Comparison of the buying online vs local LDS argument

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My LDS is great. I enjoy driving there, and visiting. They usually order what I need, if not in stock, get a reasonable price and an excuse to go back.
I find that most of the other clients feel the same way, we have become friend. It pays when you go to the local quarry and you have people that you can dive and learn from.
 
Haha US postal box people. You are all close enough like me!

Even with the exchange rate, I find it cheaper to buy online and pick it up.l across. No shipping fees and normally no duties.
 
I'm surprised that no one is talking about this: How are you online shoppers going to get your tanks filled when all of the LDSs have gone belly up and no longer pump air if you only spend money at distant ethereal sites?

Unless you are planning on putting a compressor system in your garage, we need to support our LDSs.
 
Haha US postal box people. You are all close enough like me!

Even with the exchange rate, I find it cheaper to buy online and pick it up.l across. No shipping fees and normally no duties.

I don’t think 1.5 hrs each way, plus the hassles of crossing the border to pick up my package is a good use of my time.

Plus, I am “obligated” to declare my imported goods so I do end up paying the HST and duties. :wink:

But of course to each his own.

And I like to go to my shop cause everybody knows my name LOL.
 
Stoo hit the nail.
So you saved 50 bucks by ordering from dgx but now you need to fill those tanks.

Can you order an air full online?

On the other hand shop owners need to learn to be more aggressive with vendors.
If a product is available online for less money than the shops dealer cost then that brand needs to catch hell over it.
 
What I will not do is try things at a store, then buy online, as I consider that to be unethical.

1+ I buy some items, like tanks used, but waiting until the right comes along can take time. I waited more than a year to buy my steel 120s because they don’t show up on Craig’s List very often.

My LDS sells air, which the on line shops cannot. I try to buy a fair amount of gear from the shop. If I need advice or ask a question about gear, the sale is theirs. TBH, they are usually pretty close to the online deals anyway.
 
Lots of people suggest “buy online” but sometimes the trouble just ain’t worth it.

I’ve been thinking about a pair of LP50s for easier boat SM (bad knees/sciatica mean a twinset is not an option at all).

New tanks are about $675 from my LDS, including left/right SM modular valves with the vindicator knobs I like. Walk in and get them, valves are on, VIP done, they’re filled.

Online: $480 for just tanks from NE Scuba Supply including tax and $40 shipping. Two DGX brand modular valves (no Vindicator knobs) are $78 with free shipping. VIP at shop (includes air fill) $25 x 2. Puts me just around $600.

The convenience of just walking into shop is worth the extra $75 for me.

Yes, I found a used pair here for $400 but seller preferred not to ship and he wanted buyer to send him all packing material for him to ship. Too much of a pita trying to get correct packing materials from a distance. My life is crazy enough that I just don’t want to deal with that.

I have had good experiences and not so good with both. I contract for a local shop and they will price match most online prices, now of course has to be something they carry typically or can get it. I actually would say I am about 50/50 or so with online and LDS. I have four divers in my house and so getting the best deal is always something I am looking at, but buying a wet suit or something that has to fit I typically buy LDS unless I am replacing an old one and know the size I need exactly. Just like anything there are pro's and con's to both.
 
OZ is an interesting case.

I usually draw the line when the LDS premium is 25%+ over online (inc shipping). Depending on the item it's often much more than 50% in those cases where premium exists.

However, after receiving some LDS discount many items are at less of a premium, and we have good consumer guarantee laws, and on top of that if you fly overseas with the item you can claim your GST back on it (10%).

Often it's much cheaper to source items from the UK or the US, and sometimes it's necessary, as importers don't have their full range available.
 
I bought a compressor......

Lot of folks aren’t going to have that option. I live in a small apartment staples condo. I couldn’t even run a generator during a power outage. Nowhere to put it. As I’ve mentioned before, I drive 100 miles round trip once a week during the season in awful rush hour traffic to get fills. Part of the reason is that DRIS fills are very reasonably priced. They also have hyper clean air (or whatever you call it) that is suitable for O2 clean tanks. None of the other shops closer to me have hyper clean air. DRIS also banks 32%. No one else near me does that. I may occasionally rent HP100 for deeper wrecks. Again, nothing the shops near me offer.

Most of the shops in the Chicago area are the vanilla PADI shops focused on tropical diving. Some even charge more for filling HP tanks.

I tend to buy my large items at the shop and some smaller bits online. I have Deep6 fins. A few bits I’ve gotten online are things or brands my shop doesn’t carry.

I do buy some things used. An XTX50 set new in box. My Hollis SMS75 rig. Thermal Fusion undersuit.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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