We have purchased from faucet direct on occasion but we have a pro account with build.com (faucet direct is part of build.com). As pros we get full return options without any restocking charges. So if anything is not up to par, we can return it with no consequence to our client (except maybe a return shipping fee). We have returned a couple of items but generally have been okay with what we received.

If you are trying to do something fairly simple, you can get by with ordering yourself. The issue becomes are you getting all of the necessary parts to do the full installation (the stuff that goes in the wall not just what you see on the outside) and are they the right parts for what you want to do. You can get help through faucet direct but not at the same level as a local supply company. They are also pretty reasonable to deal with, but again they can't help you with an issue and keep a project on track if something is wrong.

Make sure you understand the terms included in your contract if you purchase on your own. Our contract would say that we (as the GC) are not responsible for the products a customer supplies and we are not responsible for finding a remedy to a problem caused by products a customer supplies or for the time delays created. Any extra charges caused by owner supplied materials would be billed back to the customer - this could be additional installation costs from the plumber if he has to make multiple trips or if he has to retrofit something or it could be our charges in attempting to find solutions to an issue caused by missing or improper parts.