George Max wrote:

This is what the shipping apologists miss - giving the appearance of
using shipping as a profit center just turns the customer off. But I
suppose those organizations have more business than they need so they
can afford to make some percentage of their customers look elsewhere
the next time they need something.

Companies like Delta might actually WANT you to try an "authorized
repair depot" before you go directly to them. They are using B2B type
policies simply because they aren't interested in setting up a true
retail operation. Try calling them to buy a complete tool.

I went through this just yesterday with a Bosch router part. I was able
to walk into a busy tool repair shop in Hartford, CT and buy the $15
part, saving the $10 that Bosch wants to ship it from the Norwood, MA
warehouse.

The same shop also repairs and stocks spare parts for Makita, DeWalt,
Porter Cable, Delta, toasters, vacuum cleaners, etc...