LDS's are just too expensive

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea i honeslty havent seen it in FL either, there are a couple rarities, but I wouldnt consider divers direct a LDS.... Diveriteexpress is one of them, but they are only a local shop for a few of the SB'ers

 

[Loneranger]

Hard to compare shops in Florida to other areas of the country. I am sure they are moving X times more gear thru their doors in X period of time versus other areas of the country. When you have a Divers Direct and several other shops in a small radius prices become very competitive. How many people get motivated while on vacation and buy a new piece of gear while in Florida because of price or they are in spending mode during vacation?

 

[serambin]

Just buy where you want to, but don't bore me with more of this crap.

Who cares.

Stan

 

[AXL72]

Ethically speaking, I have a hard time buying gear online that I then expect to take to my LDS for annual service or the occasional repair. I know most people don't have a problem with that, but I just feel deceitful when I do that.

I also like to have a place to go to 'touch and feel' an item before I buy it. Again, I don't feel ethical going to the LDS to look at something and then turn around and buy the same item online. The LDS supplied a service to me and they need to be "paid" for that service, so I buy the item from them. Yes it cost me more, but if they didn't exist then I probably would make several bad purchase decisions because I did not get to 'touch and feel' the item before I bought it.

However, I do buy some dive items online (like photo gear), but I do not take those items to the LDS for service/repair and I don't go to the LDS to scope the items out first.

huh!!!

you know what, the LDS charges you money to service your gear, regardless of where you buy it!!!

Are you telling me the LDS is doing soooo hott (pssss hott), that they would turn away business?

Bloody robbers, then. Turning away business that stares em in the face while overcharging on dive equipment!!!

Harley Davidson had a gripe about this, too. Motorcyclists were going to New York or Arizona from Texas to get a better deal on the price and taxes (I think on the taxes, too). Well the gripe was that the Texas shops were having to spend more money on servicing the warranty and recall items without getting money or credit for the sale. The New York and Arizona shops were griping tht they were not geting money for the regular service items.

Harley enacted something about having to buy in your local area. But my point is, make eeryone happy. Send the gear to the online guy for the warranty work, and take the gear to the LDS for the annual service. Win win for everyone.

 

[AXL72]

Just buy where you want to, but don't bore me with more of this crap.

Who cares.

Stan

"bah humbug" and "peaople suq"

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea, I agree for a shop to turn down repair buisness b/c you didnt buy from them is ludicris

 

[Berdman]

I bought a float from my lds and I ended up saving about 10-20 bucks on everything then if I had bought it from scubatoys. My LDS has a discount off service if you bought the item from them. I am looking at al80- tanks and it would probably save me money buying through the lds. One thing I found out the hard way is, does your lds service the brand you bought online? I bought some regulators online and had to drive 30 mins to get them serviced I ended up paying more for them. You need to factor in s/h when you buy online, and for my tank situation the difference is 5 bucks max.


shop around you arnt always getting the best deal at one place, I can get the same new camera for 100 bucks less on ebay then at my lds.

 

[AXL72]

ok.....good points

 

[reefugee]

I guess I am luck. I have an awesome LDS - Dolphin Scuba of Sacramento. I can usually find price for a little cheaper online, but when you factor in shipping, it's a wash. And you can't beat the great customer service!

 

[DTWBubble]

Where ever you buy, you should feel comfortable and trust those that sell and service your product. I have no qualms purchasing from reputable online dealers. But I find my LDS invaluable and attempt to purchase from them when ever possible. That is why I don't insult them by questioning their prices or telling them I found it cheaper online; I just support them by bringing my gear to be repaired or serviced; getting air refills and buying other equipment as well as dive charters.

The online sales will hurt those shops that are selling a marginal amount, it happens to all businesses. You can buy your car from one dealer but take it to the one closer to your home for service or Sears. I don't fret too much about buying other goods online from a reputable dealer, neither do most of us. Camera manufacturers went through this same fight 30 years ago, giving the same arguments about purchasing grey market goods, from non approved resellers. They got over it and adjusted their marketing. The dive industry will adjust too. Europeans dive shops don't have the restritions placed on their dive shops, like U.S. shops. The product that you could purchase over there has a warranty and has to be honored here.