This is an interesting topic for me and I'm still to buy my hardscape.
😀
The question of what people are willing to pay I think is down to the individual and their goals.
I would personally prefer to spend twice as much on something, and guarantee that it will be exactly what I am after.
Of course, you could buy twice as much from a cheaper source, and hope for the best that there will be enough suitable pieces. If an online retailer can give you photos etc. then great but I don't think you can beat holding the pieces and seeing them in 3 dimensions.
I also think some people don't really know exactly what they want, as they have no definitive hardscape plan. An aquascape that uses alot of wood with some stone around it would be a good example. As opposed to a pure iwagumi were the size and shape of the rocks are much more important.
It is interesting to read that ADA have the largest pieces. I am considering an iwagumi in my 60cm optiwhite and feel that I need at least one very large stone to be the main stone. It sounds like I may have to get it from ADA - which I'd be happy to do. ADA are relatively expensive, but if it helps to achieve my goals then I am more than happy to pay a premium.
🙂
I also think that it's worth paying a premium for products that are sold in such a great-looking shop like TGM where you are given cups of tea, comfortable seats to read Aqua Journals, as well as see brilliant display tanks and given great advice from the likes of Graeme Edwards. That experience for me is worth a few extra quid for their products and I'm really looking forward to making a visit sometime.
😀 😀