Supporting your LDS exclusively?

[Mayor]

It may not make sense, at least to a reasonable person, but I'll give you phone numbers to 2 shops that will tell you exactly that, one an SSI and one a PADI. They won't tell you that you are banned, but they'll tell you you must buy basic gear from them to take a class. When you come to class the first night while everyone is getting fitted, and you have your own gear purchased elsewhere, they'll raise their voice and scream at you and tell you if you don't buy their gear you won't be allowed back.

Dive shops aren't run by business people in many cases, they are run by people who want your business, and they'll scream at you to get it.

I have also seen this first hand but in a retail world that's as small as diving you would think every customer counts. Putting myself through school I ran three ski and bike shops. We needed every sale we could get and went above and beyond for it. Most
shops I find are run as an after thought by people who love diving. They have very little or no business training and act like it in front of customer. It's to bad because a shop can be a divers greatest asset if run right.

For most of my life I have been in sales and this old saying still holds true today. "pick two of the the below items, you can never have all three"

Quality
Price
Service

 

[rivers]

When I'm back home, I tend to support my LDS exclusively. Why? They are friendly and knowledgeable. They let me play around in the pool testing out my gear, free of charge. They'll even give me a tank and weights to use (I travel a lot so I have no real use for my own weights at this point). But, they also don't give me grief when I spend money elsewhere. I found a great deal on a used drysuit. They knew I couldn't afford new, but again, they'll let me go in the pool to try it out. I use my LDS because they operate as a business should. If there is a shop telling you that unless you shop there exclusively, then they are not a shop worth doing business with.

 

[leabre]

I would love to find out who the LDS is and what they had to say. To be perfectly honest, I just find it hard to believe that the owner of a dive shop would actually tell any customer that if they didn't buy just from them they would be banned from the shop and they would double the costs of classes. Just doesn't add up.

I've had shop owners refuse to service my SP and APEKS regs because I didn't buy it from them (and I had paperwork to prove it was authorized) and the shop I did buy from was no longer in business. Rather than charging more for service (as if the $35 per stage wasn't high enough not including parts) they wouldn't even charge extra, just said "nope, won't service because you didn't buy it from us". I never returned to such shops.

I also don't use brands I can't buy parts for and service my self, now, too, as a result of this.

 

[Thors Spirit]

First let me say “Thanks” to all the contributors, and especially those who have the same contentious as I do. Secondly to those naysayers let me elaborate a little more since you need to more information from me to understand my position…

I may be new to diving, but I am not new to business, I have over 30 years in the hospitality business; so when it comes to knowing how to treat a customer I have an abundance of experience to call on. I would never consider insulting one of my customers or calling their opinions or products inferior. Additionally I have spent a lot of time researching the equipment I have purchased to date and the plan on purchasing in the near future; I was told by my instructor and also read in the SSI OW book that getting equipment you’re comfortable with is one of the most important aspects of becoming a good diver, he never said when I signed up for the class that I had to purchase all my equipment for him.

My equipment to date; fins Mares X-Stream, 3mm Exceed Shorty, 7mm Waterproof W1 full suit, 5/7mm Waterproof Hood, 5mm Deep See Manta boots, & a Oceanic Ion mask; all of which I researched thoroughly before buying except for the boots which my LDS talked me into purchasing. I spent a lot more time researching the most expensive equipment and will be purchasing a SeaQuest pro QD I3, Aqua Lung legend LX or Kronos Supreme regulator (still debating), and a UWATEC Galileo Luna computer in the next two months; I don’t believe anyone would consider this “uncle Harry's old turtle fins, aunt Mabel's purge mask, and 4 rocks for weights” equipment.

In all fairness the comments made at my LDS were by an instructor/salesman so I cannot say these are definitely the opinions/policies of the owner of the LDS; I plan on meeting with the owner later this week to see if this is true and make a decision as whether or not to continue with them. I will chime back in with his comments and reveal the LDS after I meet with him…

 

[diver 85]

Tell him to take a hike------but in stronger words....

 

[BDSC]

I've had shop owners refuse to service my SP and APEKS regs because I didn't buy it from them (and I had paperwork to prove it was authorized) and the shop I did buy from was no longer in business. Rather than charging more for service (as if the $35 per stage wasn't high enough not including parts) they wouldn't even charge extra, just said "nope, won't service because you didn't buy it from us". I never returned to such shops.

I also don't use brands I can't buy parts for and service my self, now, too, as a result of this.

I know of a shop who would service your regs in that situation. The one thing they won't service is anything that you may have bought from an unauthorized retailer like buying a SP reg from Leisurepro. In a way I can see their point but they still make a few bucks on service. But it's their shop and their call.

 

[fstbttms]

I have had reason to discontinue patronage of three of my LDSs in the last couple of years. I am all about supporting the brick-and-mortar places when I can, but it's pretty discouraging the poor customer service you run into sometimes. Pretty figgin' amazing actually, when you consider how tough it is for them in this economy. You'd think they'd be bending over backwards to keep customers coming through the door.

 

[Wookie]

I don’t believe anyone would consider this “uncle Harry's old turtle fins, aunt Mabel's purge mask, and 4 rocks for weights” equipment.

And please don't think that that's what I was accusing you of bringing in. I think it was pretty clear by your OP that you have modern gear, just not purchased by the shop in question.

I have seen it in the shop however. Nothing wrong with either turtle fins or purge masks. It takes a special instructor who knows how to teach that equipment when in Open Water class. While there is probably one of those old guys in most shops, they probably aren't teaching anymore. I've watched students walk in with 1970's era gear and want to use it for a class. The instructor doesn't know how to use it themselves, much less teach it, therefore it becomes an unsatisfactory experience for both sides.

I'm not defending the shop's stand, I happen to disagree with it. I'm just trying to enlighten as to why some shops might take the stand that some pre-owned gear a student might bring in with them might not be appropriate for an open water setting. I'd like to think that if I owned a dive shop I'd charge a fair price for training, allow any gear the student wants, and let the student make their own choice as to the gear that they want to buy. I'd like to think that anyway.

PS. I've dived with rocks in my pockets many times. It's not that bad if you have big pockets.

 

[scubajim 1]

Sounds to me like the LDS was out of line here. Talk to the owner and if his/her answers aren't satisfactory, let him know that you will take your business to another dealer.
Treatment like that makes for a very poor business model.
As an instructor I have had to tell a student that the gear they have is unsuited to the class ( $5.00 X-Mart fin and mask set) but "buy shop gear or be banned" is a poor way to get and keep long term customers.

Speak to some local divers if possible, maybe they can steer you to a better shop.

 

[Tug]

One shop by me has a "reduced" rate for their OW classes if you buy all the basic gear from them. However, they also aren't going to turn you away if you have some other gear.

I know of a shop who would service your regs in that situation. The one thing they won't service is anything that you may have bought from an unauthorized retailer like buying a SP reg from Leisurepro. In a way I can see their point but they still make a few bucks on service. But it's their shop and their call.

I was chatting to the owner of a shop that I frequent a while back and he was telling me that he loves Leisure Pro. Due to the fact that the regs aren't covered by the warranty allows him to make a decent profit on parts, while with regs under warranty he doesn't make as much money due to the free parts plan