Buying Online vs Overpriced LDS

[buddhasummer]

Here's a good one... a recent OW student purchased all his gear online. He just couldn't resist the excellent discount. Then this guys drops all his stuff off at the LDS and expects them to set it up for free; he then proceeds to argue over the service rate. Let's get a poll from the shop owner's and see just often this happens. My vote is ALL THE TIME.

This is a classic example of someone taking the piss, this I believe is VERY bad form

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If a student of mine did this I would not care if he brought it to me to set up. Of course I do not own a shop. But since I do prefer my students buy local (especially from one shop who really bends over backwards for his customers) I'd charge them to set it up. If they do not like it they are free to take it elsewhere and get charged twice what I would ask them to pay. But fact is the one shop I deal with tries to match online as much as possible. And if that's not possible he will most likely cut deals on other stuff down the road to make it worth it to deal with him.

 

[Red_5]

when I was shopping for my reg, the owner of my LDS made me the best deal, beating other shops and even those on-line.

but sometimes, the LDS doesn't/can't offer every mfg's product. and if there is something you want vs what the LDS has, you gotta do what you gotta do.

my LDS respects my business and doesn't give me crap about where I got it. (probably, the bigger point is that I don't make an issue about where I bought it).

bitching about the cost to put together and/or service, and/or expecting them to do some work for free is uncalled for. Demonstrate to them that you're a valuable customer and they'll more than likely go above and beyond the call to hook you up with this or that perk

 

[oly5050user]

Here's a good one... a recent OW student purchased all his gear online. He just couldn't resist the excellent discount. Then this guys drops all his stuff off at the LDS and expects them to set it up for free; he then proceeds to argue over the service rate. Let's get a poll from the shop owner's and see just often this happens. My vote is ALL THE TIME.

All the time..we charge to set up the gear and while we are at it we put it on the bench and test it.Every so often we have to adjust IP on the regulator or adjust the 2nd stages a bit..thats what is called service that you cannot get from an internet dealer.If they then want to use our pool to test it we charge them for it.If a customer purchased from us and wants to use pool,NO CHARGE for pool use at any time.We have our own inhouse on site heated pool.

 

[canasm00]

This is an interesting question for folks living outside the US.

Personally I have two issues with LDS vs. on-line stores. One is availability, that is, what I want vis a vis what they stock and the other is good old price.

Even in our global market where the internet has brought everything closer, moving stuff from one country into another is still somewhat an issue.

Things like mail forwarder costs, tariffs, bans on certain items (try to ship a diving knife or a pony bottle via air cargo!) and mailing cost affect your decision.

Then there is the issue of warranty and parts. Most of the times the LDS will not service stuff that you have not bought from them, and at least in my country there is no way to make them do it. Besides, even if they are willing to service your stuff, they normally carry parts and have training to work on specific models, and most probably you bought the latest version of a gadget with all the bells and whistles and you find out that they don’t have the expertise (and you don’t want them to get it working on your toy!) or they don’t carry parts for it.

Finally there is all the services you get from your LDS that are not related to equipment. Where I live, (San Jose, Costa Rica) my LDS organizes tours for locals (not the overpriced trips for the foreign tourists), get great prices for hotels, go to places where the boat operators will not normally go for tourists and basically have a place where to go chat and get a friendly cup of coffee (that famous Costa Rican coffee!).

I want my LDS to succeed, and profit, and survive and be there for more than the equipment so what I do is I normally buy on-line what I can’t get at the LDS, take advantage of certain specials and closeouts at a couple of on-line stores and the rest of my business I gladly give to my LDS.

 

[Markho71]

This is a classic example of someone taking the piss, this I believe is VERY bad form

If I recall, "taking the piss" is akin to calling BS on someone. However, after watching several Man Vs. Wild episodes, this may mean drinking ones own piss.

I'm never sure what those blokes across the pond are thinking. I'll bet they buy lots of gear online though.

 

[scubafanatic]

....experienced/serious divers rely on a constant stream of newbie divers entering the sport, and then dropping out...both to keep our LDS alive with a constant revenue stream (so they stay open to do our gas fills/repairs) and to keep E-Bay stocked with a decent selection/supply of quality/good condition dive gear.

 

[Tigerman]

Haha, aint that the truth?
We should try to up the certification rate of vacation divers and push even harder on gear sales during the classes. Maybe an add for a scuba gear manufacturer on, say.. The bottomn of every single page in the manuals?

 

[heavyjeffd]

My perosonal rule of thumb:
I'll pay up to 15-20% plus sales tax (almost another 10%) over a listed online price, to keep the business with my LDS. Anymore money than that, and an online vendor gets my money.

That's pretty much where I am too.

My other problem is the convenient dive shops for me are run by some folks that are not-so-friendly. :mooner:

And the shop I really like is a 2hr drive round trip for me in the wrong direction of everything I do.

I still try and buy everything from the far away shop that I can, but sometimes my life just doesn't allow it and, being in Texas, Scubatoys free shipping for order over $50 gets here the next day for me. I do have to say they have excellent customer service and have always treated me VERY well.

However, the shop I frequent in Austin, Scubaland, has always treated me exceptionally well and I give them as much business as I can within reason.

I ain't made of money!

 

[shoturtle]

Hello all, I'm a big fan of supporting the LDS, the problem is that my LDSs sells what I think is overpriced equipment (at least compared with the online prices of places like LeisurePro and ScubaToys).

Since there are only two LDS in my city (I don't live near the ocean), there's the problem that they don't have much variety in the equipment they sell, and I can't really compare their prices against other stores. For example a Mares Origin Sport MSR Plus costs $250 online, and my LDS sells it in $475 (ALMOST DOUBLE IT'S PRICE).

I Know that online stores may have less expenses than fisical stores, and that my LDS has to pay for the customs and shipping. but I still feell that it's very overpriced.

SO, my questions are as follow:

1.- Using the BCD mentioned above as an example, is it overpriced or that is the price those BCDs get in an regular store?

2.- Is it safe to buy something like a BCD or a First stage-Regulator online in stores like LeisurePro, ScubaToys, etc..?

As I said before, I'd like to support my LDS, but those prices make it very very difficult for me to buy my Equipment.

Thanks in advance for yout thoughts.

Nothing wrong with buying online, you get the same product. And they do have a higher overhead since the online retail keep bigger stock, maintain a web server, warehousing cost and larger staffing, and so forth with being a bigger operation.

I buy most of my equipment from Leisurepro as they are my lds. And they have excellent service, and a great selection. I have brought stuff form the other online store like scubatoys and divesports. I have had no issues what so every with the products and service. You do get the full factory warrenty also form majority of LP's products as they are an authorized dealer of most of the stuff they sell. So do not fall for that same old song and dance allot point to. Just not on Aqualung and Scubapro products, but LP does warranty the items with their own program.

I am not big on throwing away money, for the extra 200 buck I save going with an online retailer, I can put that cash to some better uses. JMTC