fnfalman
Contributor
The LDS can do whatever they want to do.
The customer should do the same.
The customer should do the same.
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That said, online merchants are now a fact of life in the business world and a LDS MUST alter their business model to stay competitive and relevant. I will easily pay 10, 15 even 20% more for a product from an LDS so that I can have an actual human to deal with and so that I benefit from the services the LDS provides (trust me, at some point you'll need the services of an LDS - whether you think so or not). HOWEVER, I will not pay a price that is simply out of line in comparison to online.
Eh... I can see both sides of this one. I work for two dive shops, one sells gear, the other is strictly dive instruction(but has some corporate accounts with some companies). I tend to buy all the gear I can from the first shop because the owner has been very generous with me and she gives me a deep discount. I've also bought a couple of items from the other shop because, again, I have a solid relationship and I'll pay a few dollars over MAP on some items because I get cheaper prices on others.
That being said I no longer buy anything at any other LDS here on Oahu because the markup on SCUBA gear tends to be 100%. I feel no guilt for buying online, and I encourage others to do the same.
One point that never gets brought up here on SB is that people who price check online before they go in to a LDS appear to be a very small minority in the real world. I've never had anyone ask me to price match (which I would do in a heart beat) because most people seem to quite happy with MSRP and don't do a whole lot of research. Those who do tend to shop online and any qualms about it.
Michael