Every bike I have looked at has been equipped as the manufacturer's web site specified. Are you sure you are looking at the same model year in the shop and in the website? If the shop has a '10 and the website is describing the '11 that would explain the difference.

I don't think that the laws pertaining to motor vehicles and VINs have anything to do with any other consumer product. It is your responsibility as the consumer to verify that you are getting what the website claims you should get. I doubt that any true LBS can specify the build options on bikes that they get. Big outfits like REI (just to pick one, not saying they play any games) might have enough sales volume to do this but if they did I would assume that the modified bike would be given a "house brand" model number/name instead of one of the standard ones. In the case of REI they actually have their own house brand of bikes, Novara, so they don't need to do this with the standard brands that they sell and as far as I have seen they do not. More likely, I think, is that this particular LBS pulls components off one bike to "upgrade" another at a customer's request. The LBS does a great deal of assembly so this is not hard to do and it would explain their reluctance to discuss the matter. If that is what is going on and they are trying to pass off the downgraded model that results when they swap components with another bike as a factory fresh ABC brand, XYZ model bicycle I would steer clear of this shop. At the least I would confirm with the manufacturer that the component differences you see are official running changes from what is describe on the website.

And yes, most reputable shops are selling 2010 models at a good discount at this time of year, 2009 models should go for a deep discount. If you are not seeing that at this shop then regardless of whether they are pulling fast ones in other respects I think you owe it to your wallet to shop around a little. Most likely you can find a better price elsewhere.

Ken