IDK how is in your country. But in mine buying cryptocurrencies like bitcoin is as easy as using paypal or a bank. Yes, there are services with KYC but my personal experience is basically. Open an acount -> validate with ID and Photo of my face -> transfer FIAT (official currency like USD, EUR, YEN, etc.) to add funds -> then buy the cripto i want -> Optional but recomended, transfer the coins out of the exchange and into a personal wallet (moon, wallet of satoshis, or the one in brave browser, idk).
I have also bought using P2P online, and in my country there are margins or limits of how much money you can add into a bank account without having to give explanations of where it came from. I say this to explain how it is from the seller's perspective. (Im curious if that exist in other countries.)
'No one is going to drive out and meet someone IRL to buy crypto' <- As far as i know, nobody does.
I have personally bought stuff using bitcoin (steam gift cards using coinsbee) and i pay scanning a QR from my phone.
'even setting up and maintaining a wallet is a lot to ask of most people,' <- How's that? not seriously, i am curious.