Size Of The Technical Diving Market
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The terminology varies by users. You have to figure out the context of the thread and go with what is being used. I am pretty sure that in the context of this thread, the concept of professional diving is not being discussed. Most people are differentiating between technical diving (decompression, overhead environments, etc.) and recreational diving (no decompression, no overheads, etc.). Yes, we all know that technical diving is also recreational, depending upon how some people use the term.
StefinSB
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I was not talking about the terminology used in a specific thread but rather in the general marketplace. Talking about thread. The ppt talk dealt with market sizes and how to increase it. My point was that the terminology and aura around technical diving may be a road block.
It seems to me that shops would want to be friendly to tech divers and cater to them as much as they can, within the limitations of the shop's budget (not suggesting they stock $1000s worth of tech gear). Tech divers may buy all their gear online and etc.. But, if the shop's bread and butter is selling gear and training to OW divers, being friendly to the tech divers in the area seems like it would be good for the shop because of the word-of-mouth aspect.
The tech diver market is small. Ergo, the shop can't be missing out on THAT much revenue because of the tech divers buying stuff online. I would think they could more than make up for that missed revenue by virtue of OW referrals from tech divers. Meaning, new/OW divers who come into the shop because they talked to a tech diver who spoke highly of the shop. Or new/OW divers who come into the shop on their own but see or even meet tech divers who are in and out of there. It seems like that would contribute to a better image for the shop if new/OW folks see that the "crusty old, experienced diver" crowd likes and uses the shop.
The tech diver market is small. Ergo, the shop can't be missing out on THAT much revenue because of the tech divers buying stuff online. I would think they could more than make up for that missed revenue by virtue of OW referrals from tech divers. Meaning, new/OW divers who come into the shop because they talked to a tech diver who spoke highly of the shop. Or new/OW divers who come into the shop on their own but see or even meet tech divers who are in and out of there. It seems like that would contribute to a better image for the shop if new/OW folks see that the "crusty old, experienced diver" crowd likes and uses the shop.
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OW training is flat, at best. A small fraction of OW goes on to OC Tec (or any advanced training). A small fraction of OC Tec goes on to CCR. That's the way it is, not likely to change. I don't see a significant increase in OW, too many competing priorities. There you go. I've been diving a long time and am very active, I won't be doing additional training
Interesting theory, but I'm not sure I buy it. I think you may be projecting your (and my and others' here) SB personas onto the general population of prospective OW divers. The average prospective OW diver just wants to get certified as quickly as possible with as little difficulty as possible for as little money as possible so he can dive during that tropical vacation he has planned. You and I might look up to the crusty old tech diver crowd, but would the average prospective student? For all I know, seeing a lot of tech stuff (and crusty old tech divers) in a shop might actually deter prospective OW divers.
Note the words "places like". As in, there's only one LA, but there are 300+ "Albuquerque-like places" in the US and abroad.
OP
I think the average "prospective diver" just wants to check something off their bucket list. I'm a big fan of promoting DSD's instead of a 3 day wonder course for those people, similar to tandem jumps out of a plane.
I said it because, well, first, by SB standards I am still a total newb. But, to a lot of the outside world, I now already qualify as a "crusty old diver". And I really have to laugh at myself when I say that, but I think it's true.
I go to a monthly scuba happy hour that I found through meetup.com. I've been going to that for almost a year. There are a few tech divers that I have met there, but most of the people that come (as you'd expect) are OW vacation divers. And there have been a not-trivial number of people who come out because they are interested in scuba and thinking about going for OW certification. I have been asked numerous times about local shops, what I think of them, who I would recommend for training, and where I would go for service work.
Also, I sold a reg set on the local CL. The guy who bought it was just going through OW certification. We have become friends and he now often asks what I think about different scuba stuff, gets my thoughts on training, etc..
That probably all really scares some of the folks on this board who have been reading my posts for the last year and a half.
But, it serves to illustrate my point. Crusty old divers (which *I* do not consider myself to be - at all!) have plenty of opportunity to spread the word about their local shops - if they want to. I don't go out trying to evangelize. But, I like to talk about anything scuba, so I go to these scuba happy hours. I talk to people. If they ask my opinion, I share it. And I'm reasonably confident that my local shops have gotten some foot traffic because of my opinions that I have shared.So, maybe you're talking about "the average prospective OW diver" and I'm talking about a slightly different animal. I'm talking about people who maybe have a little higher level of interest to begin with because they are coming to scuba happy hours or whatever. Regardless, crusty old divers interact with those people and spread the word about shops they like. Those people network with other people and maybe spread the word further.
It still seems like a reason that shops would want to do what they can to cultivate their tech clientele. Maybe even more important than getting an A rating from the crusty old diver crowd is that they don't want crusty old divers saying, when asked, "oh, no. I wouldn't go to that shop. All they're interested in is selling shiny new gear to new OW students. They're not really serious about their diving." As I like to say, it only takes one rotten egg to stink up a room. One bad review from someone perceived as somewhat of an authority seems like it takes WAY, MANY more positive reviews to balance out.
I think that's the case. I may be wrong, but I think the "average prospective OW diver"--and by that I meant the majority of prospective OW divers--don't have the same seriousness/mentality about diving as the kind of people who are attracted to scuba clubs, scuba happy hours, on-line discussion forums, etc. The latter seek out advice, weigh options, and make decisions. The rest just walk into a friendly-looking dive shop, sign up, and hope to get it over with.
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