do you ever notice negativity between dive shops?

[k ellis]

I have heard when I talked to SAS a while back that Scuba Merchandise is very expensive in Australia. (Also from one of the above post) It just strikes me odd anyone would be offended because you bought online and saved as the above poster mentioned 200 dollars. I mean does the owner of the shop not look for the cheapest place to get quality groceries?

I hate that shops are going out of buisness and like the previous post many places in England are now without places to purchase air. This is what the United states is facing the potential to run into also. But as long as people can make a dollar stretch further by buying online it will never go away. In fact it will only become more popular as our economy dictates that people have to become more conservative.

I suspect that there will be places like fill stations began to open before long that will cater to all sorts of air needs such as fire rescue air tanks filled for small town fire departments who cant afford compressor technology that provides clean air but only time will tell!

 

[peterbj7]

I think that if specialist tank filling stations open up they will charge a LOT to fill a tank. They'll have to to cover the costs.

 

[theduckguru]

So far, the only business that any dive shop has bad mouthed is Leasure Pro - which seems to be the universal villain of the LDS.

 

[Rhone Man]

So far, the only business that any dive shop has bad mouthed is Leasure Pro - which seems to be the universal villain of the LDS.

I was once diving on holiday and the LDS owner was so outraged when I told him I bought all my gear from Leisurepro that he considered kicking me off his boat. I sympathise with the struggles of LDSs, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

 

[k ellis]

I was once diving on holiday and the LDS owner was so outraged when I told him I bought all my gear from Leisurepro that he considered kicking me off his boat. I sympathise with the struggles of LDSs, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

I know I have heard local Dive shops tell me if I bought from Leisure pro they would kick my rear end. I just cant imagine why if I get the exact same product from leisurepro for 139 dollars I would want to go to an LDS and pay 218 (This is a quote off of some gear I bought there)

The only thing I see them doing is bypassing price fixing and selling a product at a REASONABLE price. I used to be an aqualung fan but not anymore. I try to buy from manufacturers who allow free market sales such as Mares.

I too understand the struggles of LDS but sometimes I get the impression they dont give a hoot about the struggles of the diver.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It's an age old issue commonly referred to as: "The Tragedy of the Commons"

The tragedy of the commons is a dilemma arising from the situation in which multiple individuals, acting independently and rationally consulting their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete a shared limited resource even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this to happen. This dilemma was first described in an influential article titled "The Tragedy of the Commons," written by Garrett Hardin and first published in the journal Science in 1968.[1]

Hardin's Commons Theory is frequently cited to support the notion of sustainable development, meshing economic growth and environmental protection, and has had an effect on numerous current issues, including the debate over global warming.

Central to Hardin's article is an example (first sketched in an 1833 pamphlet by William Forster Lloyd) of a hypothetical and simplified situation based on medieval land tenure in Europe, of herders sharing a common parcel of land, on which they are each entitled to let their cows graze. In Hardin's example, it is in each herder's interest to put the next (and succeeding) cows he acquires onto the land, even if the quality of the common is temporarily or permanently damaged for all as a result, through over grazing. The herder receives all of the benefits from an additional cow, while the damage to the common is shared by the entire group. If all herders make this individually rational economic decision, the common will be depleted or even destroyed to the detriment of all.

...those who purchase on the WWW, are hoping OTHER divers will take-one-for-the-team, buy locally with THEIR $, and their overpayments (relative to WWW discounted prices) will subsidize the LDS such that they remain in business for air fills/emergency repairs/spare parts/classes for themselves...anything requiring a local/physical presence.

Actually I think what they're hoping is that the LDS's, in an effort to maintain solvency, will adapt their outmoded business practices to better compete for business.

Unfortunately, until the LDS owner tosses off the limitations placed upon them by their equipment suppliers, I don't see that happening. Meantime those same equipment suppliers are selling gear at bulk prices to the same Internet retailers that the dive shops are competing against.

Win-win for the equipment suppliers ... who don't honor warranties for their gear sold by the Internet dealers ... lose-lose for the shops they profess to be "protecting" with their MAPs and anti-Internet mandates ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think that if specialist tank filling stations open up they will charge a LOT to fill a tank. They'll have to to cover the costs.

I don't think it needs to be. Some shops seem to have adapted to today's market by deciding to only offer equipment that can be marketed at fair prices, over the Internet, while focusing their physical presence on gas fills, education and services. Seems to be working out for them rather well, actually.

The key is telling the "big players" in the equipment industry to pound sand until they change their outdated "protectionist" policies and start adapting to life in the 21st century.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[k ellis]

the key is telling the "big players" in the equipment industry to pound sand until they change their outdated "protectionist" policies and start adapting to life in the 21st century.

... Bob (grateful diver)

bingo!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I was once diving on holiday and the LDS owner was so outraged when I told him I bought all my gear from Leisurepro that he considered kicking me off his boat. I sympathise with the struggles of LDSs, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

We have one shop owner here who's well-known for kicking people out of his shop because they purchased their gear on the Internet ... and several who will refuse to service that gear.

They aren't doing as well as the folks at the shop I do business with ... who will welcome you into their store and service your gear with a smile, regardless of where you purchased it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[k ellis]

We have one shop owner here who's well-known for kicking people out of his shop because they purchased their gear on the Internet ... and several who will refuse to service that gear.

They aren't doing as well as the folks at the shop I do business with ... who will welcome you into their store and service your gear with a smile, regardless of where you purchased it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

You know I think that its great to service gear. Even though they did not make the sale initially it is money in the till for the service charge. I would think a little money is better then no money at all. Besides maybe they will make a great impression and make a customer want to come back and buy at a later date!