LDS's are just too expensive

[redacted]

The more you buy at your LDS, the more discounts they should be giving you.

The online shop gives you discounted prices with your first order.

A bird in hand....

The LDS needs to make it clear that they will satisfy a customer's needs on the first opportunity or risk losing that customer to others who offer better deals.

 

[carolrose]

I really considered buying my gear online, but I ended up going to the LDS even though they were somewhat more expensive. They threw in plenty of extras to make me feel good about the extra money spent, and I love that if I have a question, no matter how stupid, I can go there and they'll take the time to answer it. I wouldn't feel that I had a right to expect them to do that if I hadn't bought my gear there to begin with.

The very first time I used my regulators on a trip I put the dust cap back on without drying out the salt water, and left it that way for over 24 hours. On the way home from the airport, I stopped in at the LDS, and they serviced it as I waited (no charge), and even gave me the old filter as a reminder not to do that again. They were completely cool about it, and didn't make me feel like a dope, even though I was for doing that. It was worth a lot to me to have the convenience of being able to drop in just like that and have everything fixed before I even got home from the trip.

 

[LittleBug]

Would we still be buying half the stuff we own the way our parents or grandparents bought them, just because they were fun places to go?

See, that's why I like going to the dive shop. There's always someone there to hang out with. Going to the dive shop takes more than an hour because we always end up meeting up with friends there and hanging out. And then we end up going for wings and beers after we've spent all that time in the shop.

It's the same thing when I want to buy a book. I go to the book store and spend an afternoon browsing the aisles. I could spend 5 minutes and buy it on Amazon, but there's something about wandering the aisles and thumbing through this book or that one which makes it more fun.

 

[J.R.]

Darwin would be proud. ... I await your spears!

Yup... but ya' know, there's one aspect to Darwin that most folks don't think about... with VERY rare exception, the path of evolution leads to extinction... the rare exceptions seem to be, almost universally, either parasites or predators... you know... the "Big Fish eat the Little Fish" thing...

... just a thought.

No 'spear' intended... just an interesting observation...

 

[rmannix]

Haven't made any major purchases at my LDS in a while, just accessories, fills, hydros and VIPs. I'm in there all the time. Decided to get a new steel HP120 and ordered thru my LDS as I'm sure he could use the business. I expected to pay a high markup. A little slow getting it, but he charged me $80 less than online

 

[ehuber]

Those dive shops that sell ludicrously priced gear and expensive courses had better be prepared for competition from online markets. There are plenty of good websites that offer free service on regulators, honor all warranties, provide free shipping, and almost always have the lowest prices.

Just because there is a LDS in your area does not require you to give your money away to them out of Scuba Board guilt. If their prices are close, service is good, and they're reasonable... then by all means, spend your money at the LDS. Otherwise, business is business!

 

[LittleBug]

The "business is business" philosophy is exactly what sends American jobs overseas. Creating a demand locally will keep local people employed. It's not guilt, it's good economic sense. You can't have a strong economy if we've gotten rid of the local jobs just to save a few bucks.

 

[MSilvia]

I don't know where all this "Diving should be for everyone" stuff comes from, but I personally think it's nonsense. Even with the least expensive gear and training, diving, or at least scuba diving, is expensive enough to be prohibitive for most people. Quality gear and instruction is costly, and scuba is a gear and instruction intensive sport even without travel. It's not the sort of sport you can get into for the cost of a $15 ball and a pair of sneakers, and so will likely never become the sort of activity that's enjoyed equally by all economic classes. If you're having to decide between a heating oil or rent payment, you're probably not going to be making a nitrox fill and charter fee a high priority.

However, for those passionate about the underwater world and unable to afford scuba equipment, free diving can be very rewarding and is much less wallet-draining. For those occasionally able to scrape some money together, buying a piece here and there is a perfectly good way to get your gear. Buy what you can afford... if the LDS is out of your price range, you may not be the customer they're targeting. I support several local shops, and I also frequently buy gear used or online. I research what I want on my own, and get it from the source that makes the most sense.

 

[hlsooner]

The "business is business" philosophy is exactly what sends American jobs overseas. Creating a demand locally will keep local people employed. It's not guilt, it's good economic sense. You can't have a strong economy if we've gotten rid of the local jobs just to save a few bucks.

Okay, I will chime in here. I order the majority of my gear from the following online vendors

Scubatoys - Texas
Leisurepro - New York
Scuba.com - California
Dive Rite Express - Florida

Please explain to me again how I am sending jobs overseas?

 

[LittleBug]

I was referring to another comment about how "business is business." It's this very philiosophy that causes divers to buy online, *and* for American businesses to outsource their jobs. I was just trying to illustrate how many of our jobs are going overseas because "business is business." This "business is business" philisophy is sending our local and national economy into the toilet all in the name of saving a few bucks.

Does that make sense?