I bought an expensive machine from sewingmachinesplus online and got horrible customer service. I actually ended up selling the machine (nothing wrong with it, just dishonesty on what was included with it, and not knowing how to operate it) and buying one from a local dealer.
They would not return email, phone calls, and actually had a service tech lie and say he called me after I sat by the phone all day waiting for him to do so. It was a really silly thing that time -- I just had to push the pedal to make the setting change take effect, but being a new sewer and not wanting to "break" my new machine I had called and asked for advice.
Anyhow, it was several issues with them, and I would advise going local too!