Online Sales - The importance of buying from local businesses

[tedtim]

Originally Posted by Craig Clark
do any of you have the balls to put your life savings on the line to go into business for yourself?

definitely not.

 

[oly5050user]

Does this guy actually have ANYTHING AT ALL to contribute to the thread? Talk about hearsay. It doesn't get any worse. (Until the next post).

I don't know what your problem is but talk about taking something out of context.The customer tells me he purchased item at LP..how is that hearsay.i HAD THE PARTS IN MY HAND that were knockoffs.I have done many more Micras and never had that part rotted out on any other.I think you have a problem with the totally closed mind you have.If you can get something less expensive and feel you got your moneys worth and happy with purchase thats fine.This customer spent his money,did not get his money worth and had a very dangerous situatuion brewing in that when that if and when that lever let go because of a broken retaining pin there will be no air delivered to 2 nd stage.For a beginner,which this guy was,that would be a big problem.I am not saying this happens all the time but was a one time incident with one individual on 2 items he purchased there.

 

[redacted]

Does this guy actually have ANYTHING AT ALL to contribute to the thread? Talk about hearsay. It doesn't get any worse. (Until the next post).

I've seen his report a few times before. He saw these things so the existance of a defective BC elbow and a defective retaining pin in the regulator is not hearsay. I accept those as facts. But I don't make the same leap to accusing LP of dealing in knockoff gear. I think it is much more likely that the # 1 scuba retailer in the world received some defective gear from a supplier and passed it on, unknowingly, to a customer. Apparently, LP was never given the chance to make good on this error.

 

[GeorgeC]

Hello Craig, Are you there Craig? Nock, Nock….Craig…hmm….where did Craig go?

 

[ReefHound]

Hello Craig, Are you there Craig? Nock, Nock….Craig…hmm….where did Craig go?

I think Craig is used to delivering his lectures to newer divers/students in a controlled environment where he gets the final say. Apparently he doesn't have "the balls" to discuss the issues in a public forum where his say so is not accepted as the last word and he is challenged to support his allegations with facts.

 

[dkatchalov]

Hello Craig, Are you there Craig? Nock, Nock….Craig…hmm….where did Craig go?

Probably on his shop floor, trying to convince his customers of the evils and dangers of buying scuba equipment online.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Most online retailers however, get their merchandise from stores going out of business, from the grey market and yes in some cases knockoffs from China. In any case this type of merchandise has no warranty because they are not factory authorized to sell that particular brand and a local retailer is not usually willing to do anything for you because of a liability issue.

First of all use paragraphs. It makes long rambling posts easier to read. It provides better service to the reader if you will. As an LDS owner, you are certainly about providing better service than the online guys do. All the online guys that post on this site use paragraphs. Do a search for Scuba Toys, Leisure Pro, Dive Sports, Deep Sea Supply, Golem, Scuba dot com and so forth. Please compete with them at least grammatically if even if you can’t match prices.

Second, when you go out of business, give LP a call as I am sure they can sell your gear quickly for you.

Third, it is amazing to me how shops that are going under and can’t pay their bills are getting the latest dive gear and selling it off to guys like Leisure Pro and Scuba Toys when the really good LDS’s can’t get that stuff in asap. Did anyone notice or was it just me that ST and LP had the new Oceanic Data Mask in stock right away. Surely you don’t think those guys are getting inventory on brand new “cutting edge” gear from shops going out of business.

Forth, I have purchased from several LDS’s as well as Scuba Toys, Leisure Pro, Deep Sea Supply, Golem Gear and Dive Sports Online. I have to say that I have received much more helpful advice and service from those guys than I have from some of the LDS’s.

Fifth, I only spend money where the business earns my business. I do not owe anyone dive business of any kind any of my money. I will most certainly will purchase from all of the above-mentioned online stores again---IF THEY CONTINUE TO EARN MY BUSINESS. When the start whining, complaining, and acting like I owe them money or acting like victims, I will do business with someone else---AND THEY ALL KNOW IT!!! So instead of the victim routine, they have just been giving me outstanding customer service with excellent prices on very high quality products.

Sixth, anytime I have had a problem or question, all of the online places that I have purchased from have been very responsive to me.

 

[ReefHound]

Probably on his shop floor, trying to convince his customers of the evils and dangers of buying scuba equipment online.

Except now he'll be adding that they shouldn't believe anything those "internet divers" on Scubaboard have to say.

 

[dkatchalov]

Its interesting how a couple of posters have retreated from SB after receiving strong confrontation from other users on their posts.

Craig is one.

Tonka (in the Shadow Divers thread) is another.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Well Craig might be gone, but the other one is still out there. He just moved threads.

Anyway, I just haven't found and LDS that has given me the me level of service the online guys have given me. I can't tell you how many times I have sent one of the online guys an email, looked at their website or called their toll free number and got an answer right away. I wish I could find a local shop that had such great service.