Long Beach Dive Show

[TerryTat]

I'm Not Sure If This Is The Right Forum... However Anyone Ever Had Any Luck Getting Some Good Deals At The Long Beach Dive Show?
My Youngest Daughter Is Getting Certified.. And We Need Gear.

Terry

 

[Mo2vation]

I'm Not Sure If This Is The Right Forum... However Anyone Ever Had Any Luck Getting Some Good Deals At The Long Beach Dive Show?
My Youngest Daughter Is Getting Certified.. And We Need Gear.

Terry

Some of the bigger retailers (SC, PacWild, SSA, etc.) have large booths with "show specials..."

Sport Chalet used to have amazing deals at the show, but lately they've been OK. However, you could join the throng for the give-aways.... that's always pretty wild.

The real deals are on SB or TDS in the classified section, or on eBay. But there are some treasures at the show.

---
Ken

 

[TerryTat]

Thank You!!!

 

[cool_hardware52]

I'm Not Sure If This Is The Right Forum... However Anyone Ever Had Any Luck Getting Some Good Deals At The Long Beach Dive Show?
My Youngest Daughter Is Getting Certified.. And We Need Gear.

Terry

The official poliy of the show is no "Cash and carry sales of dive Gear" You can buy Dive Travel, or T-shirts etc. But no dive gear.

It's not the policy of the exhibitors, it's the rule set by the Show Promoters.

I wouldn't plan on walking out with a new set of gear.


Tobin

 

[jengineer]

Ya know what - I have been volunteering to work the show for many a year now with one of the exhibitors. For some reason I hit the meter mark in frustration - It is up to you, the consumer to get the policy changed. I had at least 15 folks come up to me and ask if they could buy gear that we had on display. I told them no that the show organizer is the one that sets the rules and we as exhibiters had to abide by his rules. I put part of the public lack of knowledge that this is just a "show and tell" dog and pony show on the back of the organizer and the way it is advertised. Just look at the question that started this thread. People come to this show thinking it is similar to other trade type shows such as: The Computer Show (yes they tell you come and get great deals), The Home and Garden Show, The Wood Worker Show, The Boat Show (yes you can buy a boat there). But the dive show is just that, hey let me show you all the goodies but no tasting. Something needs to be done for the consumer so that they don’t come from as far away as Arizona thinking they will be able to get a good deal on some scuba gear! yeah I was there Saturday and the dude from Arizona came to the shop on Sunday and gave me an earful about the show. Why should I have to apologize for the organizers silly rule? That leaves the shops resorting to say... well this is where we are located come visit us.

Now on the flip side. Where in blue blazes are the stores or manufacturers for that matter supposed to warehouse all this stuff? Doesn’t make sense to bring 20 Akona dive bags and 20 Pelican dry boxes, how do you properly safety check a BC/reg/computer set up without a proper bench? Oh and by the way it is more expensive in terms of setting up at the LB Hall since you cannot bring in your stuff yourself - can we say UNION.

Is there some mid ground for selling wet suits, fins, gloves and boots and masks?

Hey Mr. Dive Show how about making it more clear to the paying consumer that you cannot buy scuba gear at the dive show?

 

[Zaffy]

My understanding is that the show organizers don't allow things such as BC's, Tanks, Regulators, etc... to be sold because of liability issues. These things are life support systems in essence and the show organizer doesn't want to have any liability with products sold at their show. I bought some gloves from the seasoft booth while I was there, so things like that and other "accessories" are available then and there. the other stuff you have to basically mail-order while you're standing in the booth.

I can certainly see where they're coming from, but I wish it didn't have to be that way. Jengineer, I fully agree, they seem to hide the fact that these things can't be purchased directly at the show, all of the shows I go to (Chicago, New Jersey)are the same way.

 

[ChrisA]

I think it has to do with the scuba retail industry's price fixing policy. Prices are kept high by distributers who will cut off a reseller's supply if he sells at discount. All the dive shops buy into this, even if they complain in public because they know that as soon as one of them broke ranks they'd all be in a race to under cut each other. So if the show organizer promoted the show as a way to buy scuba gear at discount how long would it be before the retailers and manufactuires stoped supporting the show. While it is the show organizer who made the rule there are factors that caused him to make the rule. OK liabity is one of them but that's what insurance is for. He could have made a rule about requiring the gear sellers to pay for insurance.