Here's a case where comparison shopping can save you some real money. At the bigger ski areas, ski shops in nearby towns or along the access roads often offer cheaper prices than the ski shops at the area. But then you have to transport the skis to and from. Also, combining ski rentals with a lift ticket and lesson package may save you more. Once you lease or own gear, those costs are fixed.
Lift tickets offer tremendous opportunities for both individual savings and economies of scale.
The most expensive lift ticket of all is a single-run pass, which many areas now sell. The advantage of buying day tickets, of course, is that you pay only when you want to ski and where you want to ski. But you still pay more than you need to. Most large New England ski areas offer multiday passes that can save you some real money. And there are lift and lodging packages that can also save you some serious cash.