Al 80's around?

[headhunter]

I haven't been able to tell any difference. The only thing that affects them as far as I can tell is the choice of gas I put in them.

Thanks that's good to know. They probably have the same characteristics.

Christian

 

[ChrisA]

It is amazing how much money they lose..... but I guess being so large they can afford the hits.

Evil being mentioned as I think they are a tough hurdle for the LDS owners, trying to make a living.

I has browsing thier web site and ran into a couple stockholder reports. (SC is a public traded company so they are required to publish detailed finanial reports.) They don'r loose money.

A company like SC as opposed to a small LDS can afford to look at the big picture and run on the staticitcal laws of large numbers. What they have found, and the reason the SC concept "works" is that they sell "everything". For example I'll go in there because they have a sale (right now) on snowboards and while I'm in there I can't help looking at the scuba stuff and spend $20 there even if I did decide not to buy a snowboard.
The other thing about SC is that there is at least one guy in each department that knows his stuff. The scuba sales people are instructors or DMs and the others in ski or golf have similar experiance. It's not just a "big box" wherehouse store, they have good staff.

The probem with SC, and it's not a small problem is the way they run thier OW classes.
They use Henry Ford's mass production assembly line technique as adapted to scuba
instruction. Padi allows 8 students if there is a DM, so SC will put 16 students in a
class headed by two instructors different instructors for class, pool and open water

 

[pasley]

...The problem with SC, and it's not a small problem is the way they run their OW classes.
They use Henry Ford's mass production assembly line technique as adapted to scuba
instruction. Padi allows 8 students if there is a DM, so SC will put 16 students in a
class headed by two instructors different instructors for class, pool and open water

Let us just say that was one experience. I certified with SC in 2001 and had the same instructor all the way through. I did my AOW 2 years later and had the same instructor all the way through. Your experience may vary.

You are on the money about the formula. SCUBA, Baseball, mountain climbing and roller bladeing and the other sports are somewhat seasonal even in California. Snow ski and other winter sports keep them coming in the cold weather. So they are a store that can expect strong trade in at least one department year round. When I come in for a fill I have 30-50 minutes to kill and wonder around the store. That often leads to unintended purchases. That year round trade helps carry the off season deparments. The also shrink and expand departments size depending on the season. SCUBA and swimming will consolidate in the winter and expand in the summer. So they can "right size" the sales floor. Single sport shops are stuck with the same size sales floor in peak and slow season alike.

As has already been said they also hire people who participate in the activity of the department they work in. Many also instruct in their sport. The staff is friendly and the store is neat, well lit and clean.

Then the number of stores gives them great purchasing power so they can negotiate the price and buy it for less. Mom and Pop stores can do that if they want. IGA stands for Independent Grocers Association, a collection of mom and pop grocery stores that pool there orders and advertising budget.

 

[BlueDolphin]

ChrisA, "They don't loose money"

That was my point.

To say they have "good staff" is a bit of a stretch. Don't get me wrong..... they are nice an all. But the managers are a bit out of touch sometimes..... and unfortunately they can't point you in the direction of the bathroom without a manager approval. I will be posting a thread on a new drysuit soon to splain.

 

[scubapro5]

Hey Roger,

Have you heard from Serg lately? He hasn't returned my phone calls...

L

Hi Laurel sorry for the slow reply,I guess I missed this post.

I seen Sergio on Wednesday at the fishing show and I called him today and told him you were trying to get a hold of him.

C-Ya

 

[Jim Ernst]

try sports chalet, as i got two alu 80 for $99 each, though my girl freind and i have now gone to steel (hp 80 for her hp 120 for me) our alu 80 are about 5 mounths old but i am not sure if she wants to sell them but you can get them new at sports chalet for so cheap you may want to look there.