Any help on a dive rite package?

[kawasakign]

So where do you guys all buy your dive rite stuff online? It seems that all the LDS around Chicago that have dive rite items don't want to budge on prices (which from what I can tell are already inflated), so I say screw em and I'm going to look online. (of course I'm sure i haven't hit all of them yet and would rather buy local to support them, but lets face it if they won't compete with online sales they are going to die out)
I'm looking for a red rec wing, backplate and delux harness with quick release. (plus tank cams and assocated hardware for single tank dives).
Where's all your favorite places online that could get me a good price on these items in a package?

 

[Tamas]

...you can always try www.diveriteexpress.com

 

[scubadobadoo]

Northeastscubasupply.com has a very nice package deal. Cheapest I have seen yet.

 

[theskull]

Helps if you ask whether you can get a discount for buying a complete set-up all at once rather than asking them to match prices with a web site.

Also helps if you strike up a conversation and show some interest in their product line and any local diving excursions they set up instead of just asking for price breaks.

This may just be a one-time transaction for you, but it is their ongoing livelihood and passion.

You say "would rather buy local to support them" in the same paragraph as "so I say screw em and I'm going to look online". Does that mean you would rather support them, but only if they will sell to you for minimal profit? If you want to support your local businesses, then check the attitude at the door and talk to them to see if there is a middle ground that can please you both.

theskull

 

[hunter991]

I just signed with dive rite but haven't added their products to my page yet. I sent you a PM, if I can help you out let me know.

Brent

 

[*Floater*]

There's lots of people who give good deals on Dive-Rite products. I bought a few regs from Edd at Cave Adventures sometime ago. He had the best DR deals I could find at that time. NESS (North East...) has some really good package deals and specials too sometimes.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Helps if you ask whether you can get a discount for buying a complete set-up all at once rather than asking them to match prices with a web site.

Also helps if you strike up a conversation and show some interest in their product line and any local diving excursions they set up instead of just asking for price breaks.

This may just be a one-time transaction for you, but it is their ongoing livelihood and passion.

You say "would rather buy local to support them" in the same paragraph as "so I say screw em and I'm going to look online". Does that mean you would rather support them, but only if they will sell to you for minimal profit? If you want to support your local businesses, then check the attitude at the door and talk to them to see if there is a middle ground that can please you both.

theskull

Perhaps you are assuming a bit too much here even if I agree with your advise and usually do. That said, perhaps he isn't really interested in their trips and local service? Maybe he just wants a good price? Maybe he did do all of the things you suggested? Maybe they should have tried harder to get the diver's business? Maybe the local prices are too inflated? Maybe they will all go out of business if they don't compete with the internet? Maybe he doesn't care? Maybe they don't care? Maybe they were jerks? Maybe he was? In the end, those shops lost his business because they didn't want to deal with him. Now he's on the internet asking for advice. Who's fault is that? Not his.

 

[kawasakign]

You guys are fast. Thanks for all the links.
As always, I beleive that everyone should at least try to support their LDS. But lets face it, a product is a product. If you can get a product someplace for cheaper and its the same product...then yeah you'd be a fool not to get it at the cheaper price. After moving from Hawaii to Chicago (back to Chicago) I have come to realize one thing, the arrogant dive shop attitude is 300% worse here. If I come into a store and know what I want as an informed consumer, as ask what you can do for me, then the bussiness I walk into should try to do all they can to get my bussiness. Especially since a dive shop lives on repeat customers and repeat training (of which I am looking at getting lots).

That being said..I will now have to get use to the cold and will be looking for a dry suit class and purchase. Would I buy a dry suit over the internet without trying it on and getting the best fit... NO. So the LDS that hooked me up on my BP&W would be the first place I go to look for a dry suit. But as usual, they slipped into arrogant dive shop operator mode and lost me as a customer (for the immediate future).

Remember, I could have first juts looked at the internet without trying my LDSs, but I thought I would first price them out.

 

[hunter991]

......

 

[theskull]

Perhaps you are assuming a bit too much here even if I agree with your advise and usually do. That said, perhaps he isn't really interested in their trips and local service? Maybe he just wants a good price? Maybe he did do all of the things you suggested? Maybe they should have tried harder to get the diver's business? Maybe the local prices are too inflated? Maybe they will all go out of business if they don't compete with the internet? Maybe he doesn't care? Maybe they don't care? Maybe they were jerks? Maybe he was? In the end, those shops lost his business because they didn't want to deal with him. Now he's on the internet asking for advice. Who's fault is that? Not his.

Perhaps. And maybe. And most dive shop operators are in the business because they love diving rather than because they are the smoothest business operators. And I do agree it is not his fault.

I knew I was going a bit against the grain. But he sounded like he just might be sincere about preferring to do some local business rather than just get the absolute bottom price. So I was offering advice on how he could finesse the local shops since it appears that they are not succeeding at finessing him. He can always do business with a computer monitor if he cannot find local humans with whom he can find common ground.

And thanks for the encouragement in your first sentence!

theskull