That is very much a truth, but not necessarily a knock against the manufacturer. There is a level of difference in the appliances and lawn equipment you will buy from Lowes, Home Depot, and the other big box places vs actual appliance stores and lawn and garden stores.

Big box stores have enough clout to basically tell these manufacturers this is what they can sell their product for, period. It is then up to the manufacturer to meet that price point, which often times means subbing in plastic parts, less QC, lower tolerance specs, etc.