The real thrill for me, honestly, has always been the hunt - obtaining the pair at retail.
Back in the early eBay days, it was different for sneakerheads in that paying resale was still difficult because you actually had to track down the shoe you wanted, hope that it was deadstock (or at least in wearable condition) AND authentic. The only pair I paid resale for were the 1999 Black/Red 4s, and that was in 2003. Had to search 2-3 months before a pair in my size got listed. Nowadays, you can find pretty much any shoe deadstock, whether it’s through GOAT, StockX or eBay, as well as all the local consignment shops. Anyone can pay resale, so long as they have the funds. Where’s the thrill in that? Lol.
If you can score a pair you wanted on sale though - that’s an even bigger rush for me.
I guess in theory, if you found a pair you wanted going below market value, that could be a rush for some, since it’s pretty much on sale