Hey new here.... gear question...

[tddfleming]

Why not purchase at the facility that you are taking the class at? Diving is a commitment in time and $$.If you cannot make that commitment then do not take up diving.
They probably expect you to purchase from them anyway.
If people have mask/fin/snkl already and take a class from me I have no issue with that.But to show up with gear purchased elsewhere and my not given the opportunity
to assist them with their purchase for proper fit and use irks me,sorry.Part of my job as an instructor is to talk to the student ,find out what type of diving they are interested it and make appropriate gear suggestions based on information I have about them.If someone shows up to class with gear that is inappropriate for them and does not work properly may impede their ability to learn and holds up the rest of the class needlessly.
I never forget the student who had to have the class done by a certain time and we did not have anyone else signed up for the posted schedule.He was to go on a trip to Asia and that trip would cost him thousands $$.
Well not to disappoint him we choose to run the classs just for him,standard tuition fee, not private fee,so that he can meet his goal.First meeting with him during orientation when advised again that he needed to own mask-fins-snkl he wanted us to supply it to him,he did not want to own.When told we only sell personal gear,not available for rent ,he then says he will get gear online and will be in class following night.At that point I just gave up and told him that if he cannot trust me on his personal gear purchases then he can just take the lessons elsewhere.I gave him back all fees he had paid for the course and learning materials and sent him home.
All I am try to get across is that its bad form to show up with gear for a ow class purchased elsewhere.If you own it already or your "big" brother lends you his ,thats ok,just make sure fit is ok and function is ok.

oly5050 has a very valid point here. There are just some things that people do that are down right tacky. The ones he has brought up are just some. I am in no way working for or involved with any dive shop, but I do run my own business and I get more than my fair share of people being rude and tacky. Expecting me to work for free only to help them out.

From my understanding, the money is not being made on classes, but in the sales of products. Everyone of these businesses are here to service you, but you need to expect to pay for the service. None of them are a non-profit. At least they are trying not to be. In my line of business I get people wanting to know my mark up on my services, unless they are wanting to buy my business, it is none of their business. Unless they are expecting you to do something above the expected to take any scuba class, I think you need to make an effort to hear them out and give them a chance. There may be a misunderstanding going on here.

 

[knowone]

I'm free!

 

[tddfleming]

I'm free!

I have no dought

 

[mrbeast1414]

Thinking about this.... and wondering why more instructors aren't flooding the 'Help Wanted' forum with offers of free/discounted tuition in return for the services of an eager teenager! :cool2:

yes! IT is funny that you said that because recently my LDS offered me free dives (BOAT DIVES ) if I write their monthly newsletter! This is a sweeetttt deal and I can't wait to start . Maybe I can get some ec for myu COMP AP class

 

[lovles2274]

Why not purchase at the facility that you are taking the class at? Diving is a commitment in time and $$.If you cannot make that commitment then do not take up diving.
They probably expect you to purchase from them anyway.
If people have mask/fin/snkl already and take a class from me I have no issue with that.But to show up with gear purchased elsewhere and my not given the opportunity
to assist them with their purchase for proper fit and use irks me,sorry.

This sounds like the class is strictly to get people to purchase gear from the LDS. I WANT to purchase from my LDS but, when I can purchase something online (from an authorized dealer) for 50-75% of what the LDS charges I think it is ridiculous to expect me to pay the higher prices. I work very hard for my money and I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor. My LDS is awesome. I have spent quite a bit of money on gear there. But, I have also bought two computers and a regulator online because the LDS couldn't touch the prices. If the LDS wants us to spend our hard earned money in their establishments they need to work on competing for our business. The customer is the prize. I don't have to work to purchase something. They have to work to earn my business.

 

[tddfleming]

This sounds like the class is strictly to get people to purchase gear from the LDS. I WANT to purchase from my LDS but, when I can purchase something online (from an authorized dealer) for 50-75% of what the LDS charges I think it is ridiculous to expect me to pay the higher prices. I work very hard for my money and I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor. My LDS is awesome. I have spent quite a bit of money on gear there. But, I have also bought two computers and a regulator online because the LDS couldn't touch the prices. If the LDS wants us to spend our hard earned money in their establishments they need to work on competing for our business. The customer is the prize. I don't have to work to purchase something. They have to work to earn my business.

I guess we have been very lucky, our LDS beat the internet prices by a good amount. The LDS did better on pricing for the larger items, BC, reg, computer, ran along side the with the fins and masks. But you will never know unless you talk to the LDS and see what their stand is on interent prices.

 

[oly5050user]

This sounds like the class is strictly to get people to purchase gear from the LDS. I WANT to purchase from my LDS but, when I can purchase something online (from an authorized dealer) for 50-75% of what the LDS charges I think it is ridiculous to expect me to pay the higher prices. I work very hard for my money and I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor. My LDS is awesome. I have spent quite a bit of money on gear there. But, I have also bought two computers and a regulator online because the LDS couldn't touch the prices. If the LDS wants us to spend our hard earned money in their establishments they need to work on competing for our business. The customer is the prize. I don't have to work to purchase something. They have to work to earn my business.

Reason for a LDS to run classes is to teach diving and make a profit doing it.Competition keeps course fees low.Too many instructors doing classes for next to nothing, some offering a good product,many not, and to be honest here,people shop price for classes before quality.All they usually want is a card that says they are divers. Reality is if any LDS ran classes and everyone always showed up with personal mask/fin/snkl/boots gear purchased elsewhere class fees would have to increase at least by $100.
We have even toyed with the idea of changing fee structure that we would increase course fee by $100. and offer a non transferable gift certificate of $100. to the student that can only be used towards entire personal gear package purchase.
So the course fee in reality stays the same and we hope to eliminate the online purchase headache. I really do not think this will be implemented,but to stay in business you have to come up with solutions and plan ahead.
Too many people show up with poor fitting gear and ill functioning gear for the activity they plan on doing.This holds up the class and makes it bad for all in the class.
So this way the facility makes their money and does not run a class at a loss if the customer purchases personal gear from the LDS or not.
Some people use excuse that they will rent EVERYTHING including mask/fins/snkl on vacation. Thats ok..For this issue we may loan them personal gear at the pool that will be very basic.If they do their ow training dives with us they will have to own personal gear and can use the gift certificate at that time before it expires. Its a tough issue and I do not see it getting any better.
That said, the LDS I am associated with at this time will price match with any authorized dealer. Staff at the LDS spends the time to be sure that gear fits properly and function is suitable for what the student plans on participating in. Store policy here is you took the class here and purchased your major gear from us, you have free use of the onsite heated pool any time it is available.
Get any gear serviced by us, purchased from us or elsewhere, - regulator/bcd/drysuit,whatever,and when you pick it up you can use the pool at that time to check it out..Lets see the online vendors offer that.

 

[oldnotdead]

CLou, Diving is expensive! It sounds like you need some more communication with the shop. Ask them for all the information that they can give you. Then come back here to verify. The knowledge that can be found here is amazing. The price that you pay for the lessons is a drop in the bucket compared to what you will end up paying for experience. Make sure that you understand that the experience is also priceless. OND

 

[tddfleming]

Reason for a LDS to run classes is to teach diving and make a profit doing it.Competition keeps course fees low.Too many instructors doing classes for next to nothing, some offering a good product,many not, and to be honest here,people shop price for classes before quality.All they usually want is a card that says they are divers. Reality is if any LDS ran classes and everyone always showed up with personal mask/fin/snkl/boots gear purchased elswhere classs fees would have to increase at least by $100.
We have even toyed with the idea of changing fee structure that we would increase course fee by $100. and offer a non transferable gift certificate of $100. to the student that can only be used towards entire personal gear package purchase.
So the course fee in reality stays the same and we hope to eliminate the online purchase headache. I really do not think this will be implemented,but to stay in business you have to come up with solutions and plan ahead.
Too many people show up with poor fitting gear and ill functioning gear for the activity they plan on doing.This holds up the class and makes it bad for all in the class.
Non transferable,only to be used during the class timeframe. So this way the facility makes their money and does not run a class at a loss if the customer purchases personal gear from the LDS or not.
Some people use excuse that they will rent EVERYTHING including mask/fins/snkl on vacation. Thats ok..For this issue we may loan them personal gear at the pool that will be very basic.If they do their ow training dives with us they will have to own personal gear and can use the gift certificate at that time before it expires. Its a tough issue and I do not see it getting any better.
That said, the LDS I am associated with at this time will price match with any authorized dealer. Staff at the LDS spends the time to be sure that gear fits properly and function is suitable for what the student plans on participating in. Store policy here is you took the class here and purchased your major gear from us, you have free use of the onsite heated pool any time it is available.
Get any gear serviced by us, purchased from us or elsewhere, - regulator/bcd/drysuit,whatever,and when you pick it up you can use the pool at that time to check it out..Lets see the online vendors offer that.

To me that sounds like a bargin. I even worked with the LDS on 2 sets of gear, as he cut us a deal we wrote him a check (yes, it was a good check), he did not have to pay the credit card fees, that eat up every small business profit. We both felt like we made out. The way I figure everything, We will all get our scuba gear and everything we need at Walmart, won't that be great! I look so forward to shopping for ALL my needs at Walmart, actually, most times I go in there I want to pimp slap someone.

 

[fjpatrum]

oly5050 has a very valid point here. There are just some things that people do that are down right tacky. The ones he has brought up are just some. I am in no way working for or involved with any dive shop, but I do run my own business and I get more than my fair share of people being rude and tacky. Expecting me to work for free only to help them out.

From my understanding, the money is not being made on classes, but in the sales of products. Everyone of these businesses are here to service you, but you need to expect to pay for the service. None of them are a non-profit. At least they are trying not to be. In my line of business I get people wanting to know my mark up on my services, unless they are wanting to buy my business, it is none of their business. Unless they are expecting you to do something above the expected to take any scuba class, I think you need to make an effort to hear them out and give them a chance. There may be a misunderstanding going on here.

While these are some good points, it is not the consumer's responsibility to fix a broken business model at the dive shop. Just because an LDS chooses to give cut rate pricing on classes in the hopes of making that up with gear sales is no reason the consumer should pay extra just for buying in the shop. Now, going in and asking for fit help and further information then buying online or somewhere else is rude, but that still doesn't preclude the shop from changing their business model.