Disagree I buy as many items as possible from my LBS which is a single proprietor brick and mortar (they are actually in a real brick building ), they do not have the lowest prices, and because of their high overhead, I am sure that they do not have the best margins. I buy there because of the things that I get by having them there - advice, the ability to pick something up on my way to/from work and have it NOW rather than wait for UPS to deliver etc. There are some things which rely on human interaction and expertise where there is real value to having a store there, and I for one am willing to pay for that. If the only thing that you value is the physical product that you are purchasing, then you are right, but I find my bike to be so much more than a collection of parts, each of which was obtained at the lowest possible price.