Holy crapola. In what world does every item you bring in for service always have the parts immediately available? Does your local car dealer never have to order parts in or wait on a back order? Even the Maytag repairman has to deal with backordered parts from time to time.
There are parts and there are consumables. Service kits are consumables. I would understand if the person needed a regulator body and one was not available at a dealer because that is a part. However, a service kit contains consumables that need to be replaced on a regular basis. You local car dealer may not have a part in stock but can usually get it within a day or so. Tell me what part you have ever ordered for a non-exotic automobile that takes weeks to arrive?
We live in a world of global supply chains. Sometimes delays happen, for any one of a whole host of reasons. A couple of weeks delay (not months) in parts availability is hardly a massive crime, ESPECIALLY for a new product.
We also live in a world of overnight delivery. The manufacturer's supply chain is their business not the customers. The manufacturer should take lead time into account when deciding when to place orders and how much product to purchase. Going back to your automobile example, what if a dealer told you that the part for your new car won't be in for a couple of weeks and you need to walk? I am sure you would consider this a massive crime especially if it happened to you.
EDIT: Just read additional posts from the manufacturer. Sales forecasts are very often (almost always) based on less than perfect information. I view this as an annoyance, but certainly not a major problem.
The inaccuracy of a sales forecast is again the manufacturer's problem not the consumer's. Usually a sales forecast is given as a range not as a point estimate, so just purchase the high side of the range. Parts kits can only cost a few dollars to make so why not order 200 instead? They are not going to be obsolete. Also parts kits are small and light, so they can be air-shipped relatively cheaply. Why wait for them to go into a container and wait six weeks for delivery?
I have ordered a few Hog items from time to time. The first was some masks and a SMB from DRIS during a Black Friday sale. I never actually received the SMB because after months of waiting DRIS wanted to close out the order so I took a Zeagle SMB instead. I did get the Edge masks though.
The second items were some HOG Switchbacks on closeout from Divers Supply. They were in stock and arrived quickly.
The last thing I ordered was a Hog wing from Piranha , it took a few weeks to arrive but they were upfront about it. I was a bit upset at Piranha because they advertised a black wing, I sent an email to confirm it was a black wing and I got a red one. However, this was not Hog's fault.
All in all I would classify these delays as annoyances because I did not need any of these items for a dive. If I did then it would be a problem.
---------- Post added April 13th, 2014 at 01:52 AM ----------
Wow, yes, that is something I do realize, I actually own Dive Rite Regs and bought them for the same reasons, the OP and complainer were referencing Hog so was I. Just a note, Dive Rite has eliminated the self-service approach starting with their XT offerings, that actually caused me to pass on the XTs which were more expensive than Hogs. Obviously given a choice of several brands offering self service with essentially the same performance, price could affect the choice for some people.
Sorry, many people don't realize this and credit Hog with starting this when in fact they didn't. I didn't realize Dive Rite has stopped supplying kits for their new regs. The last I read they said they were not making the manual available but would sell kits. Something about receiving warranty claims on regulators that end-users have broken trying to service them. It is disturbing that they did not follow though and make the parts available. I was thinking Zeagle would have stopped selling kits since they were purchased but they still seem to be available, knock on wood.
I do agree that I like Hog's service philosophy. I am also glad that parts for other brands are making it to eBay and some mail order firms at reasonable costs.
There is nothing wrong with mail-orders, I see no difference if I order from DGX and have them ship it for free or if I drive to Pompano and pick it up myself. I used to go to Divers Supply in Jax when I lived in Orlando but it is too far from Miami. Most mail order shops are an LDS to someone, ether they get into the 21st century or face the consequences.
