End of the dive shop as we know it.

[BarryNL]

My main gripe with the LDSs in my area is the lack of diversity. There are three in my city and it's basically impossible to spot the difference. They all have the same range of fins, wetsuits, and BCDs (ok, maybe one has Mares and the other Scubapro, but who cares?). They all offer the same training courses (maybe one's PADI, one's IDD but who cares?).

So basically, for simple diving I have three shops to choose from but for anything vaguely tech related there is nothing - I can't even get a Nitrox or 300bar fill without driving to another city. I think what we really need is fewer but bigger shops which can offer real choice and diversity in their products - then perhaps I wouldn't need to go onto the internet to find what I'm looking for.

 

[Kwbyron]

I've been tossing the epic LDS vs. On-line debate for a while now, especially since I am at that point where I am ready to make "the big plunge" but when it comes to the BP/W my LDS is rather on the ball with pricing...I haven't researched the rest, and they are really good with putting up with my inability to commit to a purchase (Wife's navy salary doesn't go to far...and she wants a car...soo needy..). They have also been great with taking care of me, my dry-suit keeps leaking, and he keeps trying to fix it for me with no complants. I am all about supporting the LDS, because they seem to notice, but here's a question, if I buy my regs from the LDS and get that free maintenance stuff that y'all talk about, will it follow me as we move about? If I am going to have to pay for parts and such anyways...might as well get it direct from the manufacturer. As for on-line, I get the little stuff you loose a lot, like my knife, probably get pockets for the dry-suite, but I decided the big life support stuff should probably come from the LDS...well see though.

 

[boulderjohn]

A large sporting goods store offers many products, and it has many people walking in to by those products. It is a wide interest, high volume business. That allows it to keep prices low.

A golf shop is a narrow interest operation, but because so many people play golf, it is able to have many people walking in to buy products, so it is still a relatively high volume business. That enables it to keep costs down.

Except for certain resort areas, a scuba shop is a very narrow interest operation, with few people walking in to buy products. It is thus a low volume operation. In addition, it has overhead costs that other types of stores don't have. Filling air is a necessary part of the operation, but it is a money loser--it is really just overhead. The store may have an expensive pool to maintain, or it may have to pay pool fees for its classes. Teaching classes is almost a wash financially.

The only way for the store to stay in business is through the markup on its sales. Take that away, and the the store goes away.

An online store is able to beat the low volume problem by marketing to the world. That enables it to lower its costs. A LDS can match those in some cases, but it really cannot survive at those prices, because of the lack of volume.

So, yes, you can all save money by doing all your shopping online. And you can wave good-bye to the "greedy" LDS that refused to compete when it goes out of business.

When its gone, you can contact the online store and ask for the air fills and the instruction that went with it.

 

[redacted]

So, yes, you can all save money by doing all your shopping online. And you can wave good-bye to the "greedy" LDS that refused to compete when it goes out of business.

When its gone, you can contact the online store and ask for the air fills and the instruction that went with it.

And then take advantage of the great bargains that will crop up in used compressors. Maybe the YMCA would be interested in taking over instruction (if anyone wants it). Before there were LDSs, divers formed non-profit clubs to support their activities.

But buy that compressor fast as the good LDSs may be snapping them up for a spare to cover their increased business.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

When its gone, you can contact the online store and ask for the air fills and the instruction that went with it.

A new diver could buy all their gear online as well as a 2 tank compressor and still come out ahead of the dive shop I bet.

I have little to no use for LDSs. I would much rather send my regs back to www.scuba.com for service than drive the 30 minutes each way to drop them off ath the LDS. If they all went under I would buy a compressor the next day.

 

[Misplaced Priority]

Yes, my LDS charges a little more than I can get online but I find value in being able to take equipment there for support. Additionally, they help me in deciding what equipment will best serve my needs. They let me try out equipment for free and provide all sorts of good information on dive sites etc. The guys here provide many intangable benifits that can't be appreciated online. I am happy to support them. Now if they were creeps, it would be a different story.

 

[TheRedHead]

Maybe the YMCA would be interested in taking over instruction (if anyone wants it). Before there were LDSs, divers formed non-profit clubs to support their activities.

My LDS does the YMCA instruction, as well as all the unversities in the area.

 

[Firefyter]

So, yes, you can all save money by doing all your shopping online. And you can wave good-bye to the "greedy" LDS that refused to compete when it goes out of business.

You hit the nail on the head when you wrote this..... refused to compete..

When its gone, you can contact the online store and ask for the air fills and the instruction that went with it.

Yeah....just keep on believing that no one will fill this niche.....if the demand is there, somebody will fill it...

 

[H2Andy]

They are renting instead.

where are they renting the gear from?

The typical new diver will probably quit the sport before 50 dives are completed. This causes the choice between buying and renting to favor renting if only economics are considered.

so you mean these new people know they are going to quit before they
make 50 dives? they would have to know that in order to factor that into their
choice.

When I was in Thailand last fall very few divers had their own gear. I frequently doubted my own sanity for dragging my gear all over Thailand when only a third of the trip was spent on diving.

maybe that's why 90% of the divers decided to rent?

 

[TheRedHead]

maybe that's why 90% of the divers decided to rent?

Is that true or a damned lie, er, statistic?