Biggest thing killing dive shops?

[wetb4igetinthewater]

We refused to cater to fad diets, gluten free, unless a celiac, and vegetarians could just eat around. Obviously anyone with a food allergy would be accommodated. I always liked the folks who said "I'm gluten free" and ate every brownie on the boat. Until I charged them $50 for special diets. Suddenly they became not so gluten free.

I just bring my own food. I don't expect people to have to accommodate my diet preferences. They have a system in place. Who am I to disrupt that?

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Online outlets have warehouse leases and employees as well... Evo doesn't do performance rentals and this shop does. A $500 manufacturer suggested retail price already factors in a markup. This shop is getting greedy because of the convenience of being right by the mountain. Sure, they'll get sales from people who want to ski the gear the next day. That's their business model and what differentiates them from an online business. But throwing a fit about lost sales to savvy shoppers not only makes someone sound entitled, but flat out stupid to not understand that this is how business works.

You say do homework before buying? Are you kidding me? So you'd not let anyone in your store to look around? Guess what, that's where a ton of impulse purchases come from. Some return the gear, quite a few keep the gear. And you don't want someone in your store that buys the best deal? With you attitude, if you ever have a business, you're going to fail, then you're going to come on here and ***** about how it's not your fault and that 'smart shoppers' put you out of business. Welcome to 2018.

So here's some advice, and I'm sure most people will agree that you're going to need it. Competition exists. You can't complain that better deals will put the hurt on your business. Do something to differentiate yourself.

I know what dive shop that encourages customers to look online on their phone at the shop and compare prices. They just ask that customers give them a chance. That's fair. What you did wasn't. You can try to justify it as much you want, but please understand, you are only rationalizing it for yourself.

 

[mdb]

We refused to cater to fad diets, gluten free, unless a celiac, and vegetarians could just eat around. Obviously anyone with a food allergy would be accommodated. I always liked the folks who said "I'm gluten free" and ate every brownie on the boat. Until I charged them $50 for special diets. Suddenly they became not so gluten free.

My DIL is Ms. Super Vegan.

A very nice girl, but a PITAS when we are dining out in the NE,PA coal region:

"That salad has some meat on it, I can't have that."

The local salty waitress would usually say something like "OK hon, do you want
some carrots?"

 

[Wookie]

Actually, Vegans were easy. They weren't picky, they just wouldn't eat meat. As I had a chef, he had no problems with making vegan meals to accompany us carnivores. As long as they weren't "Separate Galley" type vegans. Or no leather vegans. But they don't dive, I guess.

No, the pain was the gluten free brownie eater or the shrimp scarfing vegetarian. I can't tell you how many times a nice veggie pasta or the gluten free dinner rolls sat lonely and neglected on the sideboard while my "Gluten free" ate their weight in fresh baked dinner rolls, or my vegetarian went plowing through the shrimp.

So I made it easy. If you requested a special diet, we charged an extra fee. Again, Vegans were easy, so they just got meals served to them. Vegetarians were $50, and Gluten free were $100. Kosher and vegan were allowed to bring their own chow if they preferred, and true vegans and kosher can't eat with utensils that have touched the "unclean". That put an end to the gluten free and shrimp eating vegetarians.

 

[mdb]

Actually, Vegans were easy. They weren't picky, they just wouldn't eat meat. As I had a chef, he had no problems with making vegan meals to accompany us carnivores. As long as they weren't "Separate Galley" type vegans. Or no leather vegans. But they don't dive, I guess.

No, the pain was the gluten free brownie eater or the shrimp scarfing vegetarian. I can't tell you how many times a nice veggie pasta or the gluten free dinner rolls sat lonely and neglected on the sideboard while my "Gluten free" ate their weight in fresh baked dinner rolls, or my vegetarian went plowing through the shrimp.

So I made it easy. If you requested a special diet, we charged an extra fee. Again, Vegans were easy, so they just got meals served to them. Vegetarians were $50, and Gluten free were $100. Kosher and vegan were allowed to bring their own chow if they preferred, and true vegans and kosher can't eat with utensils that have touched the "unclean". That put an end to the gluten free and shrimp eating vegetarians.

Wookie, you had a good and fair policy.

My sweet DIL falls into the category: of no milk, no eggs, nothing from any animal, no leather, no fur.

Not exactly a coal region diet; "Do youse want any extra grease on that?"

 

[Wookie]

Not exactly a coal region diet; "Do youse want any extra grease on that?"

She asked as the ash from her cigarette trembled above the cups of coffee. The coffee with the swirl of petroleum product floating on it.

I love those diners. Yes, extra lard, please. Just one scoop.

 

[scubadada]

...I am guilty of this too, which is why I'm no longer in the charter boat business (If you don't like what I serve for dinner, choose another boat). Guess what? Folks chose another boat.

I liked all my meals on the Spree. Beer with dinner was also a nice feature

 

[Brian G]

A $500 manufacturer suggested retail price already factors in a markup. This shop is getting greedy because of the convenience of being right by the mountain.

I expect to pay MSRP for items at a local retailer. If they priced a pair of $500 boots at $650 and I found out about it after I bought them, I would return them too. This has nothing to do with local vs online stores though. The MSRP is the upper limit of what I am willing to pay.

 

[scubadada]

Many of us have now been following this interesting thread for 3 weeks. There have been a large number of constructive recommendations made.

If all you do is use the shop to examine and try on gear, only to make all your purchases online, you can't expect that shop to thrive. Spending just a little more, rather than always saving the last dollar, may end up being a wise investment. There will always be some reasons that we will continue to need a good dive shop

 

[KevinNM]

Actually, Vegans were easy. They weren't picky, they just wouldn't eat meat. As I had a chef, he had no problems with making vegan meals to accompany us carnivores. As long as they weren't "Separate Galley" type vegans. Or no leather vegans. But they don't dive, I guess.

No, the pain was the gluten free brownie eater or the shrimp scarfing vegetarian. I can't tell you how many times a nice veggie pasta or the gluten free dinner rolls sat lonely and neglected on the sideboard while my "Gluten free" ate their weight in fresh baked dinner rolls, or my vegetarian went plowing through the shrimp.

So I made it easy. If you requested a special diet, we charged an extra fee. Again, Vegans were easy, so they just got meals served to them. Vegetarians were $50, and Gluten free were $100. Kosher and vegan were allowed to bring their own chow if they preferred, and true vegans and kosher can't eat with utensils that have touched the "unclean". That put an end to the gluten free and shrimp eating vegetarians.

I was low carb. As long as not everything was covered in heavy breading or just pasta it was cool.