shoturtle
Contributor
Not for online sales according to Oceanic:
Authorized Dealer Locator - Oceanic Worldwide - Scuba and Snorkeling Gear, Scuba and Snorkeling Equipment and Dive Gear
Though they are an authorized retail seller now, which must be new, they were not on there last summer as far as I can remember.
That is a question of semantics, who would know if you brought it from the store or online from LP. It is still warrantied, the lp sails slip will not say online sale,
LP is an authorize dealer for Cressi, Oceanic and Aeris. Like it was stated earlier LP is the largest mover of scuba equipment worldwide. Like it or not, the scuba equipment company need them to keep their sales numbers. I was in the store the other day, there were visitors from the UK and Russia, call home to ask what model of equipment they wanted and what the price was. We are in a global economy, and lp seems to have taken the bull by the horns is the business model. When AQ has that message on their website, it is an acknowledgment of the global reach of LP on their bottom line.
I am not a fan of price fixing policy that alot of scuba company uses, especially since alot of their stuff are made oversea's in south east asia. If the product was made in the USA, I would pay more for it. It like if you are buying a BMW 5 series and up. They are only made in Germany, so they are at premium. But the 3 series, they do not command as large premium because they are made in Carolina's and are not affected by the cost induced by the low dollar to euro rate and high price of labor. So too should scuba equipment made in asia cost less, but some companies still try to keep the same high cost while the cost of production remains low for them. This is a capitalist country, the make should drive price not the companies.
We all will pay more for the brand we are loyal to, but 100% more then gray market seems a little silly.