Sports Chalet

[divebri]

I don't see where they're any competition for EDUCATED, informed scuba consumers.
Once again, like in a previous thread, "where's the money come from?" newbies!
Just as LDS's sell BOW classes dirt-cheap to get consumers, they will do the same.

It's just a little more competition - but once they become educated, they'll find their way to the LDS's. And, as someone pointed out, their advertising will generate phone calls to LDS's. It's the LDS's job to sell them their features, advantages, and benefits.

Will they do a lake snorkel? a bathtub rescue? 58 hours of blowing bubble rings? Three hours of giant strides, followed by two hours of back roll entries?

maybe they'll imitate somebody else and have the HORN of honor - if you pass, you get to blast a freon horn in the store.

Sorry, I got carried away there. No offense.

 

[rakkis]

Sports Chalet is good for us all. We don't compete with each other... we compete with the other ways people find to spend their discretionary income. Get more folks into scuba... and they'll find their way into our shops. Come on Sports Chalet... pay for some radio and TV time!

This would work if most divers stuck with the activity and bought gear. Most stop at the snorkeling gear necessary for the class and buy it where they take their class. Why wouldn't they when SC sells it for 40% less than their LDS? Of the ones that buy full gear, a large number have price as one of their important determinants. So, don't hold your breath.

LDS in SoCA where Sports Chalet is well-established tend to not like the store being there. And even the most market-progressive dive show will tell you that SC's great buying power forces the dive shop to thin out their margins aggresively. While good for the consumer as far as prices go, this is ultimately detrimental for the LDS.

I'm all for free market, but a big boy like SP moving in with warehouses full of stuff and the rest of the store to maintain the bottom line during the dive slow season strikes me as a little unfair. But hey, they have every right to do so. It is a free market and they are authorized dealers.

Just don't expect a local diving boom at your LDS now that a cheaper place to get education and certs is local.

 

[rakkis]

... but once they become educated, they'll find their way to the LDS's. ...

That's the thing. Most don't. Of the ones that stay diving, a large number are 1-2 times a year vacation divers that rent all their gear at their destination.

average SB user != average diver.

 

[divebri]

see below - sorry for the double-post.

 

[divebri]

when I went in there, i was looking for something small ( don't even remember what it was) and noticed it was higher than my LDS. I needed it right away, so I bought it, but regs, bc's, computers, and cameras were from what I could tell just at or above MSRP, equal to or greater than my LDS.

Anybody else seen these 40% discounts he's talking about? 'cause if that's so, goodbye internet, hello SC!

 

[diversteve]

Only having been there twice, from what I remember a lot of their smaller stuff was significantly cheaper. And I was just looking at similar stuff in my LDS.

Regs, etc. will probably be the same since they have to hold to MAP pricing from the mfrs. - or be like LeisurePro and offer their own warranties on gray market items.

Bet they're going to sell an insane amount of gear to all the wannabe divers next Christmas - especially in the mall at Metrocenter. At the Happy Valley store, it's the first thing to your left when you enter the store. All that scuba stuff looks so shiny and high-tech - it's what attracted me....

And although it may require the LDS's to rethink their strategies and develop new value added services, I don't see the downside to having more certified divers here. More people to go on trips with, more people to write their state senator in support of a divepark at Pleasant. (hey I can dream...)

 

[krcollins]

There are some products that can be sold en masse at the big boxes effectively. Consumer electronics and home improvement supplies fit that description. At some point, though, the consumer becomes more educated and demands a higher level of quality and/or service than that available in the big box.

I agree with that since most people with just throw away a busted TV and go to Costco or Best Buy (whoever has the best price) and buy a new one. And you are always needing something around the house. Makes sense.

But the "educated" market for scuba in Phoenix has got to be pretty small since most people buy gear, use it once a year and maybe get it serviced once a year? I still think if you take away that initial gear purchase from the LDS it's gonna hurt.

These are only my opinons. I could be totally talking out of my ***. I wish there was a smiley thing for that!

 

[scubajcf]

We were diving a couple of weeks ago at Lake Pleasant. There was a group of about 12 Sport Chalet students there. I think it is fantastic. More people diving means it is a bigger audience to which we can market too. Many of them will find Scubaboard. Many of them will see our stores. Ignorance doesn't help anyone in this industry. Being a diver means you will seek alternatives. Sport Chalet is generally not the alternative. They are the facilitator.

Now, Sport Chalet is a behemoth. It's undeniable and can't be undermined. But, if the LDS's continue to add value, beyond price competition, Sport Chalet won't be able to touch the us.

////

 

[Dive-aholic]

The only location that will not have a pool it the Metro Mall location. All other SC locations do have pools. SC comes pretty close in pricing their courses to what we price ours, but I don't see them as competition. We sell a different type of course.

What I do see SC as being is a gateway to the sport. Lots of people who are sports minded shop there. They go in to buy climbing gear, kayak gear, camping gear, etc. They happen to see the scuba dept and get interested. Now we have more divers. If it wasn't for SC, they wouldn't even think about scuba.

BTW, the gear they sell isn't all that bad. They have a variety of gear and can special order more. I've been there during their sales. I bought a couple of tanks from them last year for $110/each brand new. I also bought a 5mm hooded vest for $20. Garrett was there with me when I made that last purchase and can vouch.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Ya they do have some good sales as I said, I always try to find their weekly ad in the paper but haven't been able to find it lately (anyone?). Yes Rob got a nice 5mm hooded vest for $20 regularly over $100+, the last one I might add, so I didn't get one (I could have used that this winter, Mr. I have a Drysuit and probably haven't even used it yet). I've seen competetive prices to online retailers for tanks, wetsuits, and camera equipment. They have in-store a lot more little things than the average LDS. They also carry a nice selection of books and DVD's. I got a pelican case there for the same price as online (it was on-sale), which was about $100 cheaper than my LDS.
They won't replace an LDS for me when I need one, but I say, why not take advantage of their buying power when a good deal comes along?