LDS Suicide

[pcarlson1911]

RANT RANT!

That should just about cover it.

Wanna play Hangman?

_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _

I am so frustrated with the LDS. The prices are higher than the internet, but they offer nothing more. With that premium should come service. It is not there.

Scuba Toys has some business headed their way.

Thank you, and good night.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Hey Paul. I hear ya. I've purchased almost all of my gear online. Wetsuits, regulator, bp/w, computer, fins, boots, all my misc do dads and recently 2 AL80s. If I had a Scuba Toys, Dive Sports or Dive Rite Express in my neighborhood, I'd be giving them my business. But not the sorry examples for how to run a business we have around here.

They've also gotten my training dollars ... and that's about to come to an end. See my post in the Basic Scuba forum about my AOW class. I'll come to Ohio and get some real training from Ber or Polly!

 

[Laser]

RANT RANT!

That should just about cover it.

Wanna play Hangman?

_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ _

I am so frustrated with the LDS. The prices are higher than the internet, but they offer nothing more. With that premium should come service. It is not there.

Scuba Toys has some business headed their way.

Thank you, and good night.

What shop you using in Cleveland? I grew up there.

 

[spectrum]

_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / scuba

 

[Laser]

_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ / scuba

I didn't feel like playin. Just thought I'd ask.

 

[ChrisA]

RANT RANT!

I've been thinking about a new bussines model. How many of you remeber "REI" before they went big and comercial? They started out as a mountaineer's co-op. This is where people would pool their money to buy gear and then at the end of the year if there was money left in the pot they would split it up and start the new year with $0.00 on the books.

That's what got me thinking. What I'd like to see is for a not-for-profet dive club to open a not to profest "dive shop" that is staffed by members. It would sell gear and offer trainning maybe even some of it at full MSRP but at the end of the year the owners of the shop split the profet in propoortion to how much their perchaces contibuted to that profet. Of course the owners (stock holders) are the club members. Realy it's the same system except it is customer owned.

There would be some savings because you would not need any primium realesate for a storfront. and it would not need to be open all the time. But the shop would still ned a compressor, inventory and might still need some paid staff but managment would be elected and non-paid.

 

[pcarlson1911]

Ok, there is an a in the last word, but thats it so far!

 

[pcarlson1911]

divin whoseear-
Ber's class was top notch! her statement of certified and qualified is on the money!

 

[RPanick]

That's what got me thinking. What I'd like to see is for a not-for-profet dive club to open a not to profest "dive shop" that is staffed by members. It would sell gear and offer trainning maybe even some of it at full MSRP but at the end of the year the owners of the shop split the profet in propoortion to how much their perchaces contibuted to that profet. Of course the owners (stock holders) are the club members. Realy it's the same system except it is customer owned.

Interesting thought, I think the Ford Sea Lancer's come pretty close to that. I think they do training and certification, but I don't think they deal with equipment or a compressor. Paula can probably comment on that one.

Another factor for having a fixed location and staff is to have someone qualified to service the gear. That's one thing an LDS does do that you can't really get from the Internet. Not everyone is willing to get the qualifications to do the repairs.

Next question is how many people would it take to sustain such a co-op. Lets face it there will be expenses for such an outfit; Insurance, staff pay and benefits possibly, rent, equipment, stock. Some of that could be offset if setup for as a non profit with part time pay for people helping out. Perhaps working in the shop could be used to offset dues or fees.

It may make sense to affiliate with an organization like the YMCA where you would have potentially pool and other facilities that could be used.

Something to think about.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

divin whoseear-
Ber's class was top notch! her statement of certified and qualified is on the money!

I know ... I'm quite jealous of you and your new wife.

Polly's also sounds great. Unfortunately, both are just too far to be an option for me for my Advance qualification ... uuhhh .... I mean certification.