You apparently have no idea what a dirty little world the Scuba Industry is... and it would take more time than I have to educate you... but please accept just one example of what goes on:
A dealer (Scuba Store) is offered tiered pricing based on the volume they buy from a manufacturer. It may look something like this for a given item:
Platinum $200 Gold $225 Silver $250 Bronze $300
Most mom and pop businesses buy at the bronze level and the very best (highest volume) dealers buy at the Platinum level. This system alone creates an inequity of $100.00 in this given example.
All dealers regardless of size buy into this program as part of an agreement with the manufacturers that they (the manufacturers) will not sell underhandly at lower than the platinum level to wholesalers such as Leisurepro and others. They buy into this because of a system known as MAP (or Minimum Advertised Pricing) which guarantees at least some profit margin for all dealers regardless of size. For the above example.. the MAP price may be $399.00.
Theoritically this means the mom and pop store will make $99 profit and the store that sells high volume is rewarded with a higher profit margin of $199. In the perfect world this works and everyone is happy. The mom and pop don't have to worry about the dealer who buys for $200.00 selling for less than they buy it for. Get it?
The problem is that the manufacturers have all lost their scruples and are selling to the wholesalers at below Platinum levels. In the above example they may sell the item to the wholesalers for $150... who then sell the items for $199 or less than any legitimate dealer can even buy it for.
There is literally no way for any legitimate dealer to compete anymore due to the Scuba Mafia (manufacturers in cohorts with the wholesalers.)
From the largest of legitimate dealers such as Scuba Toys to the smallest mom and pop shop... it is a struggle due to unethical business practices being perpetrated on the industry by greedy manufacturers who overproduce their goods - more and more in low level third world production facilities.
This is not the case with every manufacturer - but it is the case with more than you may expect. This is not a case of sour grapes my friend... this is a case of potential legal action against manufacturers for breach of contract.
If enough local shops banded together, perhaps something could be done... but until then... you should know that some - not all of what these online wholesalers sell is second runs, returns, recondition's, old inventory (sometimes 5 years or more) and counterfeit goods.
I don't care who likes it and who doesn't - these are the facts... and hopefully my example sheds some bright light on the dirty facts. I don't mind being an industry whistleblower... it is indeed time to fix this mess.
