Low-Price BCs on Internet?

[Eris Lucan7*]

They deliver to Spain mostly wail you buy that with a else Name(Cressi,Sherwood).

visit my webspace for more info!

They went out of business several years ago.

 

[robh]

"I would really suggest that you get your gear from the LDS or better yet an authorized LDS for the specific gear you want. If you're the online shopper then check first if the company does direct selling like Dive Rite which has Dive Rite Express (where you can purchase their products directly from them)."

NOTE: I purchased my Transpac II from my LDS last year after some research. Dive Rite Express is NOT Dive Rite, but an on-line seller who picked a smart name. There is not a direct link between Dive Rite and Dive Rite Express. There is no "Order Now" button or shopping cart. It's an easy mistake to make and I believed the same until I called Dive Rite to ask a technical question.

 

[GB]

I was browsing the internet recently, and found a website, scubadiscount.com, that appears to offer new gear for vastly discounted prices, with a manufacturers warranty because they claim to buy from other dealers. I'm looking to get a Zeagle Ranger, and they have them for $400. I'm reluctant to purchase gear off the internet, and anything that cheap makes me suspicious, but has anyone had experience with this site, positive or negative?

REPLY: I am always amazed at how such rumors get around. Here are the facts! Scubadiscount.com has merged with Universal Scuba Distributors and their new web site is UniversalDistributors.US serving Scuba Divers & Snorkelers for 33 years they are a very well respected business and PADI training facility located in Houston TX. They have been around since 1975. Their Customer feedback ranks among the very best in the Scuba industry, including ebay.

STATUS: They are authorized dealers for all the products they offer. However, not all Scuba manufacturers allow direct internet sales. Some products like DiveRite & ScubaPro are restricted to in store sales only.

ZEAGLE PRODUCTS: Scubadiscount.com (now known as UniversalDistributors.US serving Scuba Divers & Snorkelers for 33 years) deleted the entire Zeagle product line several years ago due to serious OEM quality control and customer warranty issues with Zeagle Systems. Although the Consumer Protection Agency was investigating Zeagle products, the problems were resolved when Universal initiate and funded a non-factory authorized Zeagle recall on products already sold to their customers. Remaining new Zeagle inventory was sold off at dealer cost.The Zeagle product line was replaced with a superior buoyancy compensator device Eagle Z1 Diving Products

RESTRICTED ITEMS: Although Universal is authorized dealer for thousands of high end brand name products, some product lines like DiveRite are restricted and only sold through their retail store, and not via direct internet sales. Those new brand name products without a required MAP advertised price structure can be advertised and discounted up to 60% to consumers.

 

[marchand]

ZEAGLE PRODUCTS: Scubadiscount.com (now known as UniversalDistributors.US serving Scuba Divers & Snorkelers for 33 years) deleted the entire Zeagle product line several years ago due to serious OEM quality control and customer warranty issues with Zeagle Systems. Although the Consumer Protection Agency was investigating Zeagle products, the problems were resolved when Universal initiate and funded a non-factory authorized Zeagle recall on products already sold to their customers. Remaining new Zeagle inventory was sold off at dealer cost.The Zeagle product line was replaced with a superior buoyancy compensator device Eagle Z1 Diving Products

Bunk!

 

[jeraldjcook]

The Zeagle product line was replaced with a superior buoyancy compensator device Eagle Z1 Diving Products

Hmmmm, first post.

I might switch to Eagle so I can dive with this guy.

Seems there might be some bias here:
Why The Z1 Works Better

PROBLEM SOLUTION

It's pretty sad that you need to spread lies about Scott's products just to sell your own. Good luck.

 

[redacted]

Yada Yada Yada omitted

GB - Your links set off more alarms in Norton than a break in at Lloyds of London. What kinda crap is that??

 

[diversteve]

STATUS: GB wins this month's award for dredging up a thread that's long been buried. Note the 2004 date on the original post...

 

[ChrisA]

I'd have to agree with firedogut... someone is feeding you a line. We carry Mares, Dacor, Tusa, Zeagle, ScubaPro, Aeris, Uwatec, OMS, DiveRite, Genesis, Sherwood, Cressi Sub, Atomic... and on and on... and none of them have "2 different lines of gear" and any authorized dealer should service any purchase made through an authorized dealer... on line or not.

Of course this is true. But there is another level... Many times a company will contract out
some of it's manufacturing to a third party. Sometimes the same third party will wind up making products for multiple companies. A good example of this is that many of the different dive computers are all made by "Pelagic Pressure Systems" in California.

This might look like Pelagic has divided their product line so that the same brands are not both on-line and in retail shops. But it is not the case. It does not work that way. Pelagic is
just making computers under contract. This same thing happens with BCs and regs too. So I can see were these rumors come from but they are not quite true even if the end result is that products made in the same plant do get sold under different policies