I paid about $290 from the local store and always over pay. Personally I think if you can afford this much on a figure then paying a little extra for peace of mind is better. The for's and against are mostly in favor of local.
Ebay - Good Price, potential defects (PERS/PAINT), hassle sending back. Postage problems.
Local - Can see YOUR figure before you buy, Can return easily and to a lesser extent you support the shop.
I personally only go Ebay if I can't get it local. It also depends the seller. If they have 99% and have sold a hundred figures then you can probably buy with confidence.
Ultimately don't listen to anyone else, you pay what you think it's worth.