Back in the 70's I worked part time helped out in a shop in Torquay selling everything from components to complete PC's
The buisiness lost money on every resistor we sold.
Yet the buyers complained that they could buy the same part from advertisers in PW PE etc cheaper.
And the truth was they could if they discounted the postage and the minimum order.
I got bored arguing with these people but they always came back sadly
It has ever been thus.
Cheers
Mike T