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I was banned by TommyD, the wetsuit guy, after I was a bit critical over the lack of any warranty with his products. I think it made him feel good.
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I was banned by TommyD, the wetsuit guy, after I was a bit critical over the lack of any warranty with his products. I think it made him feel good.
Avonthediver
Contributor
LOL! I had a buddy who had been banned from the LDS that did our OW for buying a set a gear from a dive con! And the only reason he got back into the shop was that he called SSI and they made the owner put him back into class!
My buddy did make it up to the owner by buying a trip to cozumel
Note: the reason that SSI got involved is that paul had paid and the owner would not refund
I have no sympathy. On the one hand they act symphathetic regarding the draconian policies of maintaining impeccable paperwork to save money on parts when servicing name brand equipment and but turn around and revel in the fact that they can only sell the same price-protected gear at 100% markups and to ask for a discount is the same as asking them to close their doors all because the vendor will pull their dealership from them if they offer discounts.
Some shops around here have flat out told me they won't service my gear just because I either had incomplete paperwork or photocopied papers (I scan every original mail and receipt and shred after words to save storage space, it's a lifestyle I practice). Not even an issue of just charging more, they just wouldn't service it.
I learned an important fact about the local dive industry: I must make my purchases from a place that makes me happy. After exiting certain shops a number of times feeling guilty and upset, like I did something wrong, for not keeping exacting paperwork or for the simple reason I bought my gear from a different shop that is no longer in business, and being emotionally distressed over it I eventually decided any shop that causes me to feel that way for any reason will not get my patronage. PERIOD!!
A paying customer should not feel guilty or distressed after leaving a dive shop.
The dive industry is an interesting one. So I learn when to make political purchases, and when to lie about the origin of my equipment (I absolutely detest and abhor having to lie) in order to get air fills or other things like O2 analyzers or drysuits in the future.
In the end, shop where you please but be careful what you say around them. One can no more expect to be treated like royalty at Target after spouting off how Wallmart offers better prices than to expect most LDS' to treat you like royalty after spouting off how you spend your money online or at their competition.
Some shops around here have flat out told me they won't service my gear just because I either had incomplete paperwork or photocopied papers (I scan every original mail and receipt and shred after words to save storage space, it's a lifestyle I practice). Not even an issue of just charging more, they just wouldn't service it.
I learned an important fact about the local dive industry: I must make my purchases from a place that makes me happy. After exiting certain shops a number of times feeling guilty and upset, like I did something wrong, for not keeping exacting paperwork or for the simple reason I bought my gear from a different shop that is no longer in business, and being emotionally distressed over it I eventually decided any shop that causes me to feel that way for any reason will not get my patronage. PERIOD!!
A paying customer should not feel guilty or distressed after leaving a dive shop.
The dive industry is an interesting one. So I learn when to make political purchases, and when to lie about the origin of my equipment (I absolutely detest and abhor having to lie) in order to get air fills or other things like O2 analyzers or drysuits in the future.
In the end, shop where you please but be careful what you say around them. One can no more expect to be treated like royalty at Target after spouting off how Wallmart offers better prices than to expect most LDS' to treat you like royalty after spouting off how you spend your money online or at their competition.
I actually switched shops for this reason. Due to high pressure sales and feeling guilty for buying some used gear like I had done something wrong. Now I’m a grown man and it wasn’t until I was talking to another grown man about us both having guilt complex’s for buying gear from different sources that I realized that this is b/s. I should NEVER have to feel guilty about how I spend my hard earned money, with maybe the exception of allocating money for hookers (Just for the record, I do not do this) due to the wife.
P.S. I am new to scuba board. I just had to chime in for this!
P.S. I am new to scuba board. I just had to chime in for this!
There is a concept that some members of diving society subscribe to: diving has "ranks". OW student equates to buck private and instructor is like a captain. A dive shop owner is like a general in that way of thinking. This assumption of authority may cause those generals disapointment when regular-guy customers don't follow their command. The imaginary authority is born from a system of "working yor way up".
This should not change a consumer's perspective on buying for value. We must recognize that the "diver rank" concept is real to these people, and deal with the personalities involved.
This should not change a consumer's perspective on buying for value. We must recognize that the "diver rank" concept is real to these people, and deal with the personalities involved.
Avonthediver
Contributor
ecrcks welcome to the board!
And Stu s. thats a very good way of looking at things. what I like about the military is that their is always a way around the brass!
And Stu s. thats a very good way of looking at things. what I like about the military is that their is always a way around the brass!
SCUBASailor
Contributor
I buy from the my nearby LDS when prices are reasonable and he has what I need. When there is a substantial purchase (like AOW training) that I am getting from a more distant shop, I let the local owner know why I had to go elsewhere. He needs to know if and why customers might not be satisfied with some of his services, and he seems to appreciate my forthrightness. If a shop owner is not mature enough to listen to my needs, then he probably doesn't deserve my business anyway.
munselln8
Registered
I was thinking about this topic and, although I am a pretty hard core capitolist, I do recall a time I actually felt bad for not buying from the LDS. My wife wanted to get her own wetsuit (instead of renting-which we did from the LDS for $15 a pop for a year and a half). The LDS was having a big 40% off sale. So I take my wife down there and she spends close to 45 min-hour trying on diffferent suits (all the while the staff is being really great and offering suggsetions, helping her take measurements, running different suits back and forth to the dressing room, etc..). Eventually we find a suit that fits her great (I don't remember which one). The tag says ~$400.00...and I'm thinking..."I know that goes for around $189.00 online..." but with the sale it comes down to around $240.00. I tell my wife...hey, That is a pretty good deal...we should get it. But my wife insists on checking the price vs. online first. After about ten minutes I give up. She eventually bought a different suit online (Waterproof for $139.00 !!!) but I really felt guilty for that one. We spent a lot of their time that day and they treated us great. I'll cop to that one cause it was, IMO, sketchy. I felt we should have, at least made an offer ($220.00 maybe?)
Not that we haven't spent thousands in there on other stuff, but I guess that is just my sensibility :-/
BTW the new suit doesn't fit as well as the store suit, we sent it back once for an exchange adding $40 to the price so after shipping we spent ~ $200...not worth the hassle IMO, but my wife is MONDO cheap
Not that we haven't spent thousands in there on other stuff, but I guess that is just my sensibility :-/
BTW the new suit doesn't fit as well as the store suit, we sent it back once for an exchange adding $40 to the price so after shipping we spent ~ $200...not worth the hassle IMO, but my wife is MONDO cheap
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