BetweenRides,
The one thing to keep in mind is the bicycle industry versus direct sales.
The bike industry is designed around a manufacturer making a product, selling it to a distributor, the distributor sells it to a retail store, then the retail store sells it to a consumer.
The is the traditional brick and mortar approach, and because of this three-tier system, pricing will inherently be higher than if you order direct or semi-direct.
One thing I find fascinating about the "shed built" lights or "shipped from china" lights is that they can produce lights then price them directly to consumers. This takes out a lot of middle men, but also pulls money away from the brick and mortar shops. Having been a bike mechanic at a shop for some years I definitely feel that supporting your LBS is not only important, but can also be helpful to you (ie bike fitment).
But when it comes to saving money, then a penny saved is a penny earned and I understand you point. Just be weary that you do get what you pay for.
-Mike