This is going to be a fun one, sorry my response is going to be long & all over the place
So, an XS, S, M, L, XL, and an XXL, ideally? Let's say at least five different suits to try on...in the 3-mm. Five more in the 5-mm and another five in the 7-mm. So, fifteen suits to try on...in the Henderson. What about the Bare suits? Another fifteen suits. So, thirty suits taking up precious shelf space and capital just for people to try on, as a public service? And you don't have nearly the inventory you need to compete with the online sellers; a quick look at LP's site indicates that they stock about twenty brands. It doesn't sound like a great idea to me.
The tiny LDS I previously worked for is in what used to be a house. Not a mansion, but a probably 2500-3000 square foot house. That houses compressors, rental gear, repair areas, offices, showroom, etc. When I was there, we carried Aqualung, Harvey's, O'Neill, SeaQuest, Deep See and Bare. We always had at least one of each size, color and thickness. If we didn't, we definitely had one in rental. Maybe not always the XXL's, but definitely down to XS (and usually a ML as well). So it can be done, even in a small store.
Unless the shop is so busy that you are actually losing sales with these people (attending them instead of somebody else, they use up dressing room where a real customer leaves), then you are providing a service that might potentially gain a customer, especially if you let them know you have no problem with people doing this, but do hope to gain their business somehow.
If your shop is this busy, hire another staff person or make working the shop part of your divemaster "internship". This is a super easy "problem" to solve.
$25 is not a bad amount when you think about it, it will take 30 minutes of the staff's time to get the right suit, try it on give advice and so without consider any of the overheads.
Are they really spending a dedicated 30 minutes? I'm out of practice now, but I used to say "Diving locally? Height? Weight?", I'd run upstairs to inventory (or to the rentals in back if I thought that would be quicker), grab 2 suits, direct them to a dressing room then go on to the next person. When my dresser popped out, either I would say "would you excuse me one moment?" to the new customer or another free staff member would help the dresser. Maybe 20% of the time we'd grab a different suit to try on. Then to the register to pay. Complete time spent: maybe 15 minutes. I don't expect anyone working retail is paid $100/hour ($25 x 4 customers per hour), but that sure would be sweet!
He replied that he was going to buy his stuff online because it was 10% cheaper.
Is this normal though? In my experience in a variety of industries, 10% is usually small enough to keep people local. There will always be exceptions of course. One tactic I learned long ago is to actually get the person into the store. If you give away everything over the phone, it's easy to go elsewhere. Tell the customer "we have all kinds of packages and can put something together customized just for you" and all of a sudden that 10% goes away. At least it does in their mind and after they've driven down to the store, talked some more, you've put together a package (homebrewing or diving), they're very unlikely to say no over 10%. Maybe I should go on tour giving retail sales training to dive stores...
Leisure pro does have a storefront presence.Its upstairs from the street.A street that has next to no parking available.A parking ticket can cost alot $$.Are they authorized dealers for EVERYTHING they sell,or is some of inventory greymarket? Many LDS will pricematch any authorized dealers prices,not greymarket dealers prices.Really cannot compare apples to oranges here.
Try taking/dragging your tanks upstairs to get them filled.Thats if they actually can fill.Do they have nitrox ,or trimix? Do they offer regularly scheduled classes? Do they have rentals? Do they have their own indoor heated pool? Do they offer ow training dives on a regular basis? Do they take customers diving locally or on trips?If they cannot or do not offer theses services I would not call them a LDS.
As others already pointed out, it's Manhattan, the parking situation is normal. My closest shop, in Tigard Oregon (I'll wait while you look it up) has miserable parking too. When I had the crazy dream to open my own LDS (I was taking copious amounts of NyQuil at the time), my PADI regional manager told me an LDS doesn't actually have to fill tanks. They have to "offer air fills". I was confused too, but he explained I could offer a 24 hour turnaround (or longer if I wanted) on tank fills and take them elsewhere to be filled. So even PADI says their LDS's don't need to fill air on site! And most of my LDS's don't even fill EANx and definitely don't do trimix, only 2 I can think of have pools, so I don't personally consider those important factors in determining where to try on my gear. But we can all have our own definition I guess.
I am simply answering Carolinakids question. You dont need to like it but it is true, LP is not the same as DRIS and never will be. that is not a bad thing it is just a fact. I went out of my way to state that LP covers the gear they sell themselves with their own warrantee and service. That is not however the same as a company of origin warrantee/guarantee. I get gear from the net as much as I get it from my LDS but I get it informed and for a reason. if that leas me to getting an SK7 from LP great but I will personally pass in regs from them but would have no problem getting a reg from DRIS or ST. That is just my personal opinion based on my personal experience dealing with LP. You should make your won decisions for you!
I love the manufacturers warranty debate
Let me tell you a personal story. When I worked for my old LDS, we were pretty heavy with Aqualung. I knew the rep personally. I ran one of the larger programs, so I was definitely in on keyman pricing. I had my Suunto (via Aqualung) Cobra die on me. Our authorized repair tech couldn't fix it so we sent it in to be fixed. 9 months later (and many many phone calls) I finally was given the option to pay to upgrade to a D9 because they had lost my Cobra. Pay the difference in keyman for a Cobra and MSRP for the D9, great deal (I had moved, so wasn't teaching for the shop, so they felt I shouldn't get a deal on the new computer even though they lost my old one). After I complained loudly enough (telling them my insurance company told me I would have to report them for theft to make a claim worked well), I was given keyman pricing on the upgrade. Long story...well, long I personally don't care about manufacturers warranties. Find a dive center, online or local, that can take care of your repairs, have a backup and you'll be much better off.
Well, evolution but I suspect the real cause is mfgrs did have some success in interrupting supplies to LP so LP had to become an authorized dealer for much of what they sell. This commits them to the MAP (minimum advertising price) set by those dealers. If you really think an authorized dealer under MAP restrictions should give you a better price, you will have to do some direct negotiations with the dealer.
The operative word in MAP is "advertised" and "advertised" is not the same as "sales"
What else?
