I really don’t get the premise of the OP’s scenario. Do you mean to suggest that you went to an audio show, and the Rep sized you up, and made up a price on the spot?? Well aren’t YOU special! What about their website and printed brochures that most likely already had the price settled before you arrived?
As for complaining about prices.... it’s a free market... and the last time I checked I can buy an amp for $100, $500, $1200, $4000, $12,000.... should I keep going? Are they all worth the asking price? Some are, some aren’t. For some you are paying a premium just for good looks and build quality. Others are more basic bang-for-your-buck. It’s the same for any other component. I really don’t see the problem. If you normalize the cost of a Pioneer receiver from the ’70’s into today’s dollars, you’ll see that mid-fi audio is about the same price it’s always been. It’s just that the extreme high end has gotten a lot higher.