Here we go again, our LDS is offering another Groupon

[flots am]

Dunno, I'd consider a wet suit if I was always diving in Hawaii . Of course my picture is next to "Warm water wuss" in the dictionary. Please ignore me, I actually don't know, what is a groupon?

Groupon is a company that sells "coupons" good for some particular product or service, at a discount.

The coupon is usually for something between 25% and 50% off the regular price. Out of this price, Groupon often takes half or maybe a little less, leaving the vendor with very little money.

Groupon is frequently used as a last resort by businesses that are in trouble and can't get customers at the regular price with their normal marketing.

flots.

 

[oly5050user]

If you don't purchase from them, how does any LDS know when & where you purchased anything?-- even after the class starts. Could you just not say, "Oh, I forgot my fins and mask last time, now I have them". Instead of saying you bought them new elsewhere. Even if they surmized the stuff is brand new, would they still not want your enrollment in the class anyway? I must be missing something.

I read it as student can purchase at LDS or can have own from elsewhere. Student will need gear at THE START of class, not after it starts. They came to learn how to dive and as such they go in the pool on the first session. We require mask/snkl/fins/boots to participate in our ow class. We spend the time to be sure gear fits correctly and is suitable for what/where the student plans to dive. Being we have a indoor pool at the LDS if student wants to change gear during pool session, say they feel uncomfortable with mask, we can exchange instantly and continue pool session. If they purchased elsewhere, thats ok,but sorry we cannot exchange ill fitting gear that was not purchased from us.

---------- Post added December 17th, 2012 at 10:58 PM ----------

Groupon is a company that sells "coupons" good for some particular product or service, at a discount.

The coupon is usually for something between 25% and 50% off the regular price. Out of this price, Groupon often takes half or maybe a little less, leaving the vendor with very little money.

Groupon is frequently used as a last resort by businesses that are in trouble and can't get customers at the regular price with their normal marketing.

flots.

I do not see it as a last resort. Its a way to get exposure in a market place..Usually for a LDS what is offered is just discover scuba. We have tried Groupon and it worked , not a money maker, as people who use this are usually bargain hunters and are looking to do something cheap..I do not think the facility I teach out of is in "trouble"..I just finished a 2 week course last Thursday night,for 3 students in a group class-sold 3 complete sets of gear to them (bcd/reg/computer +) did a scuba review on Saturday for 2, I start ow classes this Friday night for 12+ students that will need 2 instructors as we try to put only put 6-8 students at a time in a class and I have a private course starting this Friday am. Thats just my schedule for this coming weekend, there are other instructors there too. I have a Roatan trip for April that is filling nicely as well.

 

[TMHeimer]

I read it as student can purchase at LDS or can have own from elsewhere. Student will need gear at THE START of class, not after it starts. They came to learn how to dive and as such they go in the pool on the first session. We require mask/snkl/fins/boots to participate in our ow class. We spend the time to be sure gear fits correctly and is suitable for what/where the student plans to dive. Being we have a indoor pool at the LDS if student wants to change gear during pool session, say they feel uncomfortable with mask, we can exchange instantly and continue pool session. If they purchased elsewhere, thats ok,but sorry we cannot exchange ill fitting gear that was not purchased from us.

Right. Maybe I was thinking of some of our night courses over weeks, where the first night can be only classroom. So, of course you need mask/fins/snorkel the first pool session. So then if a student shows up without these then he is not prepared, thus has not met the requirements. I guess I'm slow on the take with this, but I'm not sure how a situation would arise where a student would buy the stuff after the course (pool sessions) starts-- how does the question of where he buys it even come up?

 

[o2dependant]

This has nothing to do with Groupon. It must have beendifficult to be in the same class as trainees who paid less than you. It’s the samewhen your on a flight or in a hotel.
Whilst I am notaffiliated with groupon, travel zoo or any of these discounted groups. Theresponsibility is upon the proprietor of the business to create a deal that issufficient to intrigue customers into the business whilst they recovers the lossof that decision in incremental spend and the opportunity to up sell otherproducts. No business can survive on discounted deals alone, nor does groupon onlycome into effect when a business is in trouble. Those remarks are unfounded.

Groupon is a useful tool when used correctly, especially at the beginning of a newbusiness, when low season squeezes the bottom line, or forecasted business is clearlynot on the books for a given period. Whilst for the most part it creates a “busyfools” atmosphere it keeps everyone busy and the cogs turning. I use the threatof Groupn trade to increase productivity!!
If a Dive centre includes restrictions that you are nothappy with don’t buy the voucher. It’s not a con, or even misleading. It’s a discountedproduct with terms and conditions. Groupon are just the winners in thistransaction.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

My LDS did a groupon for discover scuba a year ago, no conditions. There were a bunch of full sessions, and it was a great promotion for the shop. However, it did strain instructional staff for a couple of months. No plans to repeat.
DivemasterDennis

 

[vladimir]

This has nothing to do with Groupon. It must have beendifficult to be in the same class as trainees who paid less than you. It’s the samewhen your on a flight or in a hotel.
Whilst I am notaffiliated with groupon, travel zoo or any of these discounted groups. Theresponsibility is upon the proprietor of the business to create a deal that issufficient to intrigue customers into the business whilst they recovers the lossof that decision in incremental spend and the opportunity to up sell otherproducts. No business can survive on discounted deals alone, nor does groupon onlycome into effect when a business is in trouble. Those remarks are unfounded.

Groupon is a useful tool when used correctly, especially at the beginning of a newbusiness, when low season squeezes the bottom line, or forecasted business is clearlynot on the books for a given period. Whilst for the most part it creates a “busyfools” atmosphere it keeps everyone busy and the cogs turning. I use the threatof Groupn trade to increase productivity!!
If a Dive centre includes restrictions that you are nothappy with don’t buy the voucher. It’s not a con, or even misleading. It’s a discountedproduct with terms and conditions. Groupon are just the winners in thistransaction.

This is probably a flawed analogy. When a hotel or airline discounts rates it is generally because they have unused capacity (rooms or seats). Your flight or hotel experience will be substantially the same whether they fill those or not. On the other hand, if a dive shop that is used to classes of four is suddenly conducting classes for 12, chances are good that their capacity is stretched and the experience will be compromised.

 

[tdtaylor]

I also see Groupon to offer an opportunity to try something you might not have thought of. My family bought me a Groupon Discover Flying for half price. I would have never really thought of trying it. The instructor was excellent, definitely did not fell "discount," and now I am considering getting my pilots license over the summer.

My guess is why the few Groupons I've seen for diving are for DSD. Get them interested, in the shop, and maybe a few will continue on.

Just my two cents...

 

[o2dependant]

This is probably a flawed analogy. When a hotel or airline discounts rates it is generally because they have unused capacity (rooms or seats). Your flight or hotel experience will be substantially the same whether they fill those or not. On the other hand, if a dive shop that is used to classes of four is suddenly conducting classes for 12, chances are good that their capacity is stretched and the experience will be compromised.

I hate to say it Vladimir but this is exactly as it goes.A hotel group will set its payroll against its revenue( around 20-27% 3-5 star.That is the lowest amount of money it can get away with. A Hotel working at 100% occupancy is not as efficient as a hotel running at 75% occupancy. They do not set the payroll against 100% occupancy the payroll is set some 18months in advance against forecasted figures. Groupon, travel zoo lastminute etc are all a last minute resort to use a crazy month to offset a poor quarter. It usually creates a full house in a low season. The pressures on the hotel to meet its target will outweigh the need for extra staff because bringing in extra staff will then see the payroll % increase against poor revenue created by cheap deals. So the hotel runs peak period business with low season staff percentages and poor gross profit margins. You may not see this in the room. But waiting for concierge( to many cars), rooms not ready when you arrive( stretched housekeeping), slight delays at breakfast or even worse a buffet( usually not enough seats to turn customers around) and long queues at checkout( not enough reception staff or space to accomodate the volume) are the kinds of result, of a hotel running at 100%(usually at the end of the second quarter)occupancy. No matter the rating but usually more dependant on its size. this gives them enough time to save quarter 2 and provide a reservoir of revenue to ensure quarter 3 is met. Then if things are still looking bleak you can expect to pick up the same deal around February.

Working for a group with multiple properties we only need to look at our feedback during these times to see the results of my analogy. Its a matter of damage limitation during these periods in the more negatives are expected and its generally down to little things that would usually be picked up.

Same for airlines the more packed they are the slower it takes to get your food, more drinks, Newspaper etc Take off and landing is the same thats about it.

 

[iluvtheocean]

most of the scuba groupons that i've seen either either for Discover Scuba or 1/2 off OW. Although i've seen a couple in the keys for discounted dives. I did the discounted dives with Looe Key. it was a "cattle boat" with only about 8 divers and 30+ snorkelers. was still fun and i'd dive with them again. You just have to read the fine print and if necessary contact who's offering it for details. Bottom line is you will get what you paid for.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

I'm not understanding something, why wouldn't you want to buy your starter equipment from the LDS that you're taking classes from? I bought my entire set from my LDS because the classes we're "free" that way. Being that this is a OW class, most don't know the difference between a Walmart mask or a Scuba mask.

Also I did my OW, in Hawaii off a living social coupon, in July, I was glad I had a 3mil and I've been there in Oct and March, the water was much colder in Oct, so in Dec a dry-suit may not be all that bad.