I exclusively buy important gear from high quality retailers.
Service is important. If there's any trouble, you'll prefer dealing with B&H to haggling with ecost, who probably don't even know much about what they are selling.
I'd also stay away from eBay. The prices aren't much lower, and you'll very likely get some gray market item.
Reputation is important. When I buy at a reputable dealer, I know I'm dealing with a sales professional who knows how to treat the goods well, and to pack them well for shipment.
With ebay or cheesy internet dealers you never know if that dealer hasn't bought a shipment of damaged goods and is selling them off as new.
When I bought my Aeron editing work chair recently, I could have gotten it for 100$ less on eBay.
No way. I went to a good store, and bought it there. Anything happens, they will take care of it.
Resellerratings is generally a good idea, but I have seen middling dealers vamp up their ratings by convincing people to change their negative review into a positive. So you can't rely on it 100%.
