yeah not always.
my local shop has a sick consignment/ used gear selection. My little brother found lightly used armada AR3s with salomon 10 din bindings there for $40.
My rule of thumb is that you can usually find last year's products at about 40% off online, so if you find that deal at a local store, you might as well just support the local business.
But the absolute best place in the world to buy gear: The SKI SWAP.
some people that sell their stuff in swaps have literally no idea how much its worth. the trick is to volunteer to work at the check-in station. that way you have first dibs on the sickest deals. This year I scored a pretty nice Sector Nine longboard for $20.