Does Leisure Pro ever sell fake stuff?

[redacted]

Can you imagine buying fully warranteed and authorized gear at LP's prices? It would put all LDS out of business!!


amajamar

Nope. Only the ones who stick by the old LDS business model and refuse to adapt.

 

[Leisure Pro Brett]

In response to Mike S and his suggestion for an “Ask Leisure Pro” thread, I think it sounds like a great idea. My only request would be to give me a little time to get this set up, I can imagine that this thread could take up lots of my time and may be hard for just me to keep up with.

The ideas that Web Monkey had may be a little harder to realize, but are in part currently what we do. The first thing I would like to state is that all the gear on our website is brand new unless otherwise specified. I have some examples for you, first is an item that we have no previous, used or demo model of. You will notice in the description that it only states what the item is, no used or demo indicated, all items like this are current items that are brand new and never used. For example:
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/CSBRET.html

Here is an example of an item that we have both an older model of and a current model, you will see the items are clearly marked as such.
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/MRSMR22ADR.html
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/MRSMR22R.html

You may notice some products labeled “Demo” this is usually something that has been on display in our store. These items have no dives on them but may have been removed from their boxes and put in the display case etc. Here is an example of that:
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/SWDWCQCD.html
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/SWDWCQC.html

There are also a few items that you find on the site that are labeled “used” these items usually only have a few dives on them and were possibly used to train some of our employees in scuba etc. A few items may have been part of our used and trade department, where we will actually buy used gear from you to give you cash or credit towards the purchase of new gear (more info on this below). Any of these items appearing on the main section of our website will be in very good condition. Here is an example of this:
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/SWDLDXSBL.html
http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/SWDL.html

If you look on our home page you will see a “Used” tab along the top, currently most of our used gear sales are over the phone or in store, and it is never sold as new. Our sales of used gear is mainly a function of us wanting to help our customers upgrade the gear they currently own, e.g. we buy their old gear and they can buy new gear from us.
http://www.leisurepro.com/Content/used.html
Items that are of a more widely varying condition will be appearing on our website soon in this special “used” section and will include more of a description of the condition of each item.

In response to your comments on warranty, we are trying to keep it simple. For example no matter if we are an authorized dealer of the item you buy or not, you will be able to have the exact warranty the manufacturer offers available directly through us. The warranty may also be available to you through the manufacturer directly, but it’s a lot simpler to know that everything can be handled through us if you like.

Brett

 

[JMC99]

To all ScubaBoard Bloggers,

I had a very interesting conversation with my LDS this evening in SLC Utah about Leisure Pro. I told him I was thinking of buying some scuba equipment from Leisure Pro, and I must say, I was not expecting the reaction I received. To say the least, it was very negative toward LP. During all his ranting and raving, he said one thing that caught my attention and I wanted to glean from the infinite knowledge that can be found on these forums. He said "LP makes fake stuff" and they get it from the "grey market"! First off, is there any validity to the first comment? If so, how are they able to make fake life support equipment, such as: regulators and BCs? Second, (sorry, I am a little obtuse) what is the "grey market" and where does LP get their equipment from? The LDS said Scuba Pro and other larger scuba companies don't allow LP and other online shops to sell their products and do not support them in their selling of their "grey market" goods. Just some quandaries and questions I would love to have answered.

Thanks,

mblackham

Your LDS is FOS. Mine tried to tell me my stuff was not covered by warranty because LP wasn't an authorized dealer because no way I bought my BC and reg for less than what he pays wholesale. Oh, yes it is and yes I did. Why pay $700 for a computer you can get on LP for $400? Makes no sense.

LeisurePro is the best.

 

[Leisure Pro Brett]

Here's a question for you, Brett, "A customer purchases an $800 computer, a $400 regulator and a $35 light. A year later, the computer housing cracks and the unit floods. The regulator chrome flakes off the first and second stages revealing brass and starts to corrode. Finally, the light floods when the housing splits. What does LP do with this equipment when it is returned under warranty by the customer?"

Well CSR, these situations are handled by Leisure Pro the same way any other dive shop would take care of them. Sometimes these items are sent to the manufacturer for warranty, in this case we only get the replaced / repaired item back and that goes to the customer. Other times we have to eat the loss and replace the item, If we have to replace the item then the broken one goes in the trash. In dealing with something like the regulator that piece of the body may be replaced by our tech and then the regulator is returned to the customer, the corroded and peeling piece is of course thrown away. The above situation is assuming that the products were broken due to a defect and not the consumer running over it with his car etc.

Brett

 

[bureau13]

Asked...and answered. Very nice. Now, if there were a flood of people clamoring that their experience with LP was different, that would be one thing...but I don't see that happening.

I have to say...I've recently purchased gear from both LP and Divers Discount, and both experiences were positive. However, this thread makes me want to do more business with LP. Sometimes I think people should think more and post less.

jds

 

[JMC99]

Nope. Only the ones who stick by the old LDS business model and refuse to adapt.

Maybe if LDS' can't compete in retail, they should be driven out of that end of the business and focus on training, service, trips, rentals, etc.

 

[jpsexton]

I’m glad to see a somewhat positive reaction to my first few posts here, many thanks to Aelvin and coach izzy for the welcome messages and sharing their positive experiences. I will pass on the thanks to Ben too, I know he works hard in the store all the time and will appreciate the thanks. I also look forward to being able to defend Leisure Pro against the sometimes crazy things that are said and in general just taking part in this community.

Brett

Welcome to the board! I for one am glad too see you guys on here. Maybe with your public presence the rumor mill will finally grind to a stop.

 

[BobArnold8265]

Hi,

I just wanted to join in and say that I have bought many items from Leisure Pro in the past and have always been satisfied. I once bought a wetsuit from them that didn't fit. They refunded my money with no questions. Can't ask for much more than that. As for shipping costs for the return, my LDS is 30 miles away the gas and sales tax is as much as Leisure Pro charges for shipping. Plus I can shop from home 24/7 !!!

I often find myself torn between buying from the net or my LDS. I believe we should support our LDS but this is only within reason. For example, I'm about to buy a back-up regulator. I'd like to buy a Scubapro MK25/S600 since that's what I dive with as my primary. After a lot of arm twisting and negoiation, the best price from any of LDS's around me (there are three) is $600. The Leisure Pro price is $450 with no debate or hassle. That's a 25% difference and I had to practically beg/threaten the locals to get it that close.

To all of the local dive shop owners out there. I think you are of great value to the dive community and understand that you may have higher levels of overhead versus some internet dealers. However, that does not give you the right to gouge your loyal customers. You are no longer the only game in town. Remember, if we buy it from you, odds are we'll bring it back each year and pay you for annual service etc. Here's a pledge that I'm willing to make to my local LDS. I promise not to buy another thing from an internet dealer if you can come within 10% of their "regular" price. I think that's a pretty fair offer. The only problem is that I know for a fact none of the LDS's in my area would even try. It's really a shame when you think about it.

 

[mike_s]

Maybe if LDS' can't compete in retail, they should be driven out of that end of the business and focus on training, service, trips, rentals, etc.

For most LDS's, training is a "lost leader" that is sold at a lower price to either compete with another shop or to get people interested in diving, which requires at least some retail gear purchases.

Rental gear is just a required item for that above training. Trips aren't a money maker either, especially after they send someone from the shop on the trip and have to pro-rate any extra money to pay for the employee lodging, air fills, vehicle gas, lodging, meals , etc.

Very few shops price their training at what realistic cost basis is for it. It's usually always discounted so that you get more divers, which gets more gear sales.

If a shop can't compete in retail, it's either because they have poor management skills or a poor business model. Or Both. They can either change with the times or watch the world change around them.

Internet dive gear sales are not going away, no matter how much the LDS's that want to act like it's not something they want to deal with.



Jack Welch, past CEO of General Electric made a reference once that something like this. "You can't use yesterdays business practices in business today and expect to be in business tomorrow".

This is ever so true for the dive industry.

 

[mike_s]

To all of the local dive shop owners out there. I think you are of great value to the dive community and understand that you may have higher levels of overhead versus some internet dealers. .

Actually the online shops typically have a much higher overhead than the average LDS does.

The average LDS doesn't stock near the inventory that the average online shop does.
The online shops typically require more building space to manage/store/ship it all in also.

So if I hear an LDS whine that their overhead is higher yet they don't have every color of every wetsuit size in stock, then they haven't proved a thing to me. You will rarely see a LDS that is considered a "Full Stocking Dealer" unless they are in a high volume area or operate on online operation in conjunction with their brick-n-motar store.