Conflicted: Online v LDS
- Thread starter Rob9
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scubafanatic
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....maybe split the difference, give them some business...not all of it....maybe buy from the local shop those things requiring 'fitting' (BC / wetsuit / fins / booties / masks) but the things that don't require 'fitting' (regs /computers/lights) buy from the WWW ? ...you should give them SOME business if you want to feel welcome showing your face there...running trips through them...outings at the lake/beach...etc.
Sas
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My new BC from my LDS was $1250. Compared to $500 online. The context of this post is important - Australian dive gear prices, in general, are absurd.
It's just too ridiculous to even consider doing stuff like that for stores that do not price match. We're talking usually double the price for gear. To maintain a good relationship is not worth that money imho.
Sas
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What I usually say is "here is the price from <online store>. I will pay that plus approximately 10%" If they protest I say "either you get zero money from this sale as I will buy elsewhere or you drop the price and make at least something".
The "sales" are usually RRP - 10% which is what the manufacturers insist on and the maximum amont some stores are allowed to discount by. It's called resale price maintenance and it is very illegal in Australia but stores do not protest this and the manufacturers do not put this in writing (other than Oceanic and they got in trouble by the ACCC).
$995 is insane for a BC. You can get a BP/W setup from Sub Aquatics for $270 for example.
scubafanatic
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Well, to the extent the absurd prices are bloated by local import taxes/tariffs, it's going to be quite impossible for a local dealer to even begin to price match. I have no idea what % of the price is 'tax' and what % of the price is 'greed' though.
scubafanatic
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Agreed, but on the bright side, at least you're not in Equador which last year apparently slapped a 300% 'luxury import tax' on scuba gear, among other items!
At those prices, I'm amazed people in some countries can even afford to take up diving!
Sas
Contributor
Yea I'm not sure, but either way they are supporting distributors practicing illegal pricing. Something I do not wish to support. There are a number of stores that will price match and also charge a reasonable price so I'm not sure why they all can't do this.
scubafanatic
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Here in the US some gear manufacturers are much more WWW friendly/price flexible friendly than others, so perhaps in some cases it's not local dealer greed only but manufactuer greed, so if a diver was careful choosing gear from certain consumer friendly gear manufactuers, it might allow the dealer to 'get real' with respect to competitive pricing.
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