This is a thorny question. My local shop does have higher prices than the internet store, but not as much higher as what you quoted Colin They know me by name and greet me when I walk through the door, and they are are always looking for things that might be interesting to me. I like to spread my purchases between the two sources because I value having a local source and I want to do my part to ensure their success. If their price differential got substantially higher I would have to reevaluate that decision.

The local folks are filling a niche that no computer store can. They participate in most of the Scottish games/events up and down the Oregon and Washington I-5 corridor. They are a focal point for local pipers. They provide lessons, they are members of several local pipe bands, and they sell and service pipes. They have their own online store. (Some stores that we here may think of as internet vendors such as Geoffry(tailor) are in fact store-front operations who do the same thing and send their people to the states to tour the Highland Game circut.) These folks are trying very hard. I can't affort to shop there exclusively, but I feel a responsibility to help their small store survive. While I hate to draw this comparison, this is exactly the same discussion that many of us have had about Walmart versus the Mom & Pop stores. If we only support the mega retailers we will ultimately have limited choices. If we only support the Internet store we will lose the opportunity to "feel the product" before we buy. If we only use the local vendor as a place to touch the product before we order it online cheaper then the local folks will be out of business.

Jamie