Network Gear Pricing.... What's really the deal.

So I've read all kinds of posts and even some older ones on here and something just doesn't add up...

I'm looking at needing 4 switches (let's just say Cisco 9300 48port model with Network Advantage)...

My work has me get competing quotes for everything so I go to our VARs that we work with and they are telling me that it will be about $10K/switch. I haven't seen the quotes from either of them yet so I'm working with what I've been told. My understanding is also that would include the DNA that is required on the purchase of the new 9000 line switches.

Now... I'll just fast forward this about two weeks when it lands on someone's desk for approval and they go out to amazon or google and search the same model number and find the switch for $4,300/switch and do not require DNA being purchased with them either. These are sold as "new" with "clean serial numbers".

We have worked in the past with grey market vendors that do their own "refurbing" of switches and honestly we had great success with them, the only issues we have had to date is that PoE on ports being used for IP cameras have gone bad after storms. The cameras themselves don't seem to take a direct hit (we would easily be able to see) but somehow something keeps killing PoE ports. I have also had one switch die on me entirely after a storm so I've had great luck.

I have been asked to justify paying double for what appears on the surface as the exact same product. They are aware that we do not get software updates and have no official support from Cisco. For the price they are fine with buying a couple of extras to keep on hand in case something happens that we cannot solve. As far as software is concerned, the thought there is that the software on these out of the box is far newer and more secure than the software in the ones we are replacing (don't ask how old... it's a LONG story). So outside of that what is the justification? Also I just don't get it... if it's REQUIRED to have DNA on a new switch sale then how does anyone on Amazon (and by the way we went directly to the company behind the listing on Amazon and they are selling them this way) or even Newegg sell these switches without DNA, with the Network Advantage license level?

Lastly my reference to having read on here about similar topics and the comments always say "a good VAR will beat that pricing you find on Amazon" and how you get all this added stuff... I don't buy that. I can't be the only one out there that reads that and thinks that the ones saying that are buying LOTS of product and that's how you end up getting these prices. Someone buying 4 switches and they are telling me will be $10K/switch... no way they will come close to $5K even on the price. I also saw others saying "have them throw in learning credits too"... the only time I have had anything extra being given to us was when we purchased our HP 3PAR and it just happened to be the end of the quarter, we were also buying a StoreOnce and the HP rep really wanted that sale to hit so we ended up having to push the purchase through faster to get training thrown in for free (I believe they were going to sell us the training for $3K). Someone shoot me the name of a VAR that I can go to that is better/different.