The computer is gone, not repairable. If it was underwarrenty (which it's not because of age) and purchased from a dealer they would replace it.
I understand the problems with gray market and I don't blame people for price shopping and purchasing it at the least expensive shop.
There are two sides to this problem. First, if Aqualung didn't have minimum pricing then you would have large dive shops (like Sport Chalet) being able to offer the product at a much less price, like LP. This would cause a similar problem that some areas are seeing with Walmart. It could put the little guy out of business. See, a shop that buys a more product from a manufacture may get a better price than a shop that only buys one or two every couple months. So the shop that gets a better price could sell it for less since they are paying less. Now the problems come in when it causes the little shops to go out of business. Where do we get our air?? LeisurePro isn't pumping gas as far as I know.
Second, I've been told the following. Take it for what it's worth as I can't prove anything. Say Aqualung sells 100 computers to a dive shop. A dive shop keeps 20 for their stock and then sells 80 for less than retail to someone else. This person jacks up the price a little and they make their way to LP. I've been told that Aqualung does not sell directly to LP. How many hands have they passed thru...one or ten? I don't know--I'm a nobody. Why would Aqualung care? They say if you don't buy it from an authorized dealer we won't back the item. Aqualung is still selling the computer to an authorized dealer and the owner of the computer is saving money. The only people that this hurts is #1 the little dive shop and #2 a customer if they have a problem.
I'm not saying price fixing is the answer and I'm not telling anyone where to shop. I am just trying to show another side of this.
John is right. He didn't have any problems until the computer was out of warranty. If it was purchased from an authorized dealer would Aqualung have done something more to help him out? Maybe/maybe not, but then I could have asked and tried to work something out.
It hasn't been that long since internet stores started poping up. Heck, it hasn't been that long since diving opened up to more people. There are still lots of wrinkles to be ironed out in this industry.
I understand the problems with gray market and I don't blame people for price shopping and purchasing it at the least expensive shop.
There are two sides to this problem. First, if Aqualung didn't have minimum pricing then you would have large dive shops (like Sport Chalet) being able to offer the product at a much less price, like LP. This would cause a similar problem that some areas are seeing with Walmart. It could put the little guy out of business. See, a shop that buys a more product from a manufacture may get a better price than a shop that only buys one or two every couple months. So the shop that gets a better price could sell it for less since they are paying less. Now the problems come in when it causes the little shops to go out of business. Where do we get our air?? LeisurePro isn't pumping gas as far as I know.
Second, I've been told the following. Take it for what it's worth as I can't prove anything. Say Aqualung sells 100 computers to a dive shop. A dive shop keeps 20 for their stock and then sells 80 for less than retail to someone else. This person jacks up the price a little and they make their way to LP. I've been told that Aqualung does not sell directly to LP. How many hands have they passed thru...one or ten? I don't know--I'm a nobody. Why would Aqualung care? They say if you don't buy it from an authorized dealer we won't back the item. Aqualung is still selling the computer to an authorized dealer and the owner of the computer is saving money. The only people that this hurts is #1 the little dive shop and #2 a customer if they have a problem.
I'm not saying price fixing is the answer and I'm not telling anyone where to shop. I am just trying to show another side of this.
John is right. He didn't have any problems until the computer was out of warranty. If it was purchased from an authorized dealer would Aqualung have done something more to help him out? Maybe/maybe not, but then I could have asked and tried to work something out.
It hasn't been that long since internet stores started poping up. Heck, it hasn't been that long since diving opened up to more people. There are still lots of wrinkles to be ironed out in this industry.