Monoprice.com. That is all.
It's all about the psychology of needing it now instead of being able to wait 4 more days.
Really, just don't ever buy a cable in a store. Ever. Getting a TV? Plan it ahead of time. Buying new tech? Make sure you have the cables already.
We're talking about an average 20x price markup on these cables, and sometimes significantly more (network cables I'm looking at you!).
Knowing your options is the first step in not getting screwed.
The only time I purchased a cable online was when I bought someone a gift that required the HD cable.
All the other times, we ran around the corner to Shopko and paid whatever their price was because we had a new HD system setup and wanted it in HD. Now.
I really don't think it's a casual purchase for most people, and I certainly never considered buying more than one at a time.
If you don't have a Fry's, you're missing out on something wonderful. Every Fry's about a hundred people who absolutely and completely despise every single aspect of their jobs, and have been forced to wear white button-down shirts with ties.
Fry's sells everything. From green laser pointers, to 2 post telco racks, to embedded computer parts, to washing machines, to televisions, to cheap chinese toys, to candy bars, to tasers and pepper spray and home security gear.
And I've had the same experience as you. I've never seen a store so stocked with salespeople (and 70 cash registers!) but with so little interest in the process of selling and supporting material.
But my original point was that the typical person sitting at a checkout with an HDTV doesn't know what the HDMI cable does, much less that they can buy it at Fry's or Monoprice for 25x cheaper.
I was talking about the way they handled it in general. They didn't email any customers, and they still don't know which cards/orders were affected. I think they should at least be able to tell me which customers have been complaining (ex. those who made orders between DATE_A and DATE_B)
Also, they deleted data that they previously assured me would be kept & accessible (last 4 digits of credit cards, so that I can check the appropriate bill). It took me over a week and at least 5 different CSR's to find this out- I was given the runaround before that. Live support & phone support both told me they couldn't help, and claimed that the email support team is the only group that could. Over a week later, I still have not received a response.