Internet based business typically have these expenses also... I'm just saying - there aint no silver bullet.
That is true. However, Internet sales places usually have much lower expenses, since they have less staff and overhead. If you buy locally, you are still paying for shipping (built into the cost), but usually have to pay sales tax (because 99% of people illegally neglect to report Internet sales on their state income tax) which is a turn-off for many. So Internet based sales can easily undercut most any brick-and-mortar (local) store.
But, again, lots of people (myself included) recognize the higher expense of local dealers and the better service, lower risk, and quicker access (if they stock it) and are willing to pay more for those factors. My issue is with dealers and stores that think they can charge 25, 33, or even 50% more than what I can buy online with a few clicks from a reputable on-line store and have at my door in a few days.
I tell you what really burns my butt is when I go into someplace like Best Buy and all they have is a "non-working demo" of something, or it is otherwise non-functional (missing parts, no batteries, no remote, no memory card), or they don't carry the model I want, or they are just out of stock. And then they complain about online retailers ruining them! The reason I want to go to a local store is to see, feel, try some kind of equipment, make real comparisons, and buy it right then. Or sometimes even maybe talking to someone that might know something about the products (I know, that is a laugh). If I can't do any of that (which seems to be the case more often than not, nowadays), then why bother going to a local store?
