Purchasing own equipment online/lds?

[H2Andy]

Ok give me all your money

all your hugs and kisses too...

:14:

a long time ago i came up with a joke (while drunk):

"Give me all your money" is a solution looking for a problem, if i ever saw one.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Lol ....

 

[LittleBug]

I am not saying you should feel guilty.

The people behind the counter at your LDS are there for a reason: for the love of the sport and to run a business. It has to be frustrating to them when they spend time trying to help people decide on the gear that is appropriate for them, just to have the customer turn around and buy it online. All over the nation local dive shops are closing left and right, what on earth is wrong with going into the local dive shop and feeling good about where you spend your dollars and knowing that you just helped a local business person make money at doing something they love?

I try whenever I can to support the local businesses. There's a lumber store right in my neighborhood that I often buy from, even though Home Depot is cheaper. I like to buy from the local guy b/c I like knowing that I've helped this person support his family, you know?

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Well I certainly buy online, but I definently do not go into a shop with the plans of buying online and waste the owners time.

 

[redacted]

I try whenever I can to support the local businesses. There's a lumber store right in my neighborhood that I often buy from, even though Home Depot is cheaper. I like to buy from the local guy b/c I like knowing that I've helped this person support his family, you know?

How much more expensive is lumber at your local store as compared to Home Depot? Are you talking a 10% to 15% difference or is it more in the 50% to 100% range? About 10 years ago I bought a NIB Scubapro Mk20/S600 online for about half the USA MSRP! I think there is a difference between supporting a local business and just being a stupd consumer.

 

[Swan1172]

All over the nation local dive shops are closing left and right, what on earth is wrong with going into the local dive shop and feeling good about where you spend your dollars and knowing that you just helped a local business person make money at doing something they love?

I try whenever I can to support the local businesses. There's a lumber store right in my neighborhood that I often buy from, even though Home Depot is cheaper. I like to buy from the local guy b/c I like knowing that I've helped this person support his family, you know?

According to a recent issue of Undercurrents, there has been a net loss of less than 50 dive shops nationally in the past 7 years, so the problem is nowhere near as rampant as you would like to believe.

Also, don't you think the people at Home Depot have families to feed as well? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but this argument is specious at best. I have no problem supporting the local guy as long as his prices are in the same range. However, in a lot of cases they are not. I am not going to punish myself by paying more for goods at a business that cannot compete on price.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

MSRP is set by manuf. not your local business....

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

According to a recent issue of Undercurrents, there has been a net loss of less than 50 dive shops nationally in the past 7 years, so the problem is nowhere near as rampant as you would like to believe.

Also, don't you think the people at Home Depot have families to feed as well? I'm not trying to be a jerk, but this argument is specious at best. I have no problem supporting the local guy as long as his prices are in the same range. However, in a lot of cases they are not. I am not going to punish myself by paying more for goods at a business that cannot compete on price.

I dont know how accurate that number is because in my area alone since 9/11 over 15 shops have closed.....

 

[Swan1172]

I dont know how accurate that number is because in my area alone since 9/11 over 15 shops have closed.....

And you are in Chicago, which is not exactly the dive capital of the U.S.A...

My guess is that a number of new shops have opened at dive destinations (Florida, etc.) in the U.S. due to the number of people that are now traveling domestically rather than internationally post-9/11.

 

[mdb]

MSRP is set by manuf. not your local business....

Yes the MSRP is set by the manufacturer/distributor. The sell price is not. The local dealer has a lot of options, packages, service options, air cards, classes etc. Some choose to use their options, some do not. In the meanwhile the diver/consumer continues to educate themselves.

Over the past year there is a large attrition rate amongst LDS's. This winter it will be even harsher. This month in the San Francisco Bay area two stores, each open more than 20 years, are going OOB. They tried the "They are not authorized dealers, where will you get air/service/etc." They are now gone.