Shop owners -- What value am I to you?

[Shark Gal]

As a diver who has experienced the cold shoulder at a LDS because I had been in the sport awhile, I can tell you I have referred a lot of business only to the nice guys. After all I want a shop to take care of the folks I refer. I also have all my equipment serviced, take refresher medic courses, take specialty courses, buy equipment, and go on trips only from the nice guys. No one likes to be dissed, so the word usually gets out.

 

[Dive-aholic]

His response was that our major value was word of mouth advertising. He candidly admitted that it's the new diver, taking classes and buying all new gear, that's the bread and butter.

He's obviously not too much into selling tech gear. That's where the money is. I'm still buying stuff on a regular basis!

 

[Dive Junky]

He's obviously not too much into selling tech gear. That's where the money is. I'm still buying stuff on a regular basis!

It is true that there is money in tech gear. The number of divers that get into diving tech is small in comparison with those that just take up recreational diving. If you compare the dollar we make on selling equipment to all the new divers to those that stick around and go tech, there really is no comparison.

 

[Nemrod]

I hear individual divers, often long in the sport, refer to "their shop" or "their instructor" as if it were their dentist or doctor or such. I don't have a witch doctor, I don't do hospitals, I don't have a lds, I don't have an instructor, I told them good bye a long, long time ago, I buy what I need where I like at the best price and then return to the wayward stream. They are in buisness to make money, my job is maximum product value for mine. If their idea of value is MSRP, I am of no value to them. N

 

[Cacia]

Yes, I must admit that is me too. But I don't have a lot of tech gear. And I frequent the freediving places more actually.
I feel a little more cozy there too. Maybe it is the fewer regulations thing? No one is ever talking about what you are allowed to do, or not do, unless it is how many fish you take...

The markets vary SO much. A shop near a military population (or on a base ) will get an everchanging supply of disposable income males, for example. As opposed to the neighborhood with local long term resident divers. Our freediver shops cater more to the Hawaiian cultural type diver. (kayaks, spearguns etc)

Our Japanese shops have a LOT of single young women from Japan. They buy lots of pastel gear!

 

[RonFrank]

I don't own a dive shop, but do know a few owners. One thing that has not been covered here I don't think is TRAVEL.

In our market, most of the LDS's run dive travel. I'm not sure of the margins, but they fill trips to Palau/Truk, Galapagos, and other seriously expensive destinations. They also do travel like any travel agency. Serious divers travel, and the LDS makes diving travel hassle free setting it all up, providing an Instructor/Leader, and doing all the leg work on what is sometimes difficult travel destinations. They throw pre and post dive parties, and cover details like how much one can carry on, how to pack, and other things that a lot of diving travelers appreciate.

Other things that come to mind are that a LOT of divers are NOT on the net. I see experienced divers walking out with overpriced equipment packages all the time.

Advertising is also huge. Denver LDS don't advertise much. Maybe an add in the phone book, but NEVER on TV. So who drives these folks to a particular dive shop... The only answer I can come up with is US!

I admit, I don't buy much at the LDS, but when I need stuff, it's generally the small stuff that comes with a HUGE markup. Sell enough of that, and it certainly adds up.

 

[TSandM]

Actually, "my" LDS is one of about three or four that do any tech stuff in the Seattle area. But that's not where the money is.

 

[Dive Junky]

In our market, most of the LDS's run dive travel. I'm not sure of the margins, but they fill trips to Palau/Truk, Galapagos, and other seriously expensive destinations. They also do travel like any travel agency. Serious divers travel, and the LDS makes diving travel hassle free setting it all up, providing an Instructor/Leader, and doing all the leg work on what is sometimes difficult travel destinations. They throw pre and post dive parties, and cover details like how much one can carry on, how to pack, and other things that a lot of diving travelers appreciate.

Generally speaking the mark up on trips is low. Especially when you take into consideration all the work that goes into planning a trip as you mentioned. A dive shop makes its money on selling equipment, plain and simple. Not trips, not education, not air fills, but equipment and new divers buy equipment, especially when they have fallen in love with their new sport and their new dive shop. And of course the older, experienced divers are the ones that help the newbies see the value of their LDS.

 

[Hoyden]

I doubt it adds much to the bottom line of the average shop; in fact, they may spend MORE tending to their continuing divers than they regain from purchases.

So I wondered, since there are a fair number of shop owners that post here, what your view of your active diving customers is? What good are we?

I am not a shop owner, but I do manage one. Our shop may well be a exception since we have a strong tech diving bias and are an inland shop where divers must travel to dive anything better than a murky quarry, but our regular customers never stop buying gear, training or travel. We offer training up through open water instructor and on the tech side up through trimix ccr. There is no such thing as a diver who can't use more gear (like a new camera, a new mask or a rebreather) or another class or another dive trip.

Jackie

 

[GatorKev]

The value is you as a loyal customer. For one you will buy air fills (can't dive with out air), dive trips, replacement parts and hopefully new equipment as needed. The biggest thing is how you will talk about the dive shop, customers you may bring in (family, friends) and the recomendations that you will give to others. Best advertising has always been word of mouth. You could bring in new divers who will need instruction or just new business who will need stuff just like you. I know that this on much larger scale but look at Ophra Winfrey, when she recommends something people run out and buy it.... If they weren't decent people you probably wouldn't go there unless you have no other choice...