Curious: Are you LDS loyal? What do you use them for?

[oregondiver]

HI Viola! We just moved from Portland and I know which shops of which you speak I never had a shop in the Portland metro area that I recommended but I did find 3 (in Vancouver, Gresham and one near Tualatin...can't remember city, Tigard or Aloha?) that I liked and gave business to. None were open on Sundays. However I loved the service I received at Eugene Skin Divers Supply (in Eugene) and it got to the point that I would ship my regs to them for servicing. Cost me more? Yea, but they took care of me when I f'd up some of my gear and went to bat with Suunto to warranty it. And they took care of me again when it wasn't my fault (going to Suunto again). They have taken such great care of me...even after all this time, I try to support them. I was in the market for a drysuit and got 2 quotes...and a bigger shop (not local to me at the time) had a great deal since they were a HUGE Bare dealer, so I just went back to ESDS and asked if they would split the difference between their original quote and the major dealer quote. they did. They got my business and later got our business when my husband wanted a drysuit. Sure they cut their original quote by $150 (and I paid more than I would have at a larger retailer) but they also earned another drysuit purchase and several other gear items from us.

Now I am near 6 dive shops in a 15-20 mile radius. I picked a shop that I liked talking to the manager (and staff). Will I buy all my gear there? No. But if they have the gear I like, and I go in and fondle it lovingly....I will ask them if they will meet a price I found elsewhere. If they dont' stock it but are an authorized provider, I will ask them to meet an online price I found.

Right now, I am going to be in the market for a new BP/W....some serious change $$$ and so I need to figure out WHAT I want and then I will see if my shop is an authorized provider and what sort of deal they will get for me. I PLAN to support them...if the deal is decent and they carry what I want.

So yea, I want to be loyal to my local shops. I go there to shoot the **** while waiting for tank fills. they organize shop dives (since I dont' know that many divers up here yet, it is helpful for me). So far, they haven't tried to talk me into any gear that I didn't specifically express an interest in (ie standing near the lights while waiting for an air fill, they don't come over and try to sell me a light when I already have a Light Monkey dive light). I appreciate that. Makes me WANT to spend my money there. Right now I have a friend who I have referred to get certified there and will be buying BCD & Regs through them. So they are making money on my referrals/loyalty and in exchange....they do some price matching for me.

 

[scubastingray]

I'd love to see a poll with these questions split by age group.
If a shop wants my support it doesn't come free. I'm not paying twice as much just because you're in my zip.

 

[violamama]

... I loved the service I received at Eugene Skin Divers Supply (in Eugene) and it got to the point that I would ship my regs to them for servicing. Cost me more? Yea, but they took care of me when I f'd up some of my gear and went to bat with Suunto to warranty it. And they took care of me again when it wasn't my fault (going to Suunto again). They have taken such great care of me...even after all this time, I try to support them. I was in the market for a drysuit and got 2 quotes...and a bigger shop (not local to me at the time) had a great deal since they were a HUGE Bare dealer, so I just went back to ESDS and asked if they would split the difference between their original quote and the major dealer quote. they did. They got my business and later got our business when my husband wanted a drysuit. Sure they cut their original quote by $150 (and I paid more than I would have at a larger retailer) but they also earned another drysuit purchase and several other gear items from us.

We loved them, too! I work in Eugene fairly often so last week we spent some time with a guy named Ron who was incredibly helpful and willing to chat with two newbs for hours. He was the one who told my husband to wait on the drysuit purchase even though what he had was on sale. They have some neat trips planned, including Catalina and Clear Lake, and we're hoping to join in.

I agree with you, "I want to be loyal" but also the other poster who has a "within $50" rule. That makes sense and seems fair.

The place with the pool is really close to us and one more in Tigard is also pretty good. My husband's going to take an equipment class there, in part because he's a patent lawyer and tends to get work from the tech side of each of his interests.

 

[scubastingray]

I support UPS....

LDS gets vip's, hydro, air/nitrox (17 tanks make them some money), an emergency repair or purchase, service if I'm too busy, training, & an occasional trip. Almost everything else (equipment) is outsourced....

Get your tanks hydrod and viped for half price by going to the fire testing places. You don't have to wait on the lds to drop them off aweek later either.

 

[violamama]

The best advantage I get from my LDS is the community that goes with it. We have a great group of very active divers. We dive every weekend and do several trips a year. Our club meets every month and we do fund raising projects for Adaptive Divers, scholarships for people that want to learn to dive but don't have the means and other good causes. This creates a diving family that we are proud of and its because of our LDS. That earns my loyalty.

That sounds awesome. There is a club here we're going to check out but so far none of the shops seem quite that connected.

 

[rhwestfall]

Get your tanks hydrod and viped for half price by going to the fire testing places. You don't have to wait on the lds to drop them off aweek later either.

They are a hydro facility......

 

[scubastingray]

They are a hydro facility......

Fair enough. 95% of the Dive shops around here charge $40 a pop, let them sit for a week before they feel like making a trip, and then drive down the road and pay $20 at the fire testing shops. I've heard some try and sell it as a benefit that you don't have to go to the hydro shop, which I guess would make sense if you wanted to wait a week longer and the dive shop is closer than the hydro place.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

.....

 

[KeithG]

Have not been in either of the 2 LDS I use in about 3 years. I did make a scuba purchase just this morning. Bought a lifetime supply of 5 different orings from an industrial supplier for $20 cash.

Most of my recent scuba purchases have been via eBay.

I will use my LDS for very special stuff like a mouth piece, bcd or mask.

 

[CosFragger]

I just started visiting the LDS, Underwater Connection here in Colorado Springs, CO starting last January and seems i there every week. Great staff and excited about the opening of their new dive shop by summer.