The biggest issue is that it is difficult to receive them without breakage. They are not being shipped by the distributor and it is very risky. Every time we order ceramic by common carrier, it seems they are 50 % Wrecked. Try to negotiate from the local store. Just take your internet quote into the local store.

Shipping by common carrier does tend to increase the breakage rate dramatically. It can take a $1 tile and make it cost $1.50 by the time you account for the extra that you will need to purchase to account for breakage. No, breakage isn't going to be absorbed by either the seller or the carrier unless it's something egregious like they dropped the whole pallet off of the loading dock.

And don't forget the extra $$ needed for home delivery and forklift. A liftgate does you absolutely no good unless you have an entire rugby team ready and assembled to be able to lug a couple of pallets of tile by hand up your driveway to the garage. And the driver doesn't have all day to wait on you to do this. That's why home delivery of heavy goods usually comes with a big price premium. If you can take delivery at your local terminal, and then just move it by hand to the garage once you get home, you'll save about $150 easy. But, if you are ordering more than a pallet of tile, you may have to make multiple trips to the terminal unless you own a full ton truck. Even then, two pallets is challenging to your suspension. Tile is really heavy and awkward to handle. There is no way around that when it comes to dealing with it being shipped.

So even if you can only get your local tile store to come down a little on price, you might still be ahead when it comes to actual price. Not to mention that you have a local contact if the shipment comes in the wrong color or wrong size, etc. And they'll probably deliver it for you and place it in your garage without griping about it putting them behind schedule. It won't be a free delivery in most cases, but it will be worth it to have the experts handle it rather than someone who is delivering a load of machine parts one day and a load of corn flakes the next.

Just a follow up to my original question. I found a floor tile locally. Asked dealer if he could do better on tile and I would order it from him. He went down 40 cents and said it was the best he could do. I returned a week later (to return sample) and asked again. I was given the same answer.
I then did my research and ordered same tile online from a company with very positive reviews. Their price was 1/2 on the tile!! and with shipping added in the cost was still 2 dollars less per square foot. Delivery was about a week, and the driver placed the pallet in my garage without additional charge. Tiles have been installed already and guess what? Happily, not a single tile was broken!

Would you share the name of your online source?

I ordered the tiles from Artwalk and everything went very smoothly. Tightly packed on pallet. Contractor ran short on floor tiles and I had to order 2 add'l boxes. I received them within one week. Unfortunately one box had cracked tiles. I am sending pix of the tiles to them for resolution. I also ordered backsplash tiles from My Tile Backsplash, and Design for Less. Everything came quickly and in good condition. Ordered Oceanside tiles from a local store since I couldn't find them online for less.