Biggest thing killing dive shops?

[TMHeimer]

There are parts of the world I boycott......places like North Korea, Cuba, and California are on my list....places with alien values, political systems that I cannot stomach or support, so while I appreciate the invite, thanks but no thanks.

Not sure how tongue & cheek here, but having been "detained" 4 days in the USSR (front page news) in 1984 (Nachodka in Soviet Far East), I can't chuckle when a US state is compared to DPRK, or even Cuba (been there, another interesting story). Sorry for the "tangent" here.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Not sure how tongue & cheek here, but having been "detained" 4 days in the USSR (front page news) in 1984 (Nachodka in Soviet Far East), I can't chuckle when a US state is compared to DPRK, or even Cuba (been there, another interesting story). Sorry for the "tangent" here.

I don’t think it’s funny at all.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Not too long ago we all relied on a local business or something like consumer reports to help us consumers make a semi intelligent decisions in our purchases and costs. In those days the business owner still had most of the knowledge and we put some trust in them. In 1993 the internet started and that whole dynamic started to change. Today sources like scuba board or other online sources have mostly removed the information asymmetry in product information and pricing knowledge, which enables the consumer to make more informed decisions. So it’s more than price matching; it’s being a trusted source too. If I can visit a local shop and get similar prices to online and good information I’ll likely buy there.

My take is that many dive shops still live in denial about the internet world and still consider themselves “in charge” of diving with their knowledge and “authorized dealership” gear sales.
This has all changed now with many new brands and gear choices, many of which will sell parts directly to the customer, and also black market parts which have surfaced on eBay via people buying out the stock of LDS’s that fold up.
All the information is out there and dive shops can’t really snow people easily anymore with that much contradictory information out there at your fingertips. Many dive shops have never even heard of half the new stuff and how people are buying, and what they are buying.

At my LDS, the owner doesn’t even dive anymore locally (hasn’t for years) and he might go on a trip to the Channel Islands once in a great while. Super nice guy but hardly a source to know what’s happening locally, or the latest trends in gear.

 

[TrimixToo]

Truth.

I thought it was just me...

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Wow, a friendly discussion of diving and this spews out. Sad.

Yeah, I’m biting my tongue on that one. Lol

 

[lermontov]

I've seen a few examples - part of the problem that I've seen is that people get into diving and enjoy it so much they decide to buy /open a dive shop - theyre passionate and that passion is infectious and it carries them along - problem is many of them are poor business people and sooner or later it catches up with them and they lose hope - it ends up that running a dive shop is a grind of barely surviving and they eventually fold.
the other one ive noted is that they get caught up in the running of training week in and week out and never go on a private trip to replenish there batteries. They get bored and lose interest and this in turn projects a poor image to enthuse new comers and repeat customers

When I first started diving I went to rarotonga and did two days diving -first dive the DM was enthusiastic showed us different fish species and made it all very interesting 2nd DM did all the same things but just went through thru motions with no heart - for a new customer It was a noticeable contrast. So sometimes staff member can be a LDS down fall. At another LDS i had one of the staff members undermining the owner behind his back. Theres a lot of people dynamics in a LDS not all have it worked out yet

 

[KevinNM]

I don’t think it’s funny at all.

Well, as loyal member of the PRK of course you’d say that.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

In the case of our LDS’s around here, I think many are stagnant. Many of them have been around for years and are still clinging onto what they knew 20 years ago. Like I said, many don't even dive anymore so have no way of even knowing what they are selling or how well/not very well it works. I think if dive shop owners got a little more involved in some of the newest gear at least they could pass along informed advice. For instance, shops are selling freedivers scuba suits for freediving instead of freediving suits. They have never even tried a freediving suit so they have no way of knowing how well they work. Same with BC’s, they stock the latest jackets and think that’s all there is, but have no idea what a BP/W is and don’t care. They have never tried one to contrast it to the jacket to understand why people like them. This spills over into fins and other stuff too, like hose routing/hose lenghts, etc.
They are very stuck and it’s hurting them. If they were more involved and willing to learn about the latest trends and got ahead of the learning curve they could actually be a resource of knowledge once again and sell more gear.
Diving is a strange animal.
When I was into bicycling I remember going to my LBS and they always knew what was the latest greatest. They also rode, every one of them, some up to 300 mi a week.
Other sports the same way. They all want the advantage of having the latest and greatest technology as a competitive weapon against their competition.
I don’t see this with diving, I see outdated technology and stagnation,
a kind of cookie cutter display of the same old gimmicky tired gear that the industry pushes.

 

[Adam Jorgenson]

Online venues have been hurting brick and mortar business across the spectrum due to the ease of purchase. I could buy a new bc while driving down the interstate and have it by the end of the week. Local dive shops have such a hard time competing with that kind of instant access, let alone the reduced prices you can find online. That being said, there are ways dive shops can keep themselves in the market. Product knowledge and service are huge incentives to buy from a dive shop. I can also see the importance of being there. A lot of dive shops do week long destination dives and weekend getaways all year long. I always wonder who's running the shop when they're gone diving. My dive shop will have someone there everyday, but alot don't. From a business perspective, youve got to be open, especially on weekends. This is when you will see the most customers. If I'm looking for a product, and the place is closed, I go to the next place. Someone has to be there. And they have to know their stuff. My father and I run a meat business together. It's just known that we can never both be gone. You have to have someone with knowledge of the product there. Hiring quality people is key. I also agree with the importance of the way the shop looks. Presentation sells people on your business. It can't look like a flea market. I've been in shops that were great and those that weren't, and it kills your trust in the shop when they don't seem to care about what they do. And of course, competitive pricing and having a wide selection of products is very important as well. Local dive shops can definitely still make it in this new online world, they just need to understand and capitalize on their strengths over the online marketplace.
As far as the political issues that have come up, I'm always going to find people who don't agree with my values. But if I start choosing to not go someplace on the chance not everyone agrees with me when I get there, I would probably end up not diving at all. It's just not worth it to live that way.

 

[mdb]

In the case of our LDS’s around here, I think many are stagnant. Many of them have been around for years and are still clinging onto what they knew 20 years ago. Like I said, many don't even dive anymore so have no way of even knowing what they are selling or how well/not very well it works. I think if dive shop owners got a little more involved in some of the newest gear at least they could pass along informed advice. For instance, shops are selling freedivers scuba suits for freediving instead of freediving suits. They have never even tried a freediving suit so they have no way of knowing how well they work. Same with BC’s, they stock the latest jackets and think that’s all there is, but have no idea what a BP/W is and don’t care. They have never tried one to contrast it to the jacket to understand why people like them. This spills over into fins and other stuff too, like hose routing/hose lenghts, etc.
They are very stuck and it’s hurting them. If they were more involved and willing to learn about the latest trends and got ahead of the learning curve they could actually be a resource of knowledge once again and sell more gear.
Diving is a strange animal.
When I was into bicycling I remember going to my LBS and they always knew what was the latest greatest. They also rode, every one of them, some up to 300 mi a week.
Other sports the same way. They all want the advantage of having the latest and greatest technology as a competitive weapon against their competition.
I don’t see this with diving, I see outdated technology and stagnation,
a kind of cookie cutter display of the same old gimmicky tired gear that the industry pushes.

Eric:

You started a good thread, that has "legs".

Your comments about older stores "stuck in their ways" rings very true.

I can think of quite a few stores that fit that stereotype.

One of my nephews is a very active bike rider. He is member of a bike team, does long rides all the time.

He is always posting pics of his newest and greatest gear: tires, helmets, shoes, etc.

His local bike store is all in on having the latest bikes and bike equipment in stock.
They are always bringing in the newest distributors/manufacturers and inviting the
reps to bike club meetings to introduce the new gear.

My nephew has a great collection of bike gear; "Look what I just got Uncle Michael!"