The changing Scuba Industry

[dmaziuk]

For all intents and purposes, you have communism, and the USA has capitalism.

One thing about growing up in communism was that Political Economy 101 was not an elective. We all hated it back then. Now I'm constantly reminded that we were wrong.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I don't dicker on autos. I send out 2-3 RFQ's If they refuse to respond I send out a few more. I request the price *OUT* *THE* *DOOR* Auto's are a commodity.

Easy peasy.

Tobin

 

[muzikbiz22]

So, if you buy a car for 50K and I buy exactly the same car, at exactly the same shop for 48K, you are not being ripped off? Interesting.

I would say not. Again, this is just price. Don't forget VALUE. With that said, 2 different people got 2 different prices/deals, that was agreeable to each involved, and made fundamental sense at the time of purchase. A better price is not always a better deal.

 

[mdb]

The last time I brought a brand new car from a dealer I researched pricing a
bit, from Edmund's, Kelly Blue book, and other internet sites.

I went to the dealer with a cash offer that was about 3K short of their sticker,
no "undercoating", dealer financing, "Premium" service contract.

Accepted

The whole transaction took just over a half hour.

 

[BRT]

So, if you buy a car for 50K and I buy exactly the same car, at exactly the same shop for 48K, you are not being ripped off? Interesting.

Well that is one of the things that people hate about car dealers. Selling used cars, we have to negotiate price, but then we NEVER sell that exact same product again. It always is in better or worse condition, with more or less miles and never with exactly the same options unless someone trades it in and we sell it again. No one can say that someone else bought exactly the same vehicle for a different price. New cars, it would be possible to sell an identical car for a different price. I'll bet no customer could ever catch it being done. Too many different options as well as year end sales.

 

[cerich]

This all went sideways from my comment on Cuzza's post.
I never said that small shop sell their stuff at Costco prices, or they are ripping you off.
Cuzza's post was about shop that would match price if you came in and tell them that some other shop is offering better price on same item they sell. If you don't tell, then you pay higher price. That I consider to be a ripoff.
Tobin says his price is his cost+fair profit, and I totally agree with that. But, that means that some other buyer should not get better price than I did, because all his cost + fair profit remains the same. BTW, I never say Tobin is doing this.

profit isn't just margin, it is also dollars, if a lower margin but larger sale, and/or more turns gives you more dollars...well

 

[stuartv]

Here's your problem. Why would a shop do this? Why would anyone want to do this? But, it seems you're OK with shops getting different prices but not the consumer? Why? Caveat emptor. If you've done your homework, you should benefit from But c

Why would anyone want to do this? Because they want a sustainable business, including beating out their competition on price.

I'm fine with shops getting different prices. I believe you're referring to a big shop that buys 100 reg sets getting a better price than a small shop that only buys 10 reg sets. Not only am I fine with that, I'm also fine with it if a person buys 10 reg sets from a shop and gets a better price than someone else that only buys 1. What I think causes problems is when the same shop sells a reg set to one person (the loyal customer who trusts them when they say "this is the price") for one price and then sells the same reg set to someone else (who doesn't trust the shop, doesn't believe them when they say "this is the price", and looks up prices online) for a lower price. Shops like that are rewarding a mindset of not trusting the shop. And then shop owners want to complain that people would rather buy online?!?

For thirty years, I worked in the automotive field and many of those years, I made my living off of a flat rate manual. Replacing a muffler bearing might call for 2.3 hours. That's predicated on an average mechanic using hand tools. So, I invested in a lot of tools, including fast air tools. Now the job only takes me a half hour, because I made such an investment. Should I charge only a half hour? That's not a good return on my investment, is it? Should I give my loyal customers a break? I might. What if they're buying other services from me at the same time? Sure. There's a point at which I've got to protect my investment. That's the way the free enterprise works. I like it like that.

I have ALWAYS disagreed with that. Before I got my own tire machine, when I needed tires changed, I would call around for prices and specifically look for a shop that would charge me for the actual time spent. Not charge me for 2 hours when they only spent 30 minutes on it. If you have invested in tools or skills that allow you to do the job faster, then charge me a higher rate. Don't BS me by handing me a bill for 2 hours when you only spent 30 minutes on it. If the higher rate means the total bill ends up being the same either way, fine. I'd still rather bring my job to the mechanic that can do it faster (whether by virtue of more experience, more skill, better tools, or a combo of all that).

I have made lot of my living in the last 15+ years charging an hourly rate for software consulting services. Do I take a job, figure out the amount of time an entry level person would take to do it, then charge them that number of hours even though it took me 1/10th the time? No. I charge them a rate commensurate with my experience and skills. They pay a much higher hourly rate, but they get their work done more quickly and a better job done. And probably still a bit less expensive.

I do not believe in feeding my customers bulls--- by charging them for the amount of time it would theoretically take some "average" person to do the job. That is just as much a lie as telling a customer "the price is $145", then "oh, you just looked at your phone for 30 seconds? Okay, now the price is $125."

As for buying other services at the same time, etc.. Like I said at the beginning of this post, if the customer is buying more than just 1 thing, I have no problem with a package deal. The point is the same package deal should be available to anyone - not just whiners or people who don't trust you.

 

[RandomGuy1]

I'm wondering if some of these folks get mad when they go the grocery store and spend $1.29 on a can of green beans and then go back the next week and they are on sale for $.99. Different people pay different prices on everything all the time. From the pack of gum at the checkout counter, all the way up to houses / cars and other major purchases. Prices aren't fixed on anything in the U.S.

 

[admikar]

profit isn't just margin, it is also dollars, if a lower margin but larger sale, and/or more turns gives you more dollars...well

I agree on that.
You know what, I'll let @stuartv talk, he is much better at conveying my opinion than I am. @dmaziuk, what was wrong, political economy or you hating it?

 

[stuartv]

I'm wondering if some of these folks get mad when they go the grocery store and spend $1.29 on a can of green beans and then go back the next week and they are on sale for $.99. Different people pay different prices on everything all the time. From the pack of gum at the checkout counter, all the way up to houses / cars and other major purchases. Prices aren't fixed on anything in the U.S.

But, if we go to the same store at the same time, it is pretty well assured that if we both buy a can of green beans, we'll get charged the same price.