The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[CincyBengalsFan]

nyresq once bubbled...
By law to produce or make Nx or Tri-mix your supposed to have a manufacturing liscense.

who regulates this law? is it a federal dot reg? the tax thing I can understand, but what agency is the license to make trimix from?

as for tumbling, I've never heard of a shop saying "sorry for rusting your tanks, I'll give them a tumble..." but I have heard many of them say "how do I know you didn't get a fill of bad air someplace else, I'll do it, but it will be $15 plus another $10 for the VIP, but the rust can't be from me...":upset:

Well, you have heard of it now. I'm a LDS owner that likes to take care of MY customers. I have a personal relationship with my customers and that's just the way it works or should work. So now you have officially heard of this happening. However; I don't doubt at all about other shops screwing the customer this way.

As for who regulates this law. It may be an OSHA permit you have to get. I'm working on this now since I might just start pumping air and NX out of my shed.

Once you start mixing air and O2 you are now a manufacturer of this new product, which we call Nx or Trix-Mix, etc. etc.. Hence why the Govt. wants some money.

I think it's horse crap we have to pay sales tax on an air fill...But we do.

 

[VTernovski]

Anyone knows of a really good dive shop in NYC/Westchester area? I still haven't foind one single shop tha I can honestly say that I like.

 

[nyresq]

try LI scuba in lindenhurst out in suffolk county. Ralph is one of the best regulator technicians in the business, and jeff is a avid wreck diver and good instructor for padi, naui, TDI etc. the shop has a great selection of gear, does all fills, and even has an indoorpool in the back.
They also service all the dive gear for both the Nassau and suffolk county police dive teams and half of the fire department teams on LI... if that doesn't speak for the regulator service I don't know what does...

the only problem is the drive from NYC, taking the southern state to rte 109 is a long haul from manhattan.

 

[VTernovski]

Thanks nyresq, I am in Brooklyn, and will definatelly check it out next time I am on the SeaHawk or alike...

 

[radagalf]

I had to laugh the other day when two clients came into the store. They were really great people, expressed a very sincere interest in diving, and I had a great time teaching these two as it isn't often I get out-of-towners who have pretty good buoyancy.

However, once we got to the ocean it had the potential to get nasty, as they had purchased their equipment online for 'cheap' prices. Sure, they got a pretty good deal on the equipment, but it didn't fit either of them one bit. Their BCDs were floating at least 1 to 1.5 feet above their shoulders.

Now I hated to do this next part, but it was necessary... I had to explain to them their purchases were moot, as the equipment didn't fit. For their own safety, I implored them to get proper fitting BCDs before their next dive.

For all of you on this dive, I know that you divide up on both sides of the fence, online shopping or LDS Shopping... but please, oh please... get the word around that CHEAP does not necessarily equal GOOD. Make sure you tell all your buddies, and their buddies, and their buddies' buddies and get the word out for people to buy proper fitting equipment, if you get a bargain, great... if not... get WHAT WORKS!!!

This is my tirade for the month.. ciao.

 

[scubasean]

Or, a third option is get a bargain that works....

My online-purchased b/c fits perfectly...I would have used the exchange policy had it not fit correctly.

Good advice!

 

[SimonJ]

Buying dive gear online is no different than buying anything else....it might be cheaper, but cheap is only good if it does what you need. As a rule I do most of my purchasing online, as I can get a great price and the best range of choice...but if it does not fit, send it back...or better still find your size in a shop first, and then if you really need that better price, then buy that size online....just my 2 pence (cents) worth

 

[Aquamaniac]

By the right thing, online or not.

90% of my gear comes from online. Never had an issue, I have returned several things that were wrong, didnt fit etc,

Dave

 

[jrg]

srmjohnson once bubbled...
... ...or better still find your size in a shop first, and then if you really need that better price, then buy that size online....just my 2 pence (cents) worth

It’s bad etiquette to try stuff on in the shop to see what fits, and then buy it online.

 

[Genesis]

Only if you don't give them an opportunity to win the busniess.

THAT is unethical.

If you do, however, give them that opportunity and they decline to provide a price that compares favorably with one you have from elsewhere, there is nothing unethical about it at all.

You went in there with an intention to purchase and you knew what your bottom line price was. You tried on the product, liked it, and offered that price. The seller refused.

His right to refuse, and your right to walk out. Nobody has an obligation to complete a transaction that does not please them.

What IS unethical is trying it on with no intention of buying there under any circumstance. THAT is wrong. But to, after trying on the product, offer a given amount of money that you know you can pay elsewhere is not unethical at all - in fact, it is not only ethical, it sends a strong message that you will buy, but only if you get a reasonable deal in the transaction.