^ Exactly!
I said it in another thread - when i was looking for a fx 7.7, i went to one LBS that was HORRIBLE! when i tried to haggle, they said they cannot budge on manufacturer prices, not to mention that since the 7.7 was a special order, i would have to also pay for taxes, shipping and assembly!!!!!!!!
i could not believe my ears! im here willing to spend 2 grand on a bike and they're not willing to cut a deal? LMAO. i laughed myself out of the store.
the lbs i finally got my bike from, i got a HUGE discount on the bike, and was not charged tax, assembly or shipping. i got the bike literally for MSRP - about $300 . and the icing on the cake? they threw in the life-time tuneup/adjustments on the house. im getting all my bikes from this place from now on.
just keep in mind - it's your money and stores/companies should be treating you with the utmost respect and be willing to give you a good deal based on the fact that you have many options to choose from in the first place.
my LBS is so good - they had a leftover 2009 trek 7.2 and they were asking only $400 for it! brand new! i bet they would have budged even more if someone came with cash in hand.