Originally Posted by
mulveyr
That's because your LBS has to pay for a retail store, skilled or semi-skilled mechanics, salespeople, not to mention all of the tax implications.
An online store has to pay for much cheaper industrial warehouse space, a few unskilled people to work as shelf pickers, some software, and has the luxury of not only being able to locate itself in the absolutely cheapest state available, they usually get a free ride when it comes to dealing with state taxes for most customers. It all adds up to a huge financial advantage.
Well, yeah. I know
WHY they have to charge more, and I am fine with them charging more. I am willing to pay a premium for the immediate satisfaction of getting a part, and to support a local business staffed with people I like. However, I am not ok with that premium being 200% or 300%. If it's 20%, sure! So I buy certain things from the LBS, and not others. Whether they made a choice to charge $40 (NIC tax) for a chain that costs $15 online, or if they are somehow required to charge that much for some reason, I don't know. But I just can't justify buying it at that price.