Aaron, have you ever bought parts from the few online Ford sources? There are several that I found when hunting O2 prices. They are all very close in price, and either the same as my price, or a good 15-25% lower. I have tried to get an answer from two of them, they never seem to answer the phone. The O2 sensors are the only thing right now that I will need later which I would buy online without a conversation.
I needed a 302 synchronizer for my 347, and the good Ford price was $140ish. The online sources were in the $103-$109 range. Without them answering the phone to confirm shipping dates, I called my guy and asked him to do better. I got it for $102 last Thursday, much better.