As those of us who have been around here for a while know, this argument comes up over and over, with seemingly no solution in sight. But the solution is CURRENTLY in the process of being implemented.
We did a recent survey of search engine results for this Christmas season v last season. The number of brick and mortar store that now have online stores has risen by a factor of about 13 or 14. Many brick and mortar stores are starting to expand their market through internet sales. This is the REAL beginning of solving the problem.......no opening an internet store, but EXPANDING their market through whatever means is availalbe. However, we must never forget that we are in a basically free economy and a free economy has some basic rules by which it must operate. I am going to offer a few of them, applicable to both merchants and consumers.
1. There is no logical argument for being "loyal" to any particular merchant, regardless of what they sell. The concept of loyality is primarily an emotional concept, not an economic or intellectual one. Loyality to an enterprise that is doing the wrong things, being uncompetitive, and refusing to adapt to the times is damaging to both the consumer and the merchant.
2. The fact that some local scuba stores (and grocery stores, and pharmacies, and office supply stores, and hardware stores, and etc, etc) close due to an inability to succeed in the market is a good thing, not a bad thing, when viewed in the aggregate. Now, I realize that the closing of a single store is traumatic to the individuals involved, but on the whole, the general concept is good. As the weak and uncompetitive are moved aside, they are replaced by stronger, more knowledgable merchants.
3. Despite attempts at "customer control", such as is exercised by the major scuba manufacturers and their co-conspirators (the small local scuba stores) is a mistake on so many fronts, I don't know where to start. We have to learn that CUSTOMERS decide how the market will work and how goods will be delivered. It doesn't matter what PADI, SSI, Mares, Aqua Lung, Oceanic of anyone else thinks. The consumer will determine the method of delivery of the goods and services of the future. I am a 55 year old baby boomer. My parents had little choice on cost, quality, and delivery of the goods they needed. They were forced to accept what was offered locally, good or bad. In my generation, we have an increasing number of choices....we can buy locally, we can order from catalogs, we can order online. But the REAL change is coming from my childrens generation. This is the first, TRUE internet generation. These are the kids that the local scuba store will make their living on for the upcoming 15 or 20 years. These kids, when given a choice between the store next door and the internet, will likely choose the internet. Hell, the telephone companies are frantically trying to figure a replacement for the yellow page, because this new generation would prefer to use the internet. In the years to come, phone books will be a thing of the past. Movie DVD's will be a thing of the past. I can even forsee the time when music record producers produce the latest hit albums by the latest stars, and never product a sindle music CD! Their target consumers prefer to pay and download. Given these facts, why in the WORLD would ANYONE in the scuba industry continue to resist the internet?
4. This new internet generation has access to MUCH more product information than could ever be delivered in the past. It no longer matters what a manufacture says about his product. Buyers will get their information from a variety of less partisan sources.....this website is such an example. Armed with their personal research on price, features, and product to product comparisons, the local scuba store (or any merchant) will be forced to be competitive on all arenas......cost, product quality, and availability. They must adapt. Remember, the CUSTOMER will get to decide how a product is delivered.
5. The fear tactics that have held the scuba industry together for oh so many years are no longer working. When a brand new diver comes to this board, the influence of a local scuba store is evident....they spout all of the fear terms we have become associated with from the "old style" scuba store.....where will you get you air? who will maintain your equipment? how will you dive if I am forced out of business? These tactics must stop. If there is a local demand for air fills, some smart merchant will fill the void. If repairs on equipment of needed and profitable, someone will be there to do those repairs. But hardest of all, when the local scuba store is gone (after all, this is the threat) serious scuba divers will continue to dive.
Anyway, just my ramblings as a free-trader. Thanks.
Phil Ellis
but will be done in a few months
