IMHO
That sounds pretty stupid to me!
Granted, my dealer of preference doesn't always offer the best deal outright, but if I ask for a little something extra I usually get it. A dealer ought to be able to stretch their policy
for two cents on a "just between you and me" basis, if for no other excuse. If they can't be at least that flexible, they should probably rethink their policy.
If Acme diecast figures that he makes $50 dollars on any purchase over $200, and that he can cover $15 shipping at that margin. Then I don't see why it would matter if the purchase was only $199.98. I understand that firm policies are necessary, but we're talking about a repeat customer.
Loyalty is a two way street in my book.
Devils Advocate Sometimes, these threshold based deals are calculated so that the average purchase falls short of the offer. This would of course encourage the buyer to extend their order by at least one item. You can imagine how big of a boost in sales this might be. Maybe this is what the dealer is trying to ensure.