LDS: Point of Pain

[pilot fish]

And you would rather buy hot cakes from where? A car salesman?

 

[String]

I have NO problem with dive shops, divers, that sell on the internet. It's the non diving merchants that are a blight. What you THINK is a deal turns out not to be with them.

A blight how exactly? I can buy online and save 20-30% on prices, thats a large amount if its a big item. I still get warantee cover as per normal so i dont see the issue.
Thats no worse than a "local" dive shop overcharging its customers massively whilst providing nothing else of use.

 

[pilot fish]

A blight how exactly? I can buy online and save 20-30% on prices, thats a large amount if its a big item. I still get warantee cover as per normal so i dont see the issue.
Thats no worse than a "local" dive shop overcharging its customers massively whilst providing nothing else of use.

What item, and manufacturer, are you buying/bought from them that you claim to be able to get a warranty on? String, have you called that company to see if they will honor your gear purchsed from Leisure Pro?

 

[pilot fish]

A blight how exactly? I can buy online and save 20-30% on prices, thats a large amount if its a big item. I still get warantee cover as per normal so i dont see the issue.
Thats no worse than a "local" dive shop overcharging its customers massively whilst providing nothing else of use.

Also, I see you live in Wales so that would mean higher shipping and handling cost. What are they? I think you THINK you're getting a deal of 30 % off but when you factor in s&h costs, and repairs, sans warranty, your "saving" are merely a postponement, temporarily, of costs. What we are saying is that it's not the great deal you think your'e getting. But, hey, if you are comfortable with that risk, who am I to argue.

 

[Derek S]

What item, and manufacturer, are you buying/bought from them that you claim to be able to get a warranty on? String, have you called that company to see if they will honor your gear purchsed from Leisure Pro?

Case in point - My dive computer.

I was originally looking at the Suunto line at a local DS. I found out from another semi-local DS that they were selling them for $125 OVER MSRP. I did some more research, and found that I preferred the Oceanic/Aeris computers anyway. I went to the LDS in my area that sells them, and browsed pricing. I didn't waste anyone's time as I was just window shopping and wanted to see the models firsthand rather than pictures on the manufacturer's website. While doing more research on the Aeris website, I discovered that Scubatoys is in fact, an authorized online seller of Aeris gear.

I called Larry at Scubatoys and he was very helpful. Not only was the computer nearly $200 cheaper than what the LDS was selling it for, but I still kept the manufacturer's warranty (which will allow me to bring it to ANY Aeris reseller for service/ect). In cases such as this, yes, I do feel it is right for me to purchase it online. Larry was great, gave me information on some of my other gear (Scubapro regulator) that the LDS I bought it from hadn't, and made me feel like I was important and not just another sale (which I have felt like at times when I've gone into one of my LDS'es).

I think a nice ballance can be struck. Sure, it isn't all down to dollars and cents, but when there is a $200 price difference and I still get to keep the original manufacturer's warranty, I'll buy from Scubatoys every time.

 

[pilot fish]

Case in point - My dive computer.

I was originally looking at the Suunto line at a local DS. I found out from another semi-local DS that they were selling them for $125 OVER MSRP. I did some more research, and found that I preferred the Oceanic/Aeris computers anyway. I went to the LDS in my area that sells them, and browsed pricing. I didn't waste anyone's time as I was just window shopping and wanted to see the models firsthand rather than pictures on the manufacturer's website. While doing more research on the Aeris website, I discovered that Scubatoys is in fact, an authorized online seller of Aeris gear.

I called Larry at Scubatoys and he was very helpful. Not only was the computer nearly $200 cheaper than what the LDS was selling it for, but I still kept the manufacturer's warranty (which will allow me to bring it to ANY Aeris reseller for service/ect). In cases such as this, yes, I do feel it is right for me to purchase it online. Larry was great, gave me information on some of my other gear (Scubapro regulator) that the LDS I bought it from hadn't, and made me feel like I was important and not just another sale (which I have felt like at times when I've gone into one of my LDS'es).

I think a nice ballance can be struck. Sure, it isn't all down to dollars and cents, but when there is a $200 price difference and I still get to keep the original manufacturer's warranty, I'll buy from Scubatoys every time.

And well you should because ScubaToys IS an authroized dealer. I am saying that Leisure Pro is not for the two manufactuers you mentioned. ScubaToys are divers and are very much a part of the dive community.They are divers. Leisure Pro, nothing Pro about them, is not.

 

[String]

What item, and manufacturer, are you buying/bought from them that you claim to be able to get a warranty on? String, have you called that company to see if they will honor your gear purchsed from Leisure Pro?

Ive never bought off leisure pro and dont intend to as they wouldnt be cheaper factoring postage,packing,customs duty and so on.

I buy online from UK based companies which all supply proper manufacturer warantees. A few things over the years have broken and not once have i had any issue at all with getting a replacement.

 

[String]

Also, I see you live in Wales so that would mean higher shipping and handling cost. What are they? I think you THINK you're getting a deal of 30 % off but when you factor in s&h costs, and repairs, sans warranty, your "saving" are merely a postponement, temporarily, of costs. What we are saying is that it's not the great deal you think your'e getting. But, hey, if you are comfortable with that risk, who am I to argue.

Factoring in delivery,packaging and so on it works out 20-30% cheaper at least from shops, sometimes more.
There is also a LOT more choice than a dive shop that only stocks certain brands and is paid to tell you their brand is better than someone elses and so on.

 

[KenMusick]

There is also a LOT more choice than a dive shop that only stocks certain brands and is paid to tell you their brand is better than someone elses and so on.

That happened at one of the lds, they told me that scubapro was the greatest thing since sliced bread, great for cold water etc... "no you don't need that environmental seal on that reg blah blah blah." Here we have this one in stock.
Then I call my buddy, and instructor and they told me if I want to do basically any diving outside high summer in lake michicgan I have to have a reg that won't freeze, and they both said scubapro is great in the tropics, but not so great in the lake.

Now if I had just bought the damn thing then, and not done my homework, what would happen to me at 100' in 40 degree water when the damn thing freeflows? Great another cancelled dive for me and my buddy, and a six hundred dollar paperweight.

Whoever, and I mean whoever gives you good service is who you should patronize. If leisure pro does then give them your business, (won't personnally but hey) If it is the lds then that's ok too. But do not tell me that the lds can't be successfull in this business envrionment, they just have to adapt.


By the way, any item I try on in a lds to figure out the fit I buy in the lds. They are not a showroom for the internet, but I have received far more information online, and over the phone with good online dealers, in 10 minutes than I ever got in hours spent at the lds.

Pilot I appreciate your viewpoints but I personally have not been anything but a cash machine for the lds, and as such will not support them arbitrarily.

 

[pilot fish]

Ive never bought off leisure pro and dont intend to as they wouldnt be cheaper factoring postage,packing,customs duty and so on.

I buy online from UK based companies which all supply proper manufacturer warantees. A few things over the years have broken and not once have i had any issue at all with getting a replacement.

Sorry. I misunderstood you to say that you HAD bought from Leisure Pro and DID get a warranty. Sometimes Leisure pro buys from European companies and when Americans send in their stuff to be repaired they have to wait months for Europen parts to be shipped, PLUS get no warranty.