The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[MtnDiver]

We have a similar situation here in Colorado.

Went to the LDS this weekend, saw a good book I thought would be a good read before my Cabo trip in September, so I bought it. Pricetag put on by LDS was $22.?? (don't remember the cents part). Got the book home, and peeled off the price tag (which was strategically placed over the price printed on the cover by the book printer). Book printer retail price for the book was $16.95. I can now imagine just how much of a mark-up there is on the other stuff.

 

[String]

an anywhere else back home in Swansea in a dive shop called Days Diversified Services

Days is OK provided (i) you turn up there when its open (easier said than done), (ii) they have what you want (iii) you arent too specific about what you want.

The stock they do have is very cheap and worth buying. However i know of people that gave up after 7 months waiting for semi-dry suits, others with regs supposedly services after 3 months there to find out nothing has been done and one awaiting drysuit neck seal change for 3.5 months.

If you want a specific item and Days hasnt got it - go elsewhere. If you are prepared to compromise and buy the stock in the shop, its fine.

I bought my BC from there but everything else (bar drysuit) i got online. No service/guarantee issues at all.

 

[MechDiver]

.
But like i said, 100% mark-up's is absurd.

You have obviously never bought furniture. A 100% markup is low.
Looked at stickers on new cars lately and compared them on the net?

Some manufacturers also have prices that are set in stone.

This is a never ending yada yada yada. If you don't like the price, buy it somewhere that you do.

 

[TravisT]

MechDiver, that was my point....

The thread was titled 'Rant'. Obviously you skipped over that part. I felt like blowing some steam before trying to find another place and just wanted to point out why I am not going to be supporting my LDS as some people insist on doing so.

 

[CBulla]

Until I have my own air fill station at home, I have to rely on an LDS some.. sooooo, I support them by buying little things that make life a little easier. Plus, one of them here is like hanging out at Cheers.. its nice to hang out and chat shop.

 

[TravisT]

Yeah, let me correct myself. I do intend on getting air there, when a fin strap breaks I'll go there to get a replacement, when I need to get my equipment serviced I'll be willing to pay the $50.00 or whatever it is to have him do it.

I don't want to say I refuse to buy anything from him. I just refuse to buy things from him that will cost me $100+ there when I can buy it elsewhere for a much more affordable price.

 

[DORSETBOY]

Travis, is the LDS a new one? Does it have a large volume of trade?

 

[TravisT]

I'm not sure exactly how long it has been around. I'm assuming a while as I have been to 2 LDS"s. The one i'm talking about now is a the larger of the two. Also, out of the 4-5 times i've been in there he's always had phone calls, or other people he has needed to assist. And this last Friday when I was really checking and comparing prices he had about 15-20 People in the store, ones he was putting boots on and other things.

He's also got a reputation around so he's obviously had some time there. His reputation isn't bad, his prices are though!

 

[clearwaterdivers]

Okay, i know some people are going to have a field day with this as they are hardcore LDS buyer's. But i'm really frustrated right now. I'm in Oklahoma where there are not 30 dive shops. So this lowers the amount of competition in my area among the few dive shops. There, however is, a fairly large diving community in this state to my suprising.

I understand that LDS's have to bump up their prices a little bit over the internet pricing due to overhead expenses and things. But seriously, this is getting ridiculous.

I went to the LDS Friday, i've been in there 4-5 times. I have been comparing prices and there simply is no comparison.

Here are some of the things i've checked out:

Sherwood Wisdom Dive Computer:
Internet Price: $449.95
LDS Price: $850.00

Cressi-Sub Frog Fins Open Heel:
Internet Price: $49.95
LDS Price: $100.00

Cressi-Sub S-111 BCD:
Internet Price: $319.95
LDS Price: $499.99

Now tell me, why the heck would I EVER want to buy from a Dive Shop that has prices as ridiculous as that? And let me tell you before I get flak for this, that I DO want to buy from a LDS for warranty/repair issues. But why would I want to buy a Dive Computer that's marked up twice as much as it should be if mine ever breaks and loses it's warranty I can just buy another and probably save money on it by the time that comes around and prices go down?

This guy has a reputation of hating Internet stuff. There are rumors around that he has kicked people out of his store for buying stuff online and then bringing it in. You know, if you want people to buy from your store you have to be somewhat competitive. And this is not what I call competitive.

This guy isn't hurting for money either i'm sure. With 15 people or so lurking around in his shop last Friday I'm sure that he's making several hundred off each one of them if they buy anything from him.

Simply ridiculous in my opinion...

Rediculous is the profit margins that I see most things on the internet at. No Sales tax and a very small profit margin gets the sale. I see the complaints about LDS making a profit, but How come no one complains about how the Internet is making a profit?? How much are people paying to ship that Item?? I just got 4 Technical B/C's into the shop and they cost me 18.00 for the shipping for all four. What is the internet charging for shipping one B/C? Most of the time, the mark up on Items is so little, but the mark up on the shipping is up there!! Recently got a box of Stock from a bulk Internet Company and the box was 18" long, 12" wide and 8" deep and weighed 3+ lbs. The contents would have allowed 88.00 profit if I sold all 50 pieces (this could take a while) The shipping was 29.78!! I denied the shipment. I ship and get shipped to all the time, and it aint that expensive. Shops have to make a profit in order to keep up their air stations, and air sales alone dont cover it. The commercial Electricity by itself is astronomical as well as all the other expenses and labor involved. I Welcome all service issues and repairs and I charge for them. If you dont have a warranty, you have to pay for not lonly labor, but parts too. We do have contract agreements we have to deal with. The only time the Internet buyer pisses me off is when they come in to try on or try out the things they are wanting and get my knowledge on the products to purchase from the internet or expecting me to make it right when the size, or color is wrong or it breaks and I am expected to replace it or ship it out for repairs because I'm a dealer, this is wrong. We the shops are about having things to be seen, touched, tried, and have true and correct knowledge about products and this is worth something, we cant just be here for free or for the conveinence of the internet shopper. We have to cover the over head, and its stiff, I Know.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Shops have to make a profit in order to keep up their air stations, and air sales alone dont cover it.

I know this first hand. I would also add to you're statement and point out that the manufacturers insist on you being a full service shop (which included offering air and instruction) before they sell you equipment.

The problem with this is that in many areas you can't sell enough air to justify the cost of a compressor. So...you rely on equipment sales to subsidize it.

The same is true for instruction right? You can't charge enough to really make it a profit center so you rely on equipment sales to subsidize it.

Let me throw something at you though. All the dive sites around here sell gas. When I dive wrecks in the Great Lakes or Missouri caves I need gas that no dive shop around here sells. So...I must maintain my own fill station. For local dives I'll buy gas on site to keep the hours off my machine.

Either way though I don't need a dive shop for gas and I don't need any classes. Why would I want to pay extra to subsidize a compressor or training? If the market can't bare the real cost of air then don't sell it.

I'll tell you what I am allways in the market for though. A good reg at a decent price with access to service manuals and parts because no one else is touching my regs either. No problem paying for parts and manuals but I'll supply the labor.

There are others who feel the same and you might want to pass that on to your suppliers because they don't get it.