage, nor the energy to get off their fat ass to do so, to get invested in owning physical silver or gold.
It is so much simpler to do buy/sell/hold decisions on a computer for paper/electronic PM products than it is to go to a place to buy some physical silver or gold, and to take it to your safe storage place, and to watch over it. Ever it shall be, in my opinion.
Even though our family accounts still hold some sick, sick PM stocks, we do make the effort to accumulate physical silver and gold when resources allow. And I think the most comfortable thing about this approach is that, as far as I can tell, when you buy a bar of silver for cash there is no cretin/middleman/jinkster/snakeoil salesperson/blue-suited whizzer from New York Toronto or Vancouver standing between you and the silver bar you have just bought.
Just my view of simple thoughts for simple folks. Cheers. Equiz.