I looked at it like this:
I have x amount of dollars to spend on a bike.
There are n number of bikes in my price range.
They all have essentially the same features.
I'll try as many as I can.
The best one for me at the best bike shop for me wins.
Now if you have a bigger budget, you have more options. Then you can start with fit and go from there. That's the best way to do it, in my opinion. Actually, the best way is to go fully custom... but that can get pricey.