I have been spiffed and I'm pissed.
A spiff is an extra commission paid to retail sales people directly by the manufacturer. This started back in the 80s when mass marketers started offloading the salary costs of their sales staff to the manufacturers. Then they internalized it to high margin add on sales.
So, I go to a local brick and mortar store to buy a new custom computer. I had three criteria: Small footprint, streaming 24/7 and efiting large image files. I set the budget to $1500.
I left with the second largest case in the store, led lights on everything, a wi fi adapter that operated at 1/4 the speed of a $15 USB dongle and a "gamer's processor" for $2000 before tax. It did process files fast tho.
After taking it back twice to work on various issues I got management involved. Said I'd been spiffed and was exceedibgly unhappy. He turned me over to the assembly tech for a return/exchange. Techs aren't on commission and don't get spiffs.
I left with an off the shelf mini tower with a footprint 6x12 inches that operated at 200 Mbps and only slightly slower than the $2000 custom build. And a $1000 credit to my credit card and a $200 factory rebate AFTER paying for the assembly labor and a Windows disk that is useless because of a motherboard swap.
I spent almost 40 years as a sales professional and and am embarrassed at what passes for "retail sales" today. There is no added value to brick and mortar stores anymore, in fact it has become an extra cost to the detriment of the consumer.
Fuck em all. Go the way of all those buggy whip makers and make room for artisans. I'll be buying everything I can off the web after I do my own research.
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What day that I leave the house that I do not feel preyed upon in this corporate kleptocracy? It's like those Alaskan mosquitos that drive folks crazy. Even your bank steals from you these days. I can go to Walmart and get a prescription and eyeglasses cheaper off-plan than I can through any provider on my employer-based health plan.
Anyway, most days I curse Bill Gates name 
for making me spend most of my adult life learning a half-dozen now obsolete computer languages just to stay marketable. Bottom line though is I can build my own desktops. Truth is pretty much anyone can with a couple of days of prep work. If you're bright enough to put together IKEA, you can build a PC for half to two thirds of what you would pay otherwise.
You are abolutely correct. Do your research on any expensive purchase. If you want to buy a bicycle, don't just wander into an upscale bike store or you're not going to leave with what you want or what you wanted to pay. Know what you want and what it should cost before purchase time.
If they try to pull that gym membership pressure sales BS routine just walk and find another retailer.
