Leisure pro

[Kim]

I live in Japan and as such it's difficult to get gear sometimes. I just bought some stuff from Leisure Pro for the first time. They were very good - and it came with no problems very quickly. Reading many threads about Leisure Pro I've seen that if you buy from them you will often not get the manufacturers warranty. It makes me wonder where they get their stuff from. Considering that they seem to stock almost everything you could wish for it strikes me that they must be getting it directly from the manufacturers - or not? If not - how can they make their prices so cheap? Even if there is some other BIG wholesaler out there who is making the first purchase from the manufacturers - and then selling on to Leisure Pro - I would imagine that the manufacturers are fully aware of the chain involved and could easily stop it if they wanted to. So why don't they simply officially allow it to happen and give the normal manufacturers warranty on their products? Does anyone care to comment?
(p.s. I ran an international wholesale business with domestic retail shops in the gaming industry for years - I know that in a small market - games are probably bigger than scuba gear - there is not a lot that can happen that anyone can keep secret for more than 10 minutes!!)

 

[DeepTrip]

Some manufacturer have various limit on their warranty, some of which I can think of:
1. Warranty only valid if bought from authorized distributor, ONLY in country of purchase.
2. Warranty is valid only to first buyer, not transferable. If LP is not authorized dealer, it means they should bought from authorized dealer, thich mean, they are the first buyer, NOT YOU.

Anybody want to add?

Benny

 

[The Kraken]

I think many who address this issue make too much of an issue about the "manufacturer's warranty". The object of a warranty is to have the product serviced, repaired or replaced.

If the source of acquisition offers the ability to service, replace or repair, what does it matter that it doesn't come directly from the manufacturer?

Leisure-Pro offers a warranty, albeit it is their warranty. The end consumer still has the ability to redress the issue of a defective purchased product.

 

[Kim]

Not quite true. Apeks, for instance, offers free service parts for a 'legal' regulator bought from an authorised dealer - as far as I know - for life. I agree that the Leisure Pro warranty is fine against original defects and failures - but in some cases it is not as strong as the manufacturers warranty - i.e. vis-a-vis service costs. My question however was more based on where Leisure Pro actually gets their gear. I find it hard to believe that it's not directly from the manufacturers - even if the manufacturers don't want to admit that.
I can give one example: In Japan the Suunto SK7 Compass is listed in the Japanese Suunto catalogue for 17,000 yen (about $160) - I paid $59.95 from Leisure Pro, but presumably I have no warranty or service possibility in Japan (no problem - if it breaks I'll get a new one from Leisure Pro and still be better off). Strange though - don't you think!!

 

[sleepyhead]

You sure stuff in Japan is not cheaper?? I was there last month and i bought a dive computer which was cheaper in Canada,Singapore and Brisbane.

I was at mic21 where the vyper was definitely cheaper.By the way, how's the diving in Japan?? I'm thinking of diving there in December?? Cold in a drysuit?? Thanks

 

[Kim]

You sure stuff in Japan is not cheaper?? I was there last month and i bought a dive computer which was cheaper in Canada,Singapore and Brisbane.

I was at mic21 where the vyper was definitely cheaper.By the way, how's the diving in Japan?? I'm thinking of diving there in December?? Cold in a drysuit?? Thanks

In my experience Japan is incredibly expensive. There are exceptions - for instance you can get some photographic stuff here (Inon, Olympus and some arms) as cheap - if not cheaper than other places. I don't know mic21 so I can't comment about that - I'd be interested in their full address/contact info.

As far as the diving here goes - check out our Zen Divers forum - there is some info there although we didn't have the forum that long yet - you'll find it right at the bottom of the main scubaboard page!

p.s. I can dive a 5mm wetsuit year round - it's a little cold in winter - but bearable. I've seen some Japanese divers use drysuits, but I personally don't bother. The coldest I've seen was about 10 Celcius.

 

[sleepyhead]

In my experience Japan is incredibly expensive. There are exceptions - for instance you can get some photographic stuff here (Inon, Olympus and some arms) as cheap - if not cheaper than other places. I don't know mic21 so I can't comment about that - I'd be interested in their full address/contact info.

As far as the diving here goes - check out our Zen Divers forum - there is some info there although we didn't have the forum that long yet - you'll find it right at the bottom of the main scubaboard page!

p.s. I can dive a 5mm wetsuit year round - it's a little cold in winter - but bearable. I've seen some Japanese divers use drysuits, but I personally don't bother. The coldest I've seen was about 10 Celcius.

There are a few dive shops that i went to in Tokyo. I can't remember their address but u can get their address from the dive magazines.. I went to 3 of them in ikebukaro.. Mic21 is left of the east entrance of the station i think 5 mins walk. Ocean air is 5 mins straight ahead .. sorry can't remember.. How's the wet suit prices in Japan?? I seen mares, scubapro, mobby going for 34000 yen?? Your comments " too expensive, moderate or..??" I might go japan to teach english so i might also want to teach scuba part time. How's the market like over there?
Thanks

 

[yknot]

Not quite true. Apeks, for instance, offers free service parts for a 'legal' regulator bought from an authorised dealer - as far as I know - for life. I agree that the Leisure Pro warranty is fine against original defects and failures - but in some cases it is not as strong as the manufacturers warranty - i.e. vis-a-vis service costs. My question however was more based on where Leisure Pro actually gets their gear. I find it hard to believe that it's not directly from the manufacturers - even if the manufacturers don't want to admit that.
I can give one example: In Japan the Suunto SK7 Compass is listed in the Japanese Suunto catalogue for 17,000 yen (about $160) - I paid $59.95 from Leisure Pro, but presumably I have no warranty or service possibility in Japan (no problem - if it breaks I'll get a new one from Leisure Pro and still be better off). Strange though - don't you think!!

First, that free parts for life is usually only valid with a full service at your LDS. I would think that the labor is most of the cost but actually those repair kits, if available, could run $25 a stage. Service parts are another issue. You could assume that the manufacturer's goal in giving free parts is to encourage you to get something serviced, thereby reducing their risk of some malfunction causing you harm. If their reasons were really a concern for their customers then parts would be readily available and not withheld from public sale. If you find this whole situation offensive, you should send a letter to the manufacturer and further refuse to patronize anyone that operates this way. The manufacturers are the real winners in this game anyway. There is no way that they could NOT know where a product with a serial # came from. They have put a product in a consumer's hands when you bought from LeisurePro regardless of the route it may have traveled to get there. Further more, they will deny warranty coverage which further increases their net profit on the gear.Unfortunatly, this situation likely won't change because most new divers, who buy most of the new gear sold, are to intimidated by the process to buy online. There was a move afoot here a year or so ago by Genesis to bombard the manufacturers with petitions and such concerning these issues and also complain in some official capacity to the FCC in the US. I haven't seen anything on the status of this in a while.

 

[sleepyhead]

Thanks for the advice. Going through the forum..

 

[nori1841]

Kim、

I already posted some discount store infomation of Japan on other threads.
The prices are very cheap,especially sale prices and set gear prices.
You can purchase on online stores of those shops so should check below links.

http://www.mic21.com/

http://www.openair.co.jp/

http://www.itc-prodive.com/japan2/index.html