tpabchbum:
Bring in a reg with a problem and we will ask you why you didn't take to the place where you bought it, most people will say they bought it from a dive shop where they used to live, so we ask the name of the shop and check the website of the manufacturer to see if they are a dealer, WE ARE NOT STUPID. If there is not dealer by that name in that town, we hand it back to them and ask them how they like the internet now and maybe they should send it back to have the problem fixed. This only works b/c most of the shops in our area do the same, the ones that don't bring us the regs when they screw them up.
The second time I went into an LDS in my area (Dolphin Scuba Center), I was carrying my Proton Ice I bought on the internet. I was renting a computer (didn't have a console yet) and needed it attached to the first stage. Dolphin isn't a Mares dealer. The girl working there seemed to like my reg and exclaimed over the small size of the second stage. She knew I got it off the internet, but gave me no "support your local price gouging" speeches. I told her at that point that I was doing a lot of research on BCs, both in LDS's and on the internet. She took me on a LENGTHY tour of what they had in stock and filled my arms with catalogs comparing various features. She told me what she, as a technical diver, preferred in her setup, paying attention to features that would suit what I was looking for rather than what rang up the highest on the register.
Now, she could have easily blown me off as someone using her time to research and buy off the internet. Had she treated me, regarding the regulator, as you have described, I never would have set foot back in that shop again. Instead, that has become my regular dive shop, on many things they have good deals, and so when it was time to lay down well over 500 dollars on a BC, largely due to her advice, my independent research, and the actions of others in Dolphin, I bought their Dive Rite Transpac II for a very reasonable price and am thrilled with it. Jim and I have also signed aboard their Channel Islands lobster trip near Halloween, retail for two of us: 990 dollars. We've also bought various accessories there, but I also continue to buy things on the internet, and at Sports Chalet (where we've also gotten excellent service). Depends on the item and its availability and price.
If that dive shop had followed your "business model", they would have lost a potential long term customer and would have lost approximately 1700 dollars over the course of a month to internet sales. We refer people to this shop now, giving them more business. We'll probably end up buying from them again. They will also advise me AGAINST buying one of their products if they don't think it will fit my diving profile, even if it means making a quick 20-30 bucks. When my retractor wasn't doing the job, instead of trying to sell me a "bigger better" retractor for 30 bucks, I was sold a bolt snap, which is working WONDERFULLY.
So hopefully, your shop's approach to 'service' (ie, bullying the customer into only buying from you and running out people doing legitimate research) goes the way of the dinosaur.
As for this whole compressor issue, buying an individual compressor may be financially unfeasible for almost anyone; however, groups of divers (let's say... in dive clubs?) would likely have no problem. Furthermore, those shops offering quality customer service don't seem to be reporting a lot of problems competing with the internet.
(By the way, one of the LDS's attached my internet-bought second stage, first stage, and octopus for free. Said that it's best to have a pro do it, but since it's easy, I could conceivably do it myself. Wouldn't take the money I offered. Said "Oh please, it took five seconds.")
BTW, I'd also be interested in the name of your shop. When I dive in FL, I want to make sure I avoid buying anything there, getting air fills, and want to make sure that none of my friends might happen to stumble in.
Ishie
