Internet gear question

[mdb]

AWAP: Apollo has no restrictions on Dealers selling parts to folks who DIY
www.scubatoys.com is a fully authorized Apollo Dealer and Larry and Joe do a great job of taking care of customers. They carry all the parts necessary to service our regulators.

 

[cerich]

McDiver,
I doubt seriously that it truly "costs" $10 to fill a tank.


the K

Unfortunatly when you add it all up it does or more. Problem is dive stores have been using air price to get you in the door to buy gear. Now the internet has dropped their margin yet the shops feel they can't charge more for air because the cust. won't believe the justification.

kind of a catch 22....

 

[bp_968]

I have to agree totally. Honestly I think its often a simple gap in knowlege. Many non internet savy people are totally unable to use google much less glean useful information from forums. I think when they start reading you the "internet speech" they simply can't phantom a new diver having the amount of information we have access too. I specifically mentioned scubaboard and her answer was, "They give out so much useless and bad and unsafe information I refuse to even look at that site". Uh huh.

Information = Power

I read the first two chapters of my SSI OW manual this weekend and was suprised by how much I had already covered by researching on the internet. Use all the resources available to you and never stop learning.

Ben

I went to one of the local LDS's around here and was asking about some of the customizations that could be done to a Zeagle BCD. I made the mistake of mentioning one I had seen on ScubaToys.com. As soon as he heard the word internet he started launching into a tirade about "...any dealer that sells or even advertises [this equipment] online is no longer an authorized dealer... the mfgr warranty is voided... that's how strict these manufacturers are..."

Funny thing is; I was asking him to look up the type of customization on the internet to see if they (the LDS) could order the same from Zeagle... NOT LIKELY ANYMORE. I hate being lied to. bleh!

 

[divemastergreg]

Its costs more to run a walk in shop than an internet based shop. Local dive shops help you when your in need of fast service. (they dont have to send the equipment out for service) The internet can not compare to that. c/s is not as good as the local shop. We go out of our way to make sure our customers are happy. You need to support your local shop. What would you do if all the local shops went out of bussiness?

 

[mdb]

Its costs more to run a walk in shop than an internet based shop. Local dive shops help you when your in need of fast service. (they dont have to send the equipment out for service) The internet can not compare to that. c/s is not as good as the local shop. We go out of our way to make sure our customers are happy. You need to support your local shop. What would you do if all the local shops went out of bussiness?

Greg: with all due respect; new and old divers now have access to many fine full service dive stores that offer warranty, repair, air/gas, service, and good advice, and good pricing. Larry and Joe @ www.scubatoys.com are a fine example of a great local store that also offers net sales and service. These new model stores are not "internet based". www.scubatoys.com has a 10,000+ square foot store, nice pool, plans trips, offers instruction, and carries full warranty inventory on every item they sell. They are simply adapting to todays market.

 

[lairdb]

You need to support your local shop. What would you do if all the local shops went out of bussiness?

Not notice.

 

[gjmmotors]

You need to support your local shop. What would you do if all the local shops went out of bussiness?

If the LDS crashed, (I dont know where in florida you are located, But by me in south florida id just drive an extra five minutes until I hit another.)

If all else failed I would buy my own compressor, or else the boat op's would buy their own to serve their customers. The world would not stop diving just because the LDS wouldnt evolve.

-gm

 

[toodive4]

Hot air... coming out of LDS owners mouths... There will always be places to get your tanks filled. Dive shops will either learnt o adapt and compete or they will be gone like the dinosaurs. Anyone can buy a compressor now a days and as the costs come down I'm considering going in on one with a group of dive buddies... wallah... no more need for a LDS... For $2700 we can get a compressor. With 10 of us kciking in... that's only $270 each...

Now the way I have it figured... I use about 6 tanks of air each week (a little more than most divers cause I dive for a living)... but that means I spend $4.50 a fill X 6 = $27 a week on air... which means I spend $1404.00 a year... Now I realize there will be some other small shared costs between me and my 9 buddies to keep the compressor operational... but still, look at my 1 year savings... then consider after the initial $270, I have no more costs. What in the world do I need an overcharging LDS for?

Service? You can learnt o service your own regs or send them to an authorized internet dealer... there are many... The LDS's are killing themselves because they are failing to come into the age of technology with their eyes open.

When they fail, it will not be because of you or me... it will be because they failed to anticipate change and to adapt to the changing environment. The really solid LDS's are already internet selling... While a few manufacturers keep LDS's from listing pricing on the internet, they do not stop them from showing that they sell these brands on the internet. They simply tell you they sell them and have you call for pricing...

Don't belive the smoke your local dive shop blows up your ^$$...it is truly all hot air...

Ken

Wow it's really gonna suck when the LDS goes out of business, they give me air, can internet do that? It costs around 10 dollars to fill each tank (filters, maintenance electricity, initial cost) so he's taking a hit just to stay open. Internet is a double edged sword, good prices, but kills the LDS and if the LDS start to die we wont dive, no more air fills. I guess you gotta buy at least some stuff from dive shops besides air, otherwise it wont be there. :06:

 

[mdb]

I have to agree totally. Honestly I think its often a simple gap in knowlege. Many non internet savy people are totally unable to use google much less glean useful information from forums. I think when they start reading you the "internet speech" they simply can't phantom a new diver having the amount of information we have access too. I specifically mentioned scubaboard and her answer was, "They give out so much useless and bad and unsafe information I refuse to even look at that site". Uh huh.

Ben: I hope she does look @ this board and see that many divers are talking to each other and providing good advice. The days of 100-120%+ markups are over. New and old divers can now price compare from many fine full service dive retailers who have moved forward and provide full service, warranty etc. @ good fair prices. The LDS stores who launch into lectures about internet sales are just looking more and more foolish and losing customers. If the LDS would just say "Let me see what I can do. I do/do not carry that brand but if this is your price point I can help." most divers would be happy and relaxed and buy local. Until that happens-shop around and don't spend 30-50% more. Take your time. Buy it right the first time. This board is a very good source of information.

 

[serambin]

I know I’m the person who started this thread, but while reading the responses (and thanks for them) something occurred to me. Around 12 years ago, I was working as a subcontractor for computer company, setting up networks and when required building and repairing equipment. The company I worked for made most of its profit on the sale of equipment (they were a Hewlett Packard house selling high-end routers and networking equipment) with only a modest margin on repairs and service. That company is still in business, but almost all its profit is now from service work. They even tell their clients to purchase equipment off the net and then make money setting up and servicing the systems and designing web pages.

The Internet is real and it’s not going away, so businesses will learn to use it to their advantage or suffer the loss in sales like many small computer companies did in the nineties. I ask you, is there any piece of computer equipment you wouldn’t buy off the web?

So following this logic, stores like Scuba Toys are leading the way. By selling over the web, providing a local presence, and servicing Internet purchased equipment, they greatly increase the likelihood of surviving the changes in the Scuba industry.

At first, companies like HP used only affiliate houses (channels) for distribution. My . . . hasn’t that changed. You can buy an HP from Wal-Mart 24/7 with a full warranty. One other point, the first regulator I purchased was a Nimrod bought from . . . Sears along with the steel tank, fins and mask. That was in the late sixties, so things may have gone full circle.