The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[Rooster1]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

I took the money I saved and bought this stuff.

Pug easy there.....you're making me drool with envy:bonk:

Very nice set up

 

[Flytyer]

Being a small business owner, I can tell you theres more to it. I do not own a dive shop or anything similar. I can tell you that I do own a retail store. Over the years I have had many people ask If I can match catalog, and Internet prices. Occasionally I do. Most of the time they cant get the true personal service that I can give them. It may well be that "LDS" in general have a bad attitude. Im not sure. There are 4 In my town, and they have all been very helpful so far. I am going to learn to dive in January. If the dive shops stay helpful and nice then I would not care the least to deal with them. Things I will not do, and detest when people do it at my store. I will not tie up a sales person asking tons of questions and trying on gear just to go buy from the net. I will not ask the store to match the nets or a catalog price. If I cant afford to buy it from the "LDS" then i will spend the time and effort to ask the net shop or the catalog sales people. And if you want to talk about uninformed people. I am sure they can only tell you what the brochure or catalog says in front of them. The point is local service is usually well worth paying. For example, If you buy a product from your LDS and have a problem just wag it in and show him/her. It may be something they can just fix. If you have a problem with your mail order item, ship it back at your cost, and get a new one, or get referred to a repair center to ship it to. I hope you are beginning to see the whole picture. Sorry for the long post. Just remember the thing to look for in a retailer is the guy that still remembers that it is you doing him the favor by shopping there. He is not doing you the favor just being in business. If you guys cant find a LDS like this then that is a shame. Also, some customers cant be pleased, you could jujst be one of them.

-Flytyer

 

[DiverBuoy]

metridium once bubbled...
So do you get an employee discount?

Or key-man deals?

Or do you own a dive shop?

I'm not an employee of any part of the scuba diving world - except where PADI considers me a "professional member".

I have received key man deals - several of them. I hope your not implying "I can't get your deals diverbuoy so it's unfair that you criticise me for going on-line to find some discount." Bottom line on this - I didn't say don't go on-line. I did not say it's bad to look for good deals at your LDS. I did not say pay full price and never buy anything on sale. My message is clear. I have 2 items I got a key man deal on UK HID Light Cannon and my regulator Atomic T1/T2 X. I own a couple of other regulators and primary lights I paid full price for. If you hang your hat on this, you've missed the point of my little soapbox speech.

I do not own a dive shop.

zboss once bubbled...
If we buy things online some stores will go out of business but you will still be able to get fills at or near the local dive sites, or through the dive operators.

Where did you get proof of this? How do you draw this conclusion? Do you think the city will step in and provide grants, or perhaps your dreaming that volunteers will step up and donate their time and money to sustain diving for you personally?

Five other posters here have said something in the way of a complaint about their LDS. Great - talk to them about your frustrations - OR here's an idea - switch shops. But whatever you do make sure your money doesn't go solely to Internet Dive Shops - especially for major ticket items.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

I took the money I saved and bought this stuff.

Attachment: fill \'em up.jpg

I take it all back with enough people like UP in the world who needs dive shops.

 

[raviepoo]

DiverBuoy once bubbled...

But whatever you do make sure your money doesn't go solely to Internet Dive Shops - especially for major ticket items.

My wallet is not a charitable endowment. I'm going to do whatever I need to do to get the most for my money. I think it's foolish to do otherwise without good reason.

 

[jonnythan]

DiverBuoy once bubbled...
Bottom line on this - I didn't say don't go on-line. I did not say it's bad to look for good deals at your LDS. I did not say pay full price and never buy anything on sale. My message is clear. I have 2 items I got a key man deal on UK HID Light Cannon and my regulator Atomic T1/T2 X. I own a couple of other regulators and primary lights I paid full price for. If you hang your hat on this, you've missed the point of my little soapbox speech.

I thought you *told* us specifically not to buy from online shops. Ever.

Your only reasoning is that a substantial portion of our income should go directly into the pockets of your local dive shop proprietor simply in order to protect the industry.

You go ahead and give 10% of your income to your LDS, gear or not, and I'll have a bit more money waiting for me when I retire

 

[Uncle Pug]

There are certain things that I buy from the LDS... or at least have up to this point... drysuits is one of them... I just can't bring myself to buy one without trying it on a bunch of times. The other thing is... hmmm... I can't remember what the other thing is.

In another thread I mentioned how I had been seriously overcharged on two regulator overhauls ($150 each) by the LDS I purchased them from! That is why I have taken to buying regs online.

As a side note the LDS that reamed my on the regs is the one I have bought all but one drysuit from... and they are the ones that I recommend to folks all the time for suit repairs. They do a great job in the suit department.

 

[redacted]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...

btw: I totally agree that if you try the goods on at your LDS you should buy the goods from them rather than using their inventory as a *display room* for the online discount e-tailer.

And besides making my head hurt, it usually get me in trouble

Last time I made a major purchase, I went into the local store and looked at what they had, picked out the model and options I wanted and then talked price. I took that best price from the local guy where I would rather do business and did some comparision shopping. I found better prices. I even went back to the local guy to see if he would like another try. I ended up buying it from the lowest priced dealer, not the one where I made the selection and tried it out. So now I have to ask myself: Why should dive gear be any different than that car?

I don't think it should be. I know the car dealer business model includes that type of consumer behavior and the LDS model probably doesn't but that's not the consumer's problem. I think it may be time to go shopping for some new dive gear. And I will give the local shop a chance to be competative - but I'm pretty sure I know what is going to happen.

 

[snobeach]

Hi All -
I've been following this thread for a while and I too struggle with how to continue supporting the LDS's in my area. Just last year I spent nearly $2,500 equipping myself via an LDS. Soon after I discovered this board and a new world opened up. It was pretty hard to swallow that I'd paid at least double what I would have on-line!

I do believe in profit - no business can survive with out it. Also, they certainly should make more than an online outfit since they do provide service and have real overhead; however, the profit they expect is unreasonable. In other industries it is fair to price shop and we do all the time. So frankly, The problem in my opinion is not the LDS, and it is not us internet shoppers, it is the manufactures policies themselves. It is my understanding that prices, and potential discounts are all predetermined. If an LDS undercuts the manufactures decision they lose all dealership rights!!!
This is bull#@$%#@, excuse me! Seems the only way for the industry to evolve positively is for the manufactures to support the LDS.:bonk:

Allow them (if they so choose) to be competetive! They should have
the choice on how to balance discounts and profit. The MANUFACTURES are putting them out of business, not us! The LDS guys know this too. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I can only hope, that as they see sales slip away they will fight the real battles with their suppliers.

Recently I was quoted $680.00 for an Apeks TX100 by my LDS. After shopping around I realize I'd be buying a ~$350. reg, with a $350. warranty. I rather buy a second reg! I got my TX100 elswhere and saved $400.00 How could I pass this up? (Remember they already bled me dry last year). I also got a quote on a gold core jumpsuit. They do not stock it but will happily order it (prepaid) for nearly $200. over online costs...
It's time for de-regulation!!! Let the equipement suppliers/manufactures re-evaluate their stand, and their extaordinary mark-up. Maybe they can offer their extended warrantys separately like other industries do, and give the consumer and the LDS some choices and flexibility.

Sorry for the rant, I couldn't help myself! :mean:

 

[trymixdiver]

Amen to that Snobeach

I give the LDS the opportunity to make some $, but they insist on Doubling the online prices. I said it before, my last name isn’t gates so I am buying online.

Andy