Purchasing own equipment online/lds?

[h90]

Yea, I know that is how the quote goes, but when people look at it on the surface, some read fittest as simply the strongest. You see the life guard on the beach and say, wow, look how fit he is... as in fitness coach.

You are 100% right - but the shortened quote takes out what I feel is the most important factor - when dealing with blue footed boobies, or scuba shops - and that is the ability to adapt. And while Webster has that definition for fit:

1) : adapted to an end or design : suitable by nature or by art (2) : adapted to the environment so as to be capable of surviving

To many the other definition stands out:

sound physically and mentally : HEALTHY

And I always point out to my employees, it does not matter how much we did in sales last week. It doesn't matter how good our customer service was last month. What matters is how are we going to do today, and how are we going to improve for tomorrow.

Aggree everything! But what happens in many businesses (maybe also in scuba). Someone enters the market with millions in his pocket, getting better purchase prices and can effort to make a big minus the first 5 years. So he can be cheaper than everyone and he may also a OK customer support and kill all the small shops.
That happend in my country will all the small supermarkets/TV-Hifi/computer/book shops, just only big chains anymore.

 

[Swan1172]

Aggree everything! But what happens in many businesses (maybe also in scuba). Someone enters the market with millions in his pocket, getting better purchase prices and can effort to make a big minus the first 5 years. So he can be cheaper than everyone and he may also a OK customer support and kill all the small shops.
That happend in my country will all the small supermarkets/TV-Hifi/computer/book shops, just only big chains anymore.

I understand your concern, but I just don't see that happening in the diving industry primarily because it is such a niche retail market. All of the examples you cited (small supermarkets / TV / Hi-Fi / computer / book shops) tend to be the kind of general merchandise that you can buy at a super retailer like a Wal-Mart. Dive equipment has much more narrowly defined retail market, so it is unlikely to see what you described happening.

 

[H2Andy]

Yea, I know that is how the quote goes, but when people look at it on the surface, some read fittest as simply the strongest.

yup, but that's not what it means

by the way, i don't think there's any argument that Scubatoys is very "fit" no matter how you define the word

 

[redacted]

wherupon he launches into a schpiel about the gray market and how dangerous buying on line is and i'm like, "dude, it's a computer. it don't know it was bought in the gray market."

anyway... he gave me a very nice deal and i bought local.

(what was my point?)

Did you insist on a lower price than online to compensate you for all the BS? I'd also rather support a price competative LDS, but not if it repeatedly involves the grey market spiel.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

I understand your concern, but I just don't see that happening in the diving industry primarily because it is such a niche retail market. All of the examples you cited (small supermarkets / TV / Hi-Fi / computer / book shops) tend to be the kind of general merchandise that you can buy at a super retailer like a Wal-Mart. Dive equipment has much more narrowly defined retail market, so it is unlikely to see what you described happening.

I disagree....Look at Divers Direct...they are now inside of Gander Mountain in my area. That is an example of a chain in our niche environment....

To show you that these businesses shouldnt operate like this: I went to look at the Gander Mt. when Divers Direct opened up and they game me a tour...Everything looked great, the staff wasnt the most knowledgeable and didnt dive, but the thing that really unnerved me was when I saw the Air Fill Station......right next to where the fix the fourwheelers and other vehicles they sell!!! And to make it even worse the compressor was ON while a tech was running a vehicle to test to make sure it was running right!!! Im sorry but some have no business in this industry and if people keep going to the cheaper places, this is the type of service you will get!!!

Thats my first hand experience.......:shakehead

 

[clem]

YOU completely miss the point. I said that many manufacturers will SERVICE their equipment at their factorys. I did not mention them honoring a warranty. It is my contention that most warranties are useless. One year at best for a product designed to last much longer than that....which is why companies are more than happy to Warrant their products, provided, naturally that you return the product first to an "authorised service flunky" who will spend their time and overhead dollars to assist you. What extra I pay in service fees to say, Oceanic or Zeagle, is more than offset by the substantially lower prices obtained by net purchasing. In addition, I have a better chance of getting the best trained techs at the factory. Finally, All companies are aware of the "grey market"....they supply it through their minimum purchase requirements or discounts for larger orders.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

I understand what your saying, what I was saying is that not all companies only have a 1 year warranty....Oceanic has a Lifetime Parts Warranty on regs as long as it is serviced every year by an authorized dealer....other Manuf. have similar warranties...So to me, I dont feel a warranty like that is "useless" but that is just my opinion.....if someone feels the savings offsets that type of warranty, then by all means buy it from an unathorized dealer

 

[Swan1172]

I disagree....Look at Divers Direct...they are now inside of Gander Mountain in my area. That is an example of a chain in our niche environment....

To show you that these businesses shouldnt operate like this: I went to look at the Gander Mt. when Divers Direct opened up and they game me a tour...Everything looked great, the staff wasnt the most knowledgeable and didnt dive, but the thing that really unnerved me was when I saw the Air Fill Station......right next to where the fix the fourwheelers and other vehicles they sell!!! And to make it even worse the compressor was ON while a tech was running a vehicle to test to make sure it was running right!!! Im sorry but some have no business in this industry and if people keep going to the cheaper places, this is the type of service you will get!!!

Thats my first hand experience.......:shakehead

Wow, that is interesting. I didn't even know Gander Mountain and Divers Direct had partnered until I read your post. I did a little research and found that they are testing this in four markets: Middletown, N.Y.; Spring, Tex.; Lakeville, Minn.; and Lake Mary, Fla. Divers Direct is working with Gander Mountain by recommending and supplying products and services, training Gander Mountain associates, collaborating on signage and fixturing, and developing relationships with local dive instructors. (http://www.gandermountain.com/news/newsitem.asp_Q_id_E_7390)

Again, I see this as an evolution in the dive shop business model. As has been noted, there are people that won't buy dive equipment off the internet, because they want the retail store experience. However, they also want the lowest possible price, which is where the Divers Direct/Gander Mountain partnership makes a lot of sense. Divers Direct can't expand its bricks-and-mortar business nationwide on its own, so it found a partner in Gander Mountain, the nation's largest retailer of hunting, fishing and outdoor products. I don't see how this is such a bad thing.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

I just told you how its bad......did you not read about the air fills???? If thats not bad, I dont know what is

 

[Swan1172]

I just told you how its bad......did you not read about the air fills???? If thats not bad, I dont know what is

I assume you are trying to make a point about the potential for contamination of the air due to the four-wheeler running. Isn't that what the filters on the compressors are for? Also, is it really all that different from the owner of my LDS which fills tanks with a smoke dangling from his lips?