Does Leisure Pro ever sell fake stuff?

[Web Monkey]

P.S. I have written an e-mail to Scubapro to let them know how I feel about their policies and I encourage everyone else who feels the way I do to e-mail them as well.

A quick look at other markets will show that "their policies" are the only thing that will keep their market and dealers alive in the coming years.

Exclusive brands sold in a tightly controlled dealer network has worked very nicely for all sorts of high-end consumer goods. As long as you can "own" the top slot in your market, everybody else is irrelevant.

Think Sub-Zero refrigerator or Viking ranges vs almost any other the others. While their competitors are out slitting each other's throats for an extra dollar of profit, the high end brands and their dealers are doing very nicely.

Terry

 

[Thalassamania]

A quick look at other markets will show that "their policies" are the only thing that will keep their market and dealers alive in the coming years.

Exclusive brands sold in a tightly controlled dealer network has worked very nicely for all sorts of high-end consumer goods. As long as you can "own" the top slot in your market, everybody else is irrelevant.

Think Sub-Zero refrigerator or Viking ranges vs almost any other the others. While their competitors are out slitting each other's throats for an extra dollar of profit, the high end brands and their dealers are doing very nicely.

Terry

But it only works as long as you have a worshipful public that BELIEVES. This means a network of dealers who flog your goods, say, "Hallelujah!" When the worship stops the dealers and the manufacturer go belly up. If I were investing in a company I'd want to be counting on more religious fervor, because unfortunately as soon as you take the cult-appeal away you find the same stuff that most quality manufacturer's produce and that will not support the current arrangement.

 

[PhilEllis]

Uh, Gary.

I know how the grey-market works. Just interested in how they get a hold of Scubapro and Aqualung equipment...

My guess would be............AL and SP. Again this is TOTALLY my opinion.

Phil Ellis

 

[Thalassamania]

My guess would be............AL and SP.

 

[mdb]

CSR.......these scubaboard readers are WAY too smart to receive the message you are trying to imply.

First, you only ASSUME that they can't get DIRECT factory service for almost everything they sell. You assume that fact because the factory sales rep tells you that. If you are going to start believing what THEY say, you are more lost than the newbies.

You and I are both scuba retailers. I run an online operation. I assume you do also. I don't need to cast any doubt about Leisure Pro or any other online operation to sell my stuff. If my customers they them and me, I think they will choose me. It's that simple.

LP is a good operation. They operate different from you and I. It doesn't make them bad, it makes them different. Dive stores HATE they way they do business because they hate to compete! Personally, I think LP is headed for trouble. They will find it harder and more expensive to compete with other authorized online stores. But I bet they will figure a way to respond. Why? They are pretty smart people. You don't get that big by being anything else.

Hey, just compete with them! Very simple.

Phil Ellis

As usual Phil Ellis has it spot on. Facts are, most folks -well all but but CSR-know that LP purchases direct from almost all manufacturers, some just choose to lie to their dealers and say they are not selling to LP, in the meantime, in many cases, LP is their largest account.

At Apollo, we have a clean price list, all our dealers are listed on our website. Leisure Pro is a fully Authorized Dealer for all our products.

The free market works: Joe and Larry at Scubatoys have built a world class business on great service, full inventory, and now, even a nice forum for all us divers. Phil's DiveSports is another such example. We all benefit.

 

[mike_s]

Uh, Gary.

I know how the grey-market works. Just interested in how they get a hold of Scubapro and Aqualung equipment...

While I doubt they will openly answer that question here... I think we all know the obvious answer.


As for how do they deal with recall equipment, Leisure Pro has the Suunto D9 that was recalled and had no problems getting that replaced/fixed through their "distributor". (that should draw a pretty clear conclusion as to the fact that they can deal directly (or indirectly) with the manfuacturer).

I personally don't care about if LP is willing to admit to it or not. In my opinion we shouldn't be blaming LP for this but it's Aqualung, ScubaPro, etc that's not playing on a level playing field here. Shipping to LP and then telling LDS's that "they are doing everything there to flght the gray market problem". Liars.

It's just like LP had the new Aqualung ACD (auto closure device) regulators in stock before their largest dealers got them in for sale. that right there shows who got order priority and where it came from.

This ain't rocket-science.

 

[Web Monkey]

My guess would be............AL and SP. Again this is TOTALLY my opinion.

Phil Ellis

They don't have any significant amount of ScubaPro stuff. Just a few older computers, a couple of regs and a bunch of little bits-and-pieces (adapters, etc.).

It looks like SP has a handle on their distribution.

Terry

 

[daniel f aleman]

They don't have any significant amount of ScubaPro stuff. Just a few older computers, a couple of regs and a bunch of little bits-and-pieces (adapters, etc.).

It looks like SP has a handle on their distribution.

Terry

Uh-huh. Sure. See if your LDS can compete with these Leisurepro prices:

ScubaPro Classic Plus BCD, Black/Silver - $549

ScubaPro Glide Plus BC with Air 2 Alternate Inflation - $499

ScubaPro Knighthawk BC with Air 2 Alternate Inflation Regulator - $549

Scubapro Knighthawk BC, Black - $434

ScubaPro Ladyhawk BC with Air 2 Alternate Inflation Regulator - $549

-----------------------------

Top of the line Scubapro and Aqualung regulators, Seaquest BCs, Suunto and UWATEC computers, as well.

 

[amajamar]

It's just like LP had the new Aqualung ACD (auto closure device) regulators in stock before their largest dealers got them in for sale. that right there shows who got order priority and where it came from.

This ain't rocket-science.

It's not surprising. Money talks....


LOUDLY!!

 

[Web Monkey]

It's a great deal if you happen to want the Classic Plus in Extra-Small, or the KightKawk in "Out of Stock" . . .

These are all leftovers. I wouldn't be in a big hurry to buy the last one of something they can't get anymore.

Terry

Uh-huh. Sure. See if your LDS can compete with these Leisurepro prices:

ScubaPro Classic Plus BCD, Black/Silver - $549

ScubaPro Glide Plus BC with Air 2 Alternate Inflation - $499

ScubaPro Knighthawk BC with Air 2 Alternate Inflation Regulator - $549

Scubapro Knighthawk BC, Black - $434

ScubaPro Ladyhawk BC with Air 2 Alternate Inflation Regulator - $549

-----------------------------

Top of the line Scubapro and Aqualung regulators, Seaquest BCs, Suunto and UWATEC computers, as well.