Shop owners -- What value am I to you?

[Cacia]

At my LDS it depends on who is the trip leader as to whether I would travel with them.

yes.

I'd rather pick people than be "assigned" people.
Those group dinner/schedules/decisions can get old after the first night. You feel kind of *bad* opting out too. Even the simple things, like just a ride, is a big headache with groups sometimes.

The people you *meet* are often better than the groupies. Sometimes I even feel less agile being a couple, as far as meeting people. ...But the benefits outweigh that.

Group travel is not for me, even though I love people.

 

[bfw]

Gear wears out, requires replacement parts (which typically can't be had off the internet) and people upgrade to take advantage of improvements.

Most people's biggest single piece purchase is a drysuit, which typically is a year or two into their diving career.

Most dive shops make a commission on trips they book.

Regulators need servicing, tanks need VIPs. On a slow day, a shop employee can do a lot of VIP's between customers. Based on what they cost, and the labor time, if they're not profitable, then the shop is paying their people too much.

 

[bfw]

yes.
I'd rather pick people than be "assigned" people.

I've never been on a dive shop trip where the group weren't a bunch of good friends who decided to go together, and the shop put the trip together at their request.

 

[DwayneJ]

I have two very good local dive shops and specific people in each store who I like to work with. My purchases have been split about a third between each store and the internet and basically have no more major "gear" purchases but certainly want to pursue some additional training.

Eco Dive Center in Los Angeles CA. 310-398-5759 We're LA's Scuba Diving School & Equipment Dive Shop in (LA) Southern California. is one of my stores and they have a great web site, boat trips every weekend, and great social gatherings.

The other store is Dive N Surf who has a rubbish web site so I really don't know what's going on unless I stop by - They have great techs!

Ultimately my tech work is at one store and my social aspects/boat trips/evening lectures will be at Eco and I go out of my way to steer friends to my LDS's for training.

By the by - Its a big turn off for me when a sales person talks about doom and gloom and the demise of the LDS due to the Internet. The internet is a given... iPod anyone?