Quite a few dealers now offer free shipping. Yes, NF does control retail prices, so there are few differences. I am friends with a NF distributor (but he gives me no breaks). He told me one very well known internet retailer would advertise the fixed price, but if you talked to him on the phone, and assured him you were not NF connected, he would quote a much lower price. Eventually, another dealer found out about this practice and reported him. Soon thereafter, NF lowered his profit margin considerably as punishment.