Shop loyalty to customers???

[peter]

I was just reading on another thread a story that got me thinking about my own LDS. I have dealt with Paul at Kirra Dive for a few years now and also with it's previous owner.
The other thread was about a customer that bought gear at another store and believe's he is now treated differently.
One of the answers to his story was from a small business owner who said that he was free to buy elsewhere but to be prepared to pay top dollar if he wanted to get the gear serviced .
Please don't think that I am bagging dive shop owners I know that they are a business and need to make a quid, but would like to know if this is the attitude of some/most/or all dive shop owners. Do shop owners give people who buy big ticket items better discounts. I have never been even closely treated like this even though Paul knows I have shopped elsewhere.



I think that most divers are fairly loyal to thier LDS but how much loyalty is given back ??



ps I was not having a go at the author of the answer in question either. Everyone is entitled to thier own opinion.

 

[Hawk]

The shop that I consider "local" 350 miles away will give me nice discounts and treat me fairly even though they know I sometimes buy stuff at other places. The owner actually recommended that I go to one down the street once since the other shop had what I needed and he did not. The one close to where I live here in central Oregon won't even think about giving anybody a deal on anything, for any reason. They are the only one around (over 100 miles over the pass to the next closest) and they take advantage of people because of it.



Later, Hawk.

 

[Liquid]

This is about the shop I used to work for-

First, all of us emplyees, knew fairly well the 'regulars', and became friends with them, and dived with them for fun from time to time. The shop's policy was to keep loyalty to customers-Every person who did a course in the shop, and all the 'regulars' recieved a 'VIP' discount, that was usualy quite generouse. In addition, the shop alwais sent a card to congratulate them on birthdays, and from time to time a description of new services or new discounts offered.

Another shop, whenre I was interested in a certain tek course, took my address and ever since sent me their reviews, also invited me to several lectures (very good ones!) about tek diveing.

I like this kind of attitude, and belive that this should be the right way for any buisness that wants to succeed.

 

[solodiver]

Seems to me that after you have dropped some major money as a shop, they feel they own you and that you should return to their shop again and again to leave behind your hard earned money. Some of the shops treat you ok, giving you a bit of a discount
where others as soon as they see you mark everything up in price, ( well not really) but they sure want more then the other shops are asking for it. No way to run a buisiness. almost like they are running their own private club
( hence the owner ship of the customer ) and thats what i charge you don't like it, to bad that what I charge.
:yellow:

 

[artsprite]

My LDS is always ready with a good deal for me. The more I buy, the more he's willing to accomodate me. So far I've gotten prices that are as good as the cheapest catalog for the same brand, and I'm happy to buy from him because I know he'll treat me right when it comes to service. I've had people tell me I could get betther deals from catalogs, or I should try different brands first, but he's only 20 miles from my house. I don't trust the other stores that are 40 and 55 miles away respectively, and I don't want to drive 250 miles to the other stores. The way I look at it, I help keep him in business, he's happy to help me, and I can get air close to my home. That's worth a lot to me.
Patty

 

[chiara]

When I first started looking for my own equipment (before the course actually started) I had a look at prices, went to different shops and made myself a fair idea.

I live in Belgium, where scuba equipment is not known to be cheap, so I waited for my summer holidays in Italy and went to have a look at what would have been my LDS had I still been living there with my family, the bill amounted to almost half of what the others were asking for.

Obviously I bought everything there, spending around 2.000$ in about four months.

Then last year I upgraded to a drysuit and of course I went directly to the Italian shop (I go visit family three to four times a year), thinking "this is it, I'm not ready to give out major money for a while".

The shop owner must have known it as well, because when I contacted him by e-mail asking him if he would service my regulators while I was there in September he said yes, of course, but never managed to tell me, despite several attempts at contacting him on the e-mail and on the phone, that the shop would be closed before I even crossed the border.

I'm certainly not going there anymore and if anyone asks I don't give good opinions either, he ripped me until he knew he could make good money then simply let me down, and he never, ever answered my e-mails complaining about his negligence.

 

[Ari]

Business owners should understand that when dealing with customers. So does customers when dealing with business owners.

If you feel that your LDS is not supportive to your needs, you should discuss it with him and see where it leads.

As i stated before, I really believe that working with one supplier is a good idea, as long as you are constantly looking around to see that you're not paying too much. I will surely investigate the more expensive equipment items.

In Israel, if I buy most of my gear in one place, I will definitely get a discount, that will probably be bigger if I will be planning to buy a lot of stuff on one time. Where I dive usually, I also get a discount for the services.

Ari

 

[pipedope]

Here is a tip;

If possible, dive with the shop owner, often.



michael

 

[Rooster1]

I dropped a lot of dough at the local dive shop last year for a custom dive suit. the suit came like 4 weeks late (cutting in to the dive season) and not a discount not even when he knew I was looking to buy a new pressure guage. I bought the guage online and saved about $40 bucks. as it has already been posted here, loyalty has got to go both ways. The lds's need us a lot more then we need them, we can always go to the competition.

 

[Darian Dunn]

I dropped a sizable sum at two LDS(s).

First dive shop had low prices and gave me straight advice. They don’t believe in the GUE or as some would say DIR philosophy. This dive shop is a hobby for the owner who is a Fireman Rescue diver. When I got serious about buying regulator, gauges, and BCD, they discounted everything even more. I don’t think they made any profit on me.

The Second shop spends a lot more on rent, and caters to recreation/vacation divers. I went in to check out their training program and buy some small items. I ended up buying a dive computer as well as AOW book at discount (pre Valentine’s day sale).

Both shops discounted their stuff significantly, to be close to what I found online. They still made a decent profit and I will not criticize them for that. But to be honest, I would prefer honest employees, reasonable markup and a posted discount for large purchases and a “it’s not moving”/”we gots to pay tax on it” sale once, maybe twice a year.