Should a dive shop match prices?

[Frosty]

Hey guys I feel I need to point something out to you. Its a simple reality. If you don't support your local shop then they will steadilly run out of money. Eventually they will likely simply close up shop. Why would any reasonable person run a company that is losing them money?
Yea you can buy a XYZ from an online store on the other side of the country. But is that guy going to fill your tanks,advise you about trim issues or organise dive trips for you?
So Yea I say support your local DS or pretty soon there won't be a local DS

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Hey guys I feel I need to point something out to you. Its a simple reality. If you don't support your local shop then they will steadilly run out of money. Eventually they will likely simply close up shop. Why would any reasonable person run a company that is losing them money?
Yea you can buy a XYZ from an online store on the other side of the country. But is that guy going to fill your tanks,advise you about trim issues or organise dive trips for you?
So Yea I say support your local DS or pretty soon there won't be a local DS

Its like a marriage, both parties have play and make some adjustments for the other party or it will fail. Its nice to say support your LDS, but they also have to adapt to the 21st century or they will go the way of the dodo bird.

 

[FuzzyNutz]

Hey guys I feel I need to point something out to you. Its a simple reality. If you don't support your local shop then they will steadilly run out of money. Eventually they will likely simply close up shop. Why would any reasonable person run a company that is losing them money?
Yea you can buy a XYZ from an online store on the other side of the country. But is that guy going to fill your tanks,advise you about trim issues or organise dive trips for you?
So Yea I say support your local DS or pretty soon there won't be a local DS

In regards to the LDS closest to my house.... good, I hope they do! They've been 100% useless to me anyway (I did buy a cool keychain there once though... but I still found it for $4 less online, lol) - I seriously feel dumber everytime I walk out of the joint!

Seriously though, I understand what you're saying. I'm a musician and a die hard fan of music, and the same thing is happening to the record business. I have NEVER purchased a cd online, legally downloaded a song or album, or illegally downloaded a song or album... and I have well over 1000 records proudly on diplay. It's a crying shame now that there isn't a single CD store in Downtown Denver - and only a handful in the surrounding areas that aren't Best Buy...

 

[redacted]

Hey guys I feel I need to point something out to you. Its a simple reality. If you don't support your local shop then they will steadilly run out of money. Eventually they will likely simply close up shop. Why would any reasonable person run a company that is losing them money?
Yea you can buy a XYZ from an online store on the other side of the country. But is that guy going to fill your tanks,advise you about trim issues or organise dive trips for you?
So Yea I say support your local DS or pretty soon there won't be a local DS

I'm sure that is true in some areas. But I am convinced the much more common problem is just the opposite - there are too many LDSs each with some form of the typical (low volume, high markup) business model that are just killing each other as they highlight the advantage of the high volume, low(er) markup of the larger, easily accessible shops. Yes, my LDSs keep turning over as one fails and another replaces it, but the gas keep pumping and my business goes to the ones selling what I am looking for at the best prices.

 

[ColdH2O]

It is ultimately up to each dive shop but if they don't want to price match then they should not complain that business is slow. Also some of you say that if you dont pay these highly marked up prices you aren't supporting the local economy, then think about it this way..... Every shop has the option to sell online, and by selling higher volumes they reduce the prices customers pay(increasing business), with this higher volume they hire more staff, which means that supports another family(or 2 or 3) in the local economy and so on and so on. These LDS either adjust with the times or they will find themselves shut down, nobody says they can't sell online and compete with the shops that are thriving. I mean if you as a person were going broke, would you not adjust your ways? Or would you just continue on the same path and be in eventual financial ruins?

 

[freewillie]

I think the online v. LDS is about convenience and price. Both are businesses and customer service is a very big part of that business. There is some territorial issues regarding the brands certain stores carry and that goes for both stores.

Scubapro for the most part does not allow its products to be sold online. For those of you who say you've bought Scubapro online you can find sites that do but it invalidates the warranty. If you want Scubapro you need to go brick and mortar LDS.

Other brands will limit the number of shops in an area that can be liscenced to carry their products. The different LDS will compete for your business by trying to sell not only the product (ie mask, fins, BC, etc) but the brands they carry. They may try make other brands look inferior and their products better. Some of this salesmanship can leave bad taste in customer's mouth depending on how and what they say.

But you still need a LDS for certain services. Unless you want to pack your regulators and BC in a box and ship to the manufacturer, how else are you going to get them serviced? And how do you get your tanks filled? Where are you going to go to find a liscenced instructor for specialty certification? I live in California, I certainly can't get online certification from Scubatoys.com which is based in Texas.

Give the money to the business that gives you the best prices and service period, whether its online or local LDS. They should earn your business the old fashioned way, they should earn it.

 

[Frosty]

Hey guys I'm in a sorta similar industry. I pay the thousands a month in rent and pay staff etc. I actually have paid to phsically hold stock and in this country I'm required to warranty my (second hand) product. I'm competing with people who have nothing more than a computer and a cellphone.On the internet their product looks like mine (one reason being that they use pictures of my stock) and they apear to offer the same service. But quick as a flash theyve shut down and all your cover under the law has gone. This is fact not fiction dreamed up to make a point. One such "retailer" had an item of my stock advertised at a cheaper price than I had my own goods.A customer was in my store and comparing "his" item with mine. I asked the customer to call him to organise viewing. 3 minutes later I got a call asking if I wanted to on behalf my stock.

 

[ReefHound]

I think the online v. LDS is about convenience and price.

I agree, I shop online for the convenience. They are open 24/7 and I don't have to high tail it after work to beat a 7pm closing time. They don't nag me if I visit and leave without buying. I can shop at 3am on a Tuesday morning in my birthday suit. And best of all, when I want something some guy or gal brings it to my front door.

Scubapro for the most part does not allow its products to be sold online. For those of you who say you've bought Scubapro online you can find sites that do but it invalidates the warranty. If you want Scubapro you need to go brick and mortar LDS.

Correction, buying Scubapro from an unauthorized dealer invalidates the manufacturer warranty. We know who you're talking about and they match that warranty with their own. But like I said before, I buy tons of gear and only a few times had a warranty issue and those were for lights. Never had a reg or BC need a warranty although DiveRite shipped me a replacement spring that was a recall item. For a wing i bought online.
.

But you still need a LDS for certain services. Unless you want to pack your regulators and BC in a box and ship to the manufacturer, how else are you going to get them serviced? And how do you get your tanks filled? Where are you going to go to find a liscenced instructor for specialty certification? I live in California, I certainly can't get online certification from Scubatoys.com which is based in Texas.

Actually, I send all my regs to Scubatoys for annual service, just $49 for 1st and 2 2nd stages. Blows away the LDS prices and I have always had them back within 7 days with the printed specs. That's cheaper and faster than local plus there's that convenience thing - I had them to my mail carrier and he brings them back to my door a week later. No fighting traffic and the shipping is less than the gasoline.

Air fills are a valuable service although all the scuba parks around here have compressors.

As for instruction, let me let you in on a secret. Shops don't certify divers, instructors do. Just find an independent scuba instructor. Just because a LDS closes it's doors doesn't mean all the instructors in the area stop living.

For travel, I use Orbitz or Expedia or book direct.

For dive buddies, I have my local diving club. See signature line.

For advice, I use my dive buddies or forums like Scubaboard.

 

[dmoore19]

In regards to the LDS closest to my house.... good, I hope they do! They've been 100% useless to me anyway (I did buy a cool keychain there once though... but I still found it for $4 less online, lol) - I seriously feel dumber everytime I walk out of the joint!

Seriously though, I understand what you're saying. I'm a musician and a die hard fan of music, and the same thing is happening to the record business. I have NEVER purchased a cd online, legally downloaded a song or album, or illegally downloaded a song or album... and I have well over 1000 records proudly on diplay. It's a crying shame now that there isn't a single CD store in Downtown Denver - and only a handful in the surrounding areas that aren't Best Buy...

You don't get out much do you. There are several LDS in the Denver area. There are a couple that are pretty good. I do have my favorite. GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. Good prices (comparable to online) and friendly just to name a few attributes. As for the CD's there are several places downtown that sell CD's, and several more bookstores that sell CD's and Target and other places that sell CD's. Look around, what a crock!

 

[ReefHound]

Hey guys I'm in a sorta similar industry. I pay the thousands a month in rent and pay staff etc. I actually have paid to phsically hold stock and in this country I'm required to warranty my (second hand) product. I'm competing with people who have nothing more than a computer and a cellphone.On the internet their product looks like mine (one reason being that they use pictures of my stock) and they apear to offer the same service. But quick as a flash theyve shut down and all your cover under the law has gone. This is fact not fiction dreamed up to make a point.

It may be fact in your industry but it's not analogous to the dive industry. The major online retailers are not operating with just a computer and a cellphone. They have bigger stores and more inventory than nearly all LDS's.

And please name one large online retailer that has gone out of business. If that is what you're worried about then your risk is 100 times greater with a LDS. I can't count the number of times threads have been started here because someone's LDS closed their doors. There was one just last week that left a couple halfway through OW class, they paid for the class and now can't get their certs and their planned dive vacation is coming up. See Paid for dive lessons, but shop closed up. What do I do?.