When I’m placing more expensive orders (and this one’s a biggie via various upgrade components for several bikes), my LBS generally gives me a discount of 20%, so that beats REI, but it’s more than the discount, as I’ve come to know the manager and trust his experience, knowledge, and recommendations (and there are few whom I trust), so I do my best to support the shop’s continued success even though it would still be somewhat cheaper purchasing the same items via the Internet.

I never return anything, so return policies are of no concern to me. If I purchase something, it’s because I need it and I order precisely what I need. I take great care of my possessions, so they tend to last far beyond warranty periods.