Future of DiveShops?

[drrich2]

Okay, to clarify before people really start wondering. The friend didn't go on our honeymoon, but he's an outgoing well-traveled adventurous people-person useful to have around, good for figuring out how to get things done, and as our liaison with other people.

The honeymoon was a chance to hit the ocean. We live in southwestern KY; the honeymoon provided a chance to splurge and, as we would be cruising for the 1st time, we'd be some places we could try diving in warm waters & see coral reef.

I like getting out in nature and seeing and snap shooting animals; snakes, lizards, turtles, groundhogs, if I turn up a salamander I'll photograph that. Whether it's some innate human/male desire to hunt & 'get' something I don't. I don't care about hunting deer or squirrel; I'm more of a 'creepy crawlies' kinda guy.

As to why interact with them in their native habitat/element, it feels more authentic, real, like there's the potential for hands-on interaction (even if we never touch) that you don't get with an aquarium & a thick barrier between you. It's kind of like how some people much prefer seeing sharks naturally over seeing more of them and closer up on shark feeding dives. Somehow 'staged' encounters don't satisfy quite the same way.

And while I am fairly conservative and not an adrenaline junkie, I admit, being in the water with big morays or barracudas, or where in theory a big shark could cruise by, makes it a tad more interesting. An element of very mild predatory dangerousness that somehow appeals to the imagination, I suppose.

Kind of like asking me whether I'd more enjoy walking in the rainforest of St. Lucia (lush, beautiful, nothing much dangerous) or Africa (lions, leopards, black mambas, etc&#8230. Not that I'm looking to become lion bait, but hey, dips on Africa… (I've never been, but would love to see wild Nile crocodiles in person).

Richard.

 

[kombiguy]

Oh yeah, what of Andrew Irving? Well, the last guy to literally follow the "Because it's there" guy was no doubt tied to the other end of the snapped rope around Mallory's waist. Irving's remains were never found.

I do believe you mean Andrew Irvine, with an e, not a g. Sorry, but as a member of the AAC, and an erstwhile alpinist, I enjoy mountain trivia and accuracy.

 

[ScubaBros]

From an owner's point of view.... WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOME OF YOU? If you do not find and support a shop who you like, where are you going to go to....

1. Have a few beers with other people who like diving to share stories around the shop pool? (FOR FREE we give out complementary beers)
2. Have an employee meet you at the shop at 10pm because you found out your bcd hose is torn and need a new one; the day before you leave on a trip? (After calling the owner's personal cell phone)
3.Give you a couple free rental tanks cause you bought gear from the shop?
4.Let you try some gear our in the pool for fit and function before you buy it?
5.teach your future girlfriend or boyfriend to dive after you break up with the one you learned with if you never give them any of your business?
6. fix that cheap used POS you bought used, then found out everything hissed and leaked air for a fair price? If the only money they make is off service it is soon to go up.
7. Bring your friends to try scuba for free since you took class from them in the first place.
8. Meet just you for a one on one specialty class cause they are nice like that and want to make you happy if you have spent $0 with them.
9. Plan a kick ass awesome group trip for your first couple ocean dives when you are still a newbie?
10. Show you how to use that fancy camera set up you have no clue about?
11. FILL AIR?
12. Give you personal one on one attention when you just don't understand something?
13. Fit a wet suit?
14. Rent gear for the weekend?
15. Support your local community's economy?

So many of the posters here are so bitter. Why do you expect a dive business to make absolutely NO money off of anything? We are a business just like every other industry. We give our customers free access to our pool if they are our customer. We let them hang out at our shop whenever they want. We come up here when we are closed if we get a cell phone call. We are open 7 days a week. We will teach a class with just one person in it. We do not gouge our customers on prices. We fix gear at fair prices. We don't make our students buy anything for class! This is our full time job we have spent a lot of time and money to be a professional at what we do. And offer great service and training as well.

So frankly some of you need to grow up and stop hating a business for trying to be profitable. It is not fair for to be so hateful that a new gear set might make the owner a little money. As for the used gear crowd I get it you want to save some money who doesn't? But if you ever just asked the owner to make you a great deal you might only end up spending $100 more than all used.... just think about it.

And who wants to take class from a guy in his basement that teaches one class a year in his free time anyway? Who wants to take a class from a joke shop that only teaches 25 people a year? If you haven't found a good shop, find one and support them!

 

[redacted]

From an owner's point of view.... WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOME OF YOU? If you do not find and support a shop who you like, where are you going to go to....

1. Have a few beers with other people who like diving to share stories around the shop pool? (FOR FREE we give out complementary beers)
2. Have an employee meet you at the shop at 10pm because you found out your bcd hose is torn and need a new one; the day before you leave on a trip? (After calling the owner's personal cell phone)
3.Give you a couple free rental tanks cause you bought gear from the shop?
4.Let you try some gear our in the pool for fit and function before you buy it?
5.teach your future girlfriend or boyfriend to dive after you break up with the one you learned with if you never give them any of your business?
6. fix that cheap used POS you bought used, then found out everything hissed and leaked air for a fair price? If the only money they make is off service it is soon to go up.
7. Bring your friends to try scuba for free since you took class from them in the first place.
8. Meet just you for a one on one specialty class cause they are nice like that and want to make you happy if you have spent $0 with them.
9. Plan a kick ass awesome group trip for your first couple ocean dives when you are still a newbie?
10. Show you how to use that fancy camera set up you have no clue about?
11. FILL AIR?
12. Give you personal one on one attention when you just don't understand something?
13. Fit a wet suit?
14. Rent gear for the weekend?
15. Support your local community's economy?

So many of the posters here are so bitter. Why do you expect a dive business to make absolutely NO money off of anything? We are a business just like every other industry. We give our customers free access to our pool if they are our customer. We let them hang out at our shop whenever they want. We come up here when we are closed if we get a cell phone call. We are open 7 days a week. We will teach a class with just one person in it. We do not gouge our customers on prices. We fix gear at fair prices. We don't make our students buy anything for class! This is our full time job we have spent a lot of time and money to be a professional at what we do. And offer great service and training as well.

So frankly some of you need to grow up and stop hating a business for trying to be profitable. It is not fair for to be so hateful that a new gear set might make the owner a little money. As for the used gear crowd I get it you want to save some money who doesn't? But if you ever just asked the owner to make you a great deal you might only end up spending $100 more than all used.... just think about it.

And who wants to take class from a guy in his basement that teaches one class a year in his free time anyway? Who wants to take a class from a joke shop that only teaches 25 people a year? If you haven't found a good shop, find one and support them!

Why does OK City have 3 Walmarts and 7 dive shops??? Yet your prices are a bit on the high side for air and service (Tech Services - ScubaBros). Is $10 for an air fill just the going rate in OK City?

But I am pleasantly surprised to see you do not requires new students to buy mask, fins, snorkel, and booties for OW training and that you are a HOG/Edge dealer.

BTW, what is the price on your OW class if the customer brings his own mask, fins, & snorkel?

 

[ScubaBros]

Both great questions... yes the air rate around here is between 5 and 10 bucks. However, the price of an air fill here was $5 in 1988. If the price of everything else has gone up why shouldn't air fills? But as mentioned before most of our customers get air fills for free, only the randos pay $10.00.

If a customer already has mask fins and snorkels the price of class remains the same. We consider the equipment more of a complementary service. So the class price remains at $335.00. (includes crew packs and open water dives)

As far as the regulator service... We are great at it, and think it is well worth the $30.00. Our usual repair ticket for 3 reg rebuilds and parts is about $105.

 

[redacted]

If a customer already has mask fins and snorkels the price of class remains the same. We consider the equipment more of a complementary service. So the class price remains at $335.00. (includes crew packs and open water dives) .

Perhaps I am misunderstanding this winter special offering at $249 for OW: Winter Special - ScubaBros

 

[ScubaBros]

So what we are saying for the winter special,

If someone signs up for class and then actually buys that gear upfront, then they get the OW class for $249.00. But not if they simply already own it. If they already own it then that is great! They are more than welcome to use it in class, but they are not eligible for the discount. Does that make a little more sense? We do one of these offers almost every winter. People seem to be pretty pleased with the offer.

 

[socaldiver2]

Scubabros- if you are only doing half the things you have listed you are the exception from my experience and I would happily support a shop like that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mjrob]

I'm willing to bet they're doing all the things he listed....and more.

Welcome to the future of local dive shops. I hope you can support yours.

 

[redacted]

So what we are saying for the winter special,

If someone signs up for class and then actually buys that gear upfront, then they get the OW class for $249.00. But not if they simply already own it. If they already own it then that is great! They are more than welcome to use it in class, but they are not eligible for the discount. Does that make a little more sense? We do one of these offers almost every winter. People seem to be pretty pleased with the offer.

To tell you the truth, it sounds like most shops I have encountered. None "make" you buy gear. Most appear to provide discounts if you buy gear. It is a pretty common element of the scuba business model. My problem was that I misunderstood your original post and thought you provided all gear for OW training.

Do you sell parts for HOG/Edge regulators?