LDS's going out of business very soon - help them out!

[rakkis]

The way I understand it the student will be able to do academic requirements at home.They do that now with text and video.

That's correct.

Instructor still required to go over knowledge reviews and administer quiz/final exam ... Student comes in after completing online materials.Instructor does presentations based on prescriptive outline format,does kr's /quizz./goes to pool

Not quite. KR's and the final exam will be administered through the eLearning website. Instructors are only required to proctor an 18-question, multiple-choice "Quick Review". Though I personally will probably have a remedial session if/when that happens.

 

[mike_s]

here are my thoughts on the matter.....

Anyone Dive Shop who goes out of business because of this is just self inflicted upon themselves. The same thing about competing with online gear sales.

Online training and online gear sales are not going to "go away". They are here. The LDS's have to accept it.

LDS's can either keep their prices high and provide more customer service to make up for it or lower their prices and compete on gear sales. The smart ones will lower prices from MSRP and still include great customer service. This is how they will compete with this model. Other stores find that doing this AND offereing online sales will be the way to go.

They will survive because they changed when the industry model changed.

Change is inevitable. Some LDS's and people just have a harder time facing and accepting it that others.

Those who deny the changes in the industry will be having "going out of business sales". Many LDS's in my area have had these over the past few years.

 

[nereas]

You may or may not know, the story may have changed around a little, but it comes down to this. PADI will soon be or if they havent already, offering divers to do their open water course online!

This means dive shops who are already suffering from online gear sales will be loosing half of their other source of income, teaching open water classes. Instructors, instead of making 100 bucks, will be making 50 bucks, because they will now be just doing the pool and open water dives, instead of classroom work, causing them to quit or move on. This will hurt local dive shops BIG TIME, with PADI even admitting the future losses.

We have noticed dive sites such as divebuddy.com helping dive shops out, and thank them for that.

In our new interactive online mag, we will have a shop check section which will be dedicated to feature a couple dive shops around the world in each mag. Thus giving viewers around 20% off all gear ( or a even better deal ) for shopping at the store.

If you want to submit your local dive shop for this opportunity, to prepare for the near future results of PADI, keeping the local diving scene alive, please let us know and we will contact them. We will only choose the most interested. The first issue of the online mag is estimated to see over 100,000 + unique views in the first 3 months since its free, unique design, fast download, interactive and FUN. Get your shop signed up and lets promote actual pleasure diving.

PADI has noted, it has now become survival of the fittest, if it means taking most of their loyal dive shops and instructors out of business, then so be it. Lets not let them do it without a fight if you will.

No, this is not what it means.

What it means is that there will simply be more PADI diver deaths than before, if that is even imaginable.

And that should have little impact on gear sales, since living divers will continue to need gear, same as before.

http://www.**********/news/editorial/o050620.html

 

[PhilEllis]

No, this is not what it means.

What it means is that there will simply be more PADI diver deaths than before, if that is even imaginable.

And that should have little impact on gear sales, since living divers will continue to need gear, same as before.

I am going to assume that you forget to insert the "smiley faces" on this post. If not, then.................

This must be the most irresponsible statement I have ever seen on ScubaBoard. There is NO evidence, ANYWHERE, that demonstrates what you have quoted. Contribute meaningfully to the thread or go play in the street.

Phil Ellis

 

[TheTrickster]

ScubaBoard is hoping to unleash it's "Find an Instructor" section which will let users (many of which are non-divers) choose an instructor by locale, Agency, Traditional/On-line, and well... YOU get the picture. Instructors (not shops) will be listed and so independents who are in our I2I group will benefit from the best exposure on the planet. More details as we get ready to launch.

Sounds great!!! - Any emailing list we can join for progress and updates on this...?

 

[jbichsel]

Since this seems to be soething that PADI is determined to do and there will apparently be a relationship between PADI and IRRC members, what happens to those of us that are independant instructors?

I'm sure PADI will not beat down our doors to send students our way.

For those of us that have audited our LDS's and have chosen not to conform to the "quantity over quality" choice, where does this leave us?

 

[nereas]

I am going to assume that you forget to insert the "smiley faces" on this post. If not, then.................

This must be the most irresponsible statement I have ever seen on ScubaBoard. There is NO evidence, ANYWHERE, that demonstrates what you have quoted. Contribute meaningfully to the thread or go play in the street.

Phil Ellis

The most irresponsible statement that I have ever seen is any statement about online certification.

 

[aa diving]

and what happened to padi's chastizing agency's for offering online trainning????
put another dollar in and add water and what do you have??? a padi student thats my personal opinion only, not ment as any thing else only my opinion!and yes i own a lds
and i am an istructor.

 

[girldiverllc]

Since this seems to be soething that PADI is determined to do and there will apparently be a relationship between PADI and IRRC members, what happens to those of us that are independant instructors?

I'm sure PADI will not beat down our doors to send students our way.

For those of us that have audited our LDS's and have chosen not to conform to the "quantity over quality" choice, where does this leave us?

I asked my regional PADI rep about this, and the reply that I got in December was that it is "TRUE" that the online e-Learning will NOT be throwing students into our hands. Even if you have a web-based business for your instruction promotion, unless you are an IRRC member, you can't play. With my business, it definitely doesn't fall under the classification of Dive Center or Dive Resort, so there's no way for me to even join as an IRRC.

So, unfortunately, if you teach PADI and you want to teach small, quality classes and not be "on staff" at a LDS...you'll not reap the benefits of the PADI marketing. I teach students who have individual challenges, whether that be time challenges or skill challenges...and so the local LDS pay scale doesn't compensate me adequately as I'm highly customer focused and charge for it.

It would be cool if ScubaBoard can overcome this obstacle. I LIKE the PADI training system, which is why I've continued to be a PADI instructor. I like that I can be an independant instructor...but I feel if the agency is going to support ALL PADI instructors, then we need to be on an even playing field.

BTW...my students are all highly encouraged to buy all of their equipment from LDS's...so my independant instruction still reaps the benefits of gear sales to my LDS's.

 

[The Chairman]

Sounds great!!! - Any emailing list we can join for progress and updates on this...?

I am certain that regular visitors will get the inside scoop on this as it happens.

It will be interesting to see what feathers get ruffled in all of this.