Yea sometimes you can find a good deal on a "kit" but they're a tad misleading to a new keeper. I think a lot of folks see "snake kit" and assume it has everything that they need in it, only to find out later that they're missing stuff or got equipment that isn't ideal, those stick on temp/humidity gauges are a good example. Now I've purchased kits on sale at box stores before, but only because I was getting the enclosure cheaper than if I bought it by itself.
I hate to keep bragging on my local reptile place, but what they do is do bulk orders on 10 gallon tanks, and then they create their own starter kits out of them with appropriate sized hides, good substrate, digital gauges, I mean a dream set up for a hatchling snake. Of course they grow out of that 10 gallon relatively quick, but it's a great and safer way to get people into the hobby.