3dent:
Really? The only large sporting goods stores I have seen that carried SCUBA gear (beyond cheap snorkeling stuff) was Jumbo Sports, and they've gone under.
We've got Sport Chalet covering Southern California. I don't know if they've expanded to other states or north of Santa Barbara or not.
said, "let me see." then opened the phonebook and read off the list of regs that they advertise. He isn't even certified himself.
I've run into "we service what we sell" and had a tech refuse to service one of my regs that was actually the same brand (but a different model) from what they sell.
At all the dive shops I've visited, it's been nearly impossible to get a question answered. Their mindset is on sales, not education.
This can be a big problem, and it's a viscious circle. Shop looses business to online sources or a sporting goods store and needs to increase margins to keep the doors open, leading to higher prices and more customer discontent, driving more customers away, leading to more cost cutting and hiring of less-skilled workers (or flat-out laying off workers and overloading himself)....
The cycle isn't going to stop with a price battle, because the LDS can't compete. It MUST stop with attitude and service, and if it doesn't, the shop won't last long.
Here in SoCal, it started as early as the late 70's with a company called Best Products selling Aqua Lung at substantial discounts. My buddy and his family bought 4 Conshelf XIVs from them.
I'm curious, Rich, what's your connection? Your bio doesn't mention a connection to the industry, but you're sharing inside information.
No connection to the industry. I'm an electrician/traffic signal technician.
Unlike many others here, I do have a good relationship with several LDS owners, but I'm not sharing any information that is not readily available for someone willing to do the homework and ask the right questions.
The dive industry is no different from the music industry.
It is highly specialized with a limited long-term market, but with extremely broad appeal and a huge potential market (anyone can dive!...anyone can be a rock star!). Like the music industry, after a rather large initial investment, most end up making small "nickle and dime" purchases from then on, except for the few who continue seriously and upgrade their equipment (and they too rely heavily on the used market).
... and the same policies and restrictions have driven the mom & pop music stores out of business, to be replaced by Guitar Center, Sam Ash, Musician's Friend, and other large chains. Quality, and service have all gone down. The market is flooded with cheap equipment that brings in millions from new customers, and while a high quality instrument can still be over $3,000 - $10,000, there are few working at the shops who are qualified to perform a proper setup.
What has happened to the local mom & pop hardware store? Home Depot, Lowes, Eagle, etc....
Auto parts?
Wal-Mart and Leisurepro are not the problem.
Business is business, and the world market is changing. Like it or not, the days of the LDS are numbered. Those who can adapt and continue to provide their customers with valuable service will survive. Those who complain about how things are going and sit and whish that it were still 1975 will fail.
A co-op works great for commodities. High volume consumables that are generic in nature... ya, but not for large, high-dollar, specialized equipment.
So what WOULD a co-op work for in the dive industry? Small parts... hardware, o-rings, items like that. The market has an answer to that as well. I get my O-rings from McMaster-Carr, and a bag of 100 Buna costs me $5-$10 depending on the size. Viton is a little more, but for $60 I picked up enough of every hose and reg connection to maintain all of my gear and my buddy's gear for many years.