The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[SeaJay]

Genesis once bubbled...


... fair to use it as a benchmark.

It doesn't matter how or where they get their stock. What matters is what they sell for, and that they are setting the market.

That others don't LIKE them setting the market doesn't change the fact that they DO set the market.

Of course they would. They got more than $3 worth of value.

They did not get more than $300 worth of value.

That's the key.

There is nothing wrong with shopping for an item in one place and ultimately buying it in another. The shop that posts outrageously high prices does it to themselves - the knowledgable consumer might give the store a shot at a "best and final" offer, but he is under no obligation to do so.

If you want to be competitive, then be competitive.

The entire point of having a retail store is to have customers come in and get the opportunity to sell to them. That's why you have such an establishment.

The key here is opportunity. You have that opportunity every time I walk in the door. If you fail to make me an offer to sell what I'm look at with a price, service and value combination that is attractive to me, you have only yourself to blame for that.

Blaming the customer for coming in and checking out what you have, then buying somewhere else, is exactly backwards. You, as a merchant, had every opportunity to make that sale - you decided not to. Blaming the customer for your failure to close the deal isn't the customer's fault - its yours!

I agree with every last inkling of information posted there. Nicely said, Gen.

 

[jbichsel]

learn-scuba once bubbled...
Somehting to consider about buying from your LDC versus online... online sellers don't arrange dive trips, training and all the other pieces that go along with owning gear. Your LDC depends on your support to stay in business as much as divers tend to rely on them for ongoing training, dive trips, clubs and so on.

use the online prices to negotiate a better price... but never forget that there's far more to this sport than a place to buy gear ofr a couple of dollars less.

I agree....to a point.

There is a LDS around here that charges more for a Sherwood Oasis than I just paid for my Aqualung Legend LX. Another LDS not 3 miles from the first is even higher priced.

I treat buying dive eqipment like buying a car. Here's how:

Me - "I want to buy X item, give me your best price right now and I'll buy it. I know what so-and-so will sell it for, here's your one chance."

More often than not it works.

 

[learn-scuba]

jbichsel once bubbled...


I agree....to a point.

There is a LDS around here that charges more for a Sherwood Oasis than I just paid for my Aqualung Legend LX. Another LDS not 3 miles from the first is even higher priced.

I treat buying dive eqipment like buying a car. Here's how:

Me - "I want to buy X item, give me your best price right now and I'll buy it. I know what so-and-so will sell it for, here's your one chance."

More often than not it works.

Price should be negotiated. I agree. The thing is that you have to support your LDC or it ends up going out of business... then what? I'm not saying people should pay too much for their gear just to support the LDC... just be sure to support them.

 

[jonnythan]

learn-scuba once bubbled...


Price should be negotiated. I agree. The thing is that you have to support your LDC or it ends up going out of business... then what? I'm not saying people should pay too much for their gear just to support the LDC... just be sure to support them.

Then... what? I won't cry about that.

 

[learn-scuba]

jonnythan once bubbled...


Then... what? I won't cry about that.

Then either you're a SCUBA God or you haven't thought it through.

 

[Otter]

SeaJay once bubbled...
... They've figured out a way to have an advantage in the marketplace so that other's can't compete. I hope that I can establish a similar advantage with my own business... And I strive for that goal every day. The advantage can be in location purchased, lower operating expenses, better buying power, lower local taxes, less/cheaper employees, better educated employees, or whatever... But the bottom line is that that's the whole point... To have an advantage over your competition. It's up to you to create that advantage.

That's the whole point of capitalism.

...And apparently, LeisurePro has an advantage that other LDS's have not discovered.

Even if its illegal?

 

[Otter]

SeaJay once bubbled...




I agree with every last inkling of information posted there. Nicely said, Gen.

He didn't say anything, or at least anything of substance. Just vague generalities. But he did say those nicely.

 

[SeaJay]

If LeisurePro is doing something illegal, then by all means, call them on it and have them shut down... And move on. Of course "illegal" isn't the point of capitalism! That's why it's ILLEGAL.

Believe me that if LeisurePro was doing something illegal, then the very caddy and angry LDS owners would have called the FTC by now and had them shut down.

 

[medical1]

Otter once bubbled...

A couple of problems with your analogy..

quote:
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medical1 once bubbled...


Exactly how much time does it take to hand someone a pair of fin in his or her size, point to a pool and say try it out and see if you (The paying customer) like them?

1. Lets say it took a minute, my minute of time isn't worth anything?

***Is my time as a customer worth something. I drove to your store. Dr's and lawyers seem to have this same concept.:banging:

2. who is paying for the liability. Do I go out and watch the person to make sure they don't drown.....be ready to answer the next serious of questions....why/why not split fins, how about full-footed fins, different colors....warranty....

***Swim at your OWN risk sign, lets see how many stores don't have liability insurance - can we see some hands???

***Do I really need a consultation on color (my barber perhaps) & warranty - you have to be joking on this one - they are fins. Even giving you the argument of no warranty/grey market goods - I pay by credit card. The wonderful plastic card extends it's own warranty (Most credit cards double a factory implied warranty)

3. They aren't a paying customer....they haven't paid and for the purposes of this discussion, they aren't going to pay. The are going online to say a few $.

***That would be the attitude that would drive me to buy on line. Your not a paying customer YET so who need you. Guess what - the business owner does need me and my hard earned cash. I'm not just going to give it away!

 

[MikeFerrara]

sheck33 once bubbled...
Mike, i guess we are on opposite ends of the deal here.
my opinion was formed by the experiences i have had with several diveshops over the years just as yours must have been formed by your experiences with cusomers

it is a shame you had to close your shop because of all the BS going on in the dive industry. from what i have read you seem to be an exceptional instructor and being called a PADI instructor almost sounds like an insult........

Your right. I think we're both frustrated about bad experiences on different sides of the same screwed up system.

I would never say that I'm an exceptional instructor but I like to teach and I'm working on it.

True PADI and many PADI instructors don't exactly make you want to plaster your car with stickers or plaster your instructor card to your fore head so every one can see it. I don't see any other options though. If I had known about GUE in the beginning I might have tried to go that rout. But now...I don't know that I have the energy.

It's time to go cave diving. LOL We're diving Cannon ball the week after next and I'm excited cuz I've never been there and it's a big deep cave.