GOOD STUFF ONLY IN THE U.S.

[FluffyChicken]

Umm is it just my math skills or is Europe with around 700 million people a whole bunch bigger than the good ol US of A with our 307 million? ...

The flaw in that thinking is the UK do not tend to talk or trade with the rest of Europe on an individual level, it's part of our culture.
We do not even think of ourselves are part of them. That short stretch of water between us does it.
The UK is about 60 million.

ebay is separate listings, it's hard to see and communicate in their language and more often than not people will not ship out of the countries.
It's easier to buy from the USA or Canada than it is from say Germany.

 

[FluffyChicken]

USA is a lot bigger than the UK. There is more stuff there to start with.
Shops are probably bigger and do not have to chuck out the old so they can squeeze in the new like my LBS who recently dumped all their old stuff, including a good batch of MAG and Judy spares and tools

Did you manage to salvage any

No , we need bike shops like mentioned above. Not one's that you can hardly move in.