?? about Leisure Pro

[RonFrank]

I was searching Leisure Pro's website and they have very inexpensive new scuba gear. Has anybody had any problems ordering from them? And there are so many name brands, boy o boy how do I tell the good from the bad? Also (as you can tell I'm a new diver with lots of ?'s, that's why I'm asking before I purchase) on the page for the regulators it says: 1st Stage Type: Diaphragm, LP Port: 5 & HP Port: 2. Please let me know what each of those mean. Thank you!!

PADI OW books cover LP/HP ports, so if you do not know what this means, then you should revisit your PADI book, and this should have been covered in some detail in the OW class.

I realize your post is an attempt to research, but IMO this is likely NOT the place for you to get the information without some basic understanding of your options. Narrow down you choices, THAN post questions on specific products. Keep in mind that equipment choices are somewhat personal preference. Some like Jacket BCS's, others like Back, others swear by BP/Wing combos. Some like a console, others want to wear puters and the compass on the wrist.

To further complicate this, some choice will be based on the type of diving you do. A cold water diver may want a sealed 1st stage where a warm water diver does not.

How do you narrow down the choices? Scuba Diving magazine and the PADI sport diving mag both have equipment reviews in every issue, and some online as well.
There are a lot of articles explaining things terms like piston, balanced/unbalanced, etc. online. Search this forum, and use google as well.

I will second the advice that going to a LDS, and spending a LOT of their time with questions, and then going to purchase online is rude. You may want to give Larry at ScubaToys.com a call. Great prices, valid warranties, and I bet he'd spend a much time on the phone as necessary to give you advice. This actually maybe your best option.

Also realize that LP is a grey market dealer, and offers their own warranty NOT the factor warranty. In many cases this may not make much difference, but it can make a big difference for products like computers where one can NOT change out the battery, etc.

Good Luck,
Ron

 

[RonFrank]

If someone wants to order online that's fine but it's reprehensible to use a LDS as a "changing room" and then order online. If you want the benefit of ordering online, which is a lower price then you take the negatives along with it, which is NOT being able to touch it, feel it, try it on, ask questions about it, exchange it if needed, get convenient service, etc. etc. etc..

I went out Sat with my wife and son, and did a few hours at the mall. I was amazed at the vast numbers of people going into all the stores, and very few had any packages in hand....

We went into a Table top Battle game shop and the owner/manager spent a LOT of time explaining his games to customers/kids. He even played a short game with my Son, complete with narriation including animated full body gestures, and lines like "Commander X rips of the alien Y's arm spilling huge amounts of neon green alien blood..." Too funny! He had a table setup in the back where customers could come in and paint their characters. I was rather IMPRESSED with that type of service, and the amount of effort he put into getting interest in the product. If my son is interested, we will go back and purchase from him.

While I do NOT subscribe drilling a retail store on product selection, and trying stuff on knowing full well that there is ZERO intention of a purchase, the reality is that retail salesman should treat every customer as a lifelong potential customer. Even if they do NOT purchase gear at the LDS, instruction is certainly nothing to sneeze at.

I did a tour of the Denver LDS's recently, and one DL owner definately came across like I was just there to use him, and then purchase elsewhere. I was actually interested in just seeing what brands he carried, what his service was like, and what classes he offered at what price. I won't likley go back...

Ron

 

[redacted]

I was in Sam's the other day and feeling a bit hungy. So while waiting for the boss to finish her shopping, I decided to head over to the food section and see what freebee's they were pushing. I tasted 4 or 5 different things with no real intention to buy. Although I have, in the past, fell to the temptation and purchased some of the sampled goodies, I didn't this time. Was I rude & reprehensible?

I sometimes take advantage of things that businesses offer for free. If they didn't factor that into there plan, they were pretty stupid.

 

[jonnythan]

I was in Sam's the other day and feeling a bit hungy. So while waiting for the boss to finish her shopping, I decided to head over to the food section and see what freebee's they were pushing. I tasted 4 or 5 different things with no real intention to buy. Although I have, in the past, fell to the temptation and purchased some of the sampled goodies, I didn't this time. Was I rude & reprehensible?

I sometimes take advantage of things that businesses offer for free. If they didn't factor that into there plan, they were pretty stupid.

Try this out. I was in a shop on Sunday picking up an undersuit I had ordered from them. While waiting (there was a bit of a crowd) I tried on a mask or two, played with a Scout, and that kind of thing just to pass the time. I wouldn't feel bad about buying a Scout online from somewhere else now.. but if I went to the shop and looked at their various backup lights and asked some questions about them.. THEN went home that night and bought a Scout from the internet, then that would be reprehensible.

It's common sense. Don't take advantage of people.. or shops for that matter. Multinational corporations are a little different IMO

 

[StSomewhere]

Multinational corporations are a little different IMO

 

[Dive-aholic]

One other thing...we've bought wetsuits, gloves, etc online that were a size off. No problems with the exchange. Less hassle at the LDS--not really. They don't carry a huge selection of cold water suits, so we would have had to order and exchange anyway. Only since we handled the exchange it went a lot faster. In fact, we're still waiting for our LDS to get a replacement part for a camera housing we bought there. We talked to them over a month ago. I went home and called the manufacturer that afternoon because I had the feeling it wouldn't be handled and was directed to a repair shop that sent us the part for free. I'm glad I did that too because we got some awesome photos on our last trip a couple of weeks ago that we wouldn't have been able to get without the part. And it doesn't help to complain to our LDS. They don't listen.

Okay, I'm done venting and bashing our LDS. Thanks for listening!!!

 

[narcT]

You should go to a scuba shop and see what you like then order from leisurePro

I agree with you. I have been run out of more than one LDS because I asked if they could come "even close" to LP's price. Man o man do owners get PISSED OFF!

I don't even bother asking anymore, I just see what I like at the shop when I'm getting my tanks filled and buy it from LP. Its sad everyone today has to make at least a 1000% profit to be happy.

I have purchased all my equipment (and my wifes) from LP. I have never had a problem with any of it. Reg's, BC's, computers, fins, wetsuits, everything new.

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=capitalism&x=12&y=14

 

[ZenDiver]

Why does everyone think Dive shops make this huge profit? Because they sell it 20 percent more then LP. Thats crazy. Your local dive shop does not have the profit margin that you all think they have. They are lucky to get 10 percent of net after all the bills are paid. Thats what it costs a "good" LDS to do business. Try to support them if you get good service from them. Dive shops don't make much money on classes, they don't make much money on trips, they don't make much on air fills, they pay their bills by selling equipment.

 

[Far_X]

I am curious as to why certain manufacturers don't like certain internet stores to sell their products. I don't believe that price is an issue as I have received some good discounts on stuff I have bought at my LDS which has beaten LP's prices without me even asking for a discount. Costs are certainly less for an online store as a warehouse has got to be cheaper to rent/lease/buy/run than a store where people walk into so why can't these savings be passed on in the form of cheaper retail prices though as LP have a store in Manhattan I can see that being pretty expensive to run unless they own the building as they have the camera business on the ground floor also. Is the wholesale prices of these products cheaper for the likes of LP than it is for LDS? Look how Gateway are now copying Dell by closing their stores and selling online and by phone!!! Why don't the diving manufacturers move into the 21st century and realise that online buying is not going to go away? I know that maybe the death knell for many LDS but unfortunately the next few years are going to see the survival of the fittest and the others disappearing. Do we all spend the same money on equipment year in year out? Of course not, which is why we have annual inspections. There was a big influx of divers which encouraged LDS to sprout up but now there may be too many for us divers to continously support. I think the LDS needs to specialise in the service industry rather than making the selling of equipment their main priority. Quality training leads to loyal customers which LP could never compete with. You get the occasional troll, as we all know, but on the whole, if a customer thinks he/she is specially treat, they will go back for more. Don't know exactly where I have gone with this but there you have it...LOL.

 

[redacted]

Why does everyone think Dive shops make this huge profit? Because they sell it 20 percent more then LP. Thats crazy. Your local dive shop does not have the profit margin that you all think they have. They are lucky to get 10 percent of net after all the bills are paid. Thats what it costs a "good" LDS to do business. Try to support them if you get good service from them. Dive shops don't make much money on classes, they don't make much money on trips, they don't make much on air fills, they pay their bills by selling equipment.

It depends on what you define as the "margin". You are right from the standpoint that not many LDSs are getting rich and most work pretty hard just to get by. So 10% of net going into pocket is quite believable. OTOH, markup on most items sold in and LDS is about 100% or more of the wholesale price of those items when bought in sufficient quantity to get the best price from the manufacturer or distributor. That is the price that larger authorized dealers are paying for their merchandise. LeisurePro probably pays about 10% more than that through various "unauthorized" channels. The difference in the "margin" is probably a good indication of the efficiency of the LDS. I think that, in general, the scuba consumer would be better off if the inefficient LDS disappeared and made it easier for the remaining LDS to compete and make a decent living. I'll never understand why a retailer would adopt a business plan that depends on selling equipment for 50% to 100% more than a consumer can purchase that equipment from a competitor.

Survival of the fittest.