leisurepro worth it?

[Ghost.Diver]

This is something to consider also....

My regular buddy and one of instructor friends just finished taking some tech classes. They arrived in the Caymans about an hour ago for some more tech classes.
Two years ago, they were barely a Dive Rite dealer. Now after mainly these two ordered all this equipment, the LDS's standing with DiveRite has given the LDS a larger discount from DiveRite. All the equipment they have bought could have been bought from leisurepro. Since one of them ordering was a part ower/instructor for the shop, naturally he got a cut on the price. I checked on alot of the items he bought and the prices at leisure pro were in line with what he paid.

Bottom line, use good judgement. I dont feel like giving my LDS the shaft buy buying "everything" from online services but somethings I might. Think of it this way also; you find a great deal on the latest SuperScuba Mk50 regulator on ebay for over 1/2 the cost of new. guy is selling it new in the box with all warranty information with it. You know that your LDS can service this since they are a SuperScuba dealer. You find out that the cost of the one on ebay is less than the dealer cost. You do your checking and find out the guy is legit. You win the bid.

Do you feel bad about it? Do you still take it to your LDS for service? Would you buy all your equipment like this?

In one respect, buying online from LeisurePro, DiveINN, etc is pretty much the same as buying at Ebay. So if you get a great deal on Ebay and are all happy about it, what is the difference between buying there or online and feeling like you are cheating, stabbing your LDS in the back?

 

[yknot]

When I see all of the specialized, underfunded, poorly planned businesses that open and close in my area I know that for every LDS failure there are 2 or 3 other potential business owners itching to enter the market. Don't schedule the wake for the traditional LDS just yet. Remember when some people thought that home video rentals and VCR's were going to kill movie theaters?

 

[MSilvia]

There isn't much difference really, but I've never felt like I was stabbing anyone in the back buy buying equipment anywhere. I buy equipment because I need it, not because someone else could use the business. I frequent 4 or 5 different LDSs, and would as soon buy from any of them, or an LDS in another city altogether, if it was more convenient at the time.

When I was in Texas for a dive at Flower Garden Bank, I decided to buy a thin wetsuit rather than rent one. Was I stabbing my local LDS in the back by doing that? They sell them, and could have used the sale, but I just didn't see it that way. The local shops provide certain services, but are really not my responsibility. Their business needs are not part of my shopping equation, anymore than I consider the well being of my local mechanic when I change my own oil, or the local grocer when I buy paper towels in bulk from a club store. If they want my business, they will get it when they do the best job of providing for my needs.

I'm more than happy to have them do my service, training, and air fills, but if I can save half a week's pay by buying from someone else, you can bet I will.

TxDeepDiver once bubbled...
This is something to consider also....

So if you get a great deal on Ebay and are all happy about it, what is the difference between buying there or online and feeling like you are cheating, stabbing your LDS in the back?

 

[Ghost.Diver]

The point I was making was that some people see buying from on online distributor as hurting there local LDS's. Yet most people if they got a good deal on new gear from an auction would think thats great no matter where they got it from.

Here is one example of that I ran across a little while ago; on Ebay an instructor had a pair of Atomic B1's up for auction. They started out at 200.00 Thats a deal, considering avg retail on those is about 650.00, Lesirepro has them for a little over 400. By the end of the auction, one regulator sold for 380.00 the other for about 350.00 These were used. Brand new, they were selling for about 20-50 more than the used ones on Ebay. Maybe the buyer had a problem buying from one of those evil on line stores. But in reality, itsn't Ebay just another online store?

 

[metridium]

mddolson wrote...
1) Is the mail order company going to supply you with air?

$2700.00 worth of air??? Get serious! For that, you could buy your own fill station and probably more!

mddolson wrote...
Most dive shops bairly cover the cost of the compressor, electricity and filter cartridges with the air fill price.

Whose fault is that? I have no problem paying for the cost of the fill plus a reasonable markup. I do have a problem with paying hundreds of dollars extra for gear with no value added.

mddolson wrote...
So is it in your best interest to keep your locak dive shop in business?

Not if you don't dive much locally, or can't afford the premiums on gear.

 

[metridium]

pt40fathoms wrote...
Two words come to mind, Buyer Beware!

That cuts both ways. In fact, for me it's been some of the LDSs I've really needed to beware.

 

[metridium]

redseal wrote...
Some items that are not life-saving/protecting can be purchased on-line from these stores (although I'd never use DiversDiscount.com ever again; their "no-hassle" return is just the opposite) but knock-offs, "special purchases", whatever synonym you choose may not be worth the so-called savings when trying to get proper service or warranty coverage.

How much proper service and warranty coverage would he need to justify paying an extra $2700.00?

redseal wrote...
Again, if the LDS goes out of business, where are potential AND established divers going to go for instruction, advice, trials of materials?

To the new LDS that comes in and charges realistic amounts for training and fills, perhaps?

redseal wrote...
In my area, there are only 2 or 3 shops in a 30-50 mile radius: if one or two or all go under (let's face it: their margins are tight, and they can't compete against the "Walmarts" of the on-line world on price alone) then we are all screwed, and sometime in the future, we may all pay more just because there is less competition, camaraderie and support.

So JSM should pay $2700.00 more now just so he may save more later?

 

[redseal]

Perhaps I misunderstood the initial post. Is there a $2700 difference in the price of all of the gear that JSM wants to purchase, or is he looking at $2700 worth of merchandise versus an amount greater or lesser than that, i.e. is it $2700 at the LDS he uses and $2000 on-line, or is it $3200 at the LDS but only $500 on-line? If it's the latter, then I'd say run, don't walk away from the LDS; they're trying to gouge you. But if we're talking a couple hundred bucks on a $2700 purchase (5-10%), that's a whole different story, especially if you don't have to contend with S&H, sending equipment away for replacement,service or repair.

In my area, there are only 2 or 3 dive stores within 30-50 miles. Yeah, there are places that will provide airfills and VIP/hydro testing, but what about reg servicing etc. Run the local dive shop owner out of business and that minimizes the chance that I can dive frequently locally. And unfortunately I can't just pop down to Florida or the Caribbean to dive more than at best once a year.

So, within reason, I'll stick with my local store. Perhaps Metridium's LDSs aren't as honest and forthcoming as ours and that's colored his opinion of same.

 

[jonnythan]

redseal once bubbled...
Perhaps I misunderstood the initial post. Is there a $2700 difference in the price of all of the gear that JSM wants to purchase, or is he looking at $2700 worth of merchandise versus an amount greater or lesser than that, i.e. is it $2700 at the LDS he uses and $2000 on-line, or is it $3200 at the LDS but only $500 on-line? If it's the latter, then I'd say run, don't walk away from the LDS; they're trying to gouge you. But if we're talking a couple hundred bucks on a $2700 purchase (5-10%), that's a whole different story, especially if you don't have to contend with S&H, sending equipment away for replacement,service or repair.

In my area, there are only 2 or 3 dive stores within 30-50 miles. Yeah, there are places that will provide airfills and VIP/hydro testing, but what about reg servicing etc. Run the local dive shop owner out of business and that minimizes the chance that I can dive frequently locally. And unfortunately I can't just pop down to Florida or the Caribbean to dive more than at best once a year.

So, within reason, I'll stick with my local store. Perhaps Metridium's LDSs aren't as honest and forthcoming as ours and that's colored his opinion of same.

Good deal! YOU hand the LDS fistfuls of money to "keep them in business," and I'LL keep the extra 30% of my cash by.. well, not.

 

[jsm]

Very interesting thread so far. I went ahead and bought some equipment from leisure pro. However, I also spent about $2k at the dive shop as well.

From my calculations I've SAVED $1500 by not buying at the lds on these purchases. Also keep in mind that by buying out of state I save on state sales tax (close to 9%). The $2700 figure was a little bit higher because I did the calculation slightly wrong (forgot to include some items).

Anyway, everyone at the shop knows about the purchase and they are definately a little mad. However, saving the money really was going to make the difference as to whether or not I was going to purchase equipment at all. I've spend ~4k+ at the shop in the last month anyway (for courses, rentals and the recent equipment).

-Jon