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I know exactly what you mean! That's what happened to me when I started looking a few years ago. Now I've become a little bit of a fanatic trying to get people to know there IS a difference, that hatcheries/feed stores don't know or care, and where to get the right information. Let's see if I can help you on your way.
First, be sure to look at the Ameraucana Breeders Club to get the specifics about the breed along with the Accepted Colors. The SOP (standards) say the Ameraucana lays only a blue egg. I've learned that the actual version of blue can vary in it's tint with some being much lighter or some being much bluer.
An Easter Egger is a chicken produced by breeding a blue egg layer (like an Ameraucana) with another breed. The genetics will create various egg colors including green, blue, teal, pink, brown, etc. The more mixed up the genetics, the more Easter Egg colors you'll get. They are not an actual breed, they're a cross breed. And there are a lot of very pretty EEs! Many people really enjoy the EEs both for their feather colors and their eggs colors.
The breeding programs at Commercial hatcheries aren't concerned with breed standards. Their stock will not hold up to scrutiny if put to the test. Their business is to sell chicks. They may have had a few pure Ameraucanas in the beginning, but who knows, they certainly are NOT now. The reason they label them incorrectly IMHO is that they sell more by allowing the misunderstanding to continue. There's no monetary benefit for them to correct it. If the chicken buying public wants it corrected they have to address the problem, but that's a whole different topic.
Some breeders are trying to expand the "varieties" (colors) of Ameraucanas so they have special breeding programs. Until they are accepted they will call them "project birds". Whether a person calls these project birds an Ameraucauna or an Easter Egger is one of the grey areas and you will find strong opinions on both sides. I think technically they are Easter Eggers. If I wanted an EE, I think I'd rather buy a project bird from a good breeder than a hatchery EE. Generally speaking, hatchery birds are inferior in size, vitality, and long-term health. When you start going to shows you'll notice the difference fairly quickly.
The best way to get a pure Ameraucana is to buy from a reputable breeder. The way to find a reputable breeder is to ask around, go to the poultry shows and meet the breeders that are showing, check the membership list of the breeders club, ask good breeders that raise other breeds. There is a thread here on BYC for Ameraucanas, too. When you're talking to a potential seller, if they spell the name wrong or can't tell you exactly what variety (color) their Ameraucana is, there's a very good chance it's not a true Ameraucana!
I hope this helps.
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