It happens to me from time to time. I don't think it's one-upmanship. More of wanting to make a connection: I've been looking, too, and got a good deal. It just happens that it seems less more often than a higher cost.

In Nova Scotia, come-from-aways think it's rude to ask where a person is from. It almost traditional with us, part of our culture, wanting to make a connection because there's usually one, one way or another.