Your local shop isn't the only option. The first online retailer (above Amazon in my Google search result) is €3 cheaper than Amazon, shipping included.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/C1010429-P-Continental-Gatorskin-...

https://www.bike24.com/p2195136.html

+19.99 EUR and 10-14 days to ship to the US. Not cheaper.

Not to mention maybe another $150 in Uber rides waiting 14 days instead of 1 day for it.

Also Amazon gives me 5% cashback too so that also needs to be factored into all prices.

I used two European sites, since my comparison was obviously for delivery to somewhere in Europe (Denmark, in my case).

Ah okay, I though it was because these particular tires are in fact made in Germany ;)

But yes I think in Europe small businesses are much more of a thing. In the US it's very hard to get a better deal than from Amazon and these big companies, especially because they can super-optimize the supply chains across such a big country. Same is true in China.

Amazon is expensive. I once got an Amazon gift card and the first thing I told the person that gave me the card is that I will spend 20-30€ more on Amazon than on any other site.