Another perspective is:

you are a long time cable tv customer and have paid your initial new customer activation fee and pay a monthly service fee. 

you decide you want a new television set. The tv is the same price at store A and store B. If you buy it at store A, your cable service account information is captured and there will be a fee on your cable service bill for using a new tv. If you buy it at store B you just pay the cost of the new tv. 

The TVs are identical and when you bring either one home, you plug your existing cable box in yourself and your service works the exact same way, for the exact same monthly cost. 

You buy it at store A and see the charge and call your cable company. They give you a vague response and tell you; “if you bought it at store B there wouldn’t have been a fee. Keep that in mind when you buy a tv in the future. Otherwise your service is exactly the same. Better luck next time!”