Aqualung and gray markets...FYI

[fireflock]

The gripe is this -- the shop wanted $64 to fill (4) 130s with nitrox. Holy crap. :11:

That's only a buck or so more than the average price per tank in these parts....

 

[bfw]

I believe what happens here, in the USA, is the mfgr still warrants the product. But he does not honor that warranty to anyone other than the original owner.

I wasn't talking about the legal formalities, but rather the ontological nature of the warranty. Either a company makes sound, reliable equipment or they make junk. Either they stand behind the quality of their product or they don't. If they make good stuff, there isn't some sort of magic charm in LP's warehouse that turns it into junk, and LP isn't sabotaging the stuff they sell. If a computer left Suunto's plant with no O-ring in the battery door, how does who sold it make Suunto any less responsible for their mistake? If a fin strap is made of bad rubber, an authorized dealer doesn't have a mass spectrometer to detect that before it goes out the door.

What Aqualung is essentially saying is that their warranty doesn't speak to the quality of their goods - it's just an insurance policy that the authorized dealer forces the consumer to buy on essentially mediocre quality products.

 

[bfw]

Mike, I was going to stay away from stating my reasons for making this post, but since I have respect for you I will answer your question. I have no direct relationship with Aqualung. I do not work "for" my LDS but I independently contract as an instructor through it. Yes, they sell Aqualung gear.

And I bet, like most shops, the markup they get on Aqualung gear subsidizes your courses and makes them affordable.

Follow the money....always follow the money.

 

[bfw]

I found it very interesting as seeing them take a stance finally against grety market when many people believe they are the source of the grey market material being sold.

Ultimately, they are - if you follow the supply chain to its root, there's only one possible source, or else Oceanic or Mares is getting away with some SERIOUS trademark and patent infringement. AL knows where those uncharacteristically big orders are going.

 

[SparticleBrane]

That's only a buck or so more than the average price per tank in these parts....

I know -- those fill prices are utterly ridiculous.

 

[Kern]

They don't MAKE anything I want, but unfortunately, they got Suunto to give them USA distribution of their dive computers.

No, AL didn't get Suunto to give them anything. AL & Suunto are both owned by the French gas company Liquid Air. Liquid Air also owns US Divers, Technisub, Apeks, Seaquest & probably others I'm not aware of.

As to their warranties; bring any of the above gear you bought from your authorised LDS in the US to Oz & ask for a repair under warranty. You won't be happy with the response.

 

[bfw]

No, AL didn't get Suunto to give them anything.

Suunto's non-dive products are at Amazon.com. Whether through a corporate parent or otherwise, AL has a stranglehold on their dive products.

 

[bfw]

This makes me wonder if Divers Direct knows something we don't about AL's distribution policies?

Years ago I was at one of their stores and they were closing out all their AL and Suunto stuff. They'd been cut off due to Internet sales. As long as they agree to no online sales, and honoring MSRP, AL is happy to have them in the family.

 

[bfw]

Can the average Joe buy their car direct from Ford, Nissan, Chevrolet, etc on thier websites???

He can buy one from any private seller or used car lot and have the remaining warranty transferred to him.

 

[Splitlip]

And if you need that, great. For a lot of equipment, I can learn more USEFUL about it from the manufacturer's website than I gain from an emotional reaction to seeing it in person.

Now that is a silly comment to make. I will grant you some equipment can be purchased with all the information needed in print to make an informed decision.

But come on now. A BCD? Do you really think you would not be better served by using one?

And you believe I purchase base on an emotional reaction, then you don't know me. Oh.. that's right. You don't know me. So don't be too quick to judge how I make decisions

As a matter of fact my daughter used 5 BCD's before we settled on the Scubapro. Including one of my BPW's and 2 that came from another dive shops rental fleet.

I think I did better than those who read a review or a manufacturers sales pitch and then buy from a web based outlet and say "it feels great" Compared to what?