The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

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The reality of this is that there are Wal Mart shoppers and Nordstrom shoppers. Some people do Target and some stick to local shops. My wife, bless her shops catalogs. No LDS is going to make all divers happy. No LP is either. There is a place for both. The question is who and how many? The answer will be the free market. Time will reveal all.

Whatever the market does I just hope I can keep diving and blowing bubbles! I'll see you underwater.
 
What to do, what to do... M & G and their different opinions are great food for thought. I want the best price (I can't afford more) but I want LDS service - and I can't have both. I really DO want to support the LDS, but I can't afford to. For example, in three days I am going to by a 7mm wet suit from them for 390.00 that I could get online for 250.00. But I found this suit by renting it from the LDS, and I feel funny using them to find the suit and then buying it online. Even though I PAID for the rental. I wish I could buy it online and just GIVE them 50.00 and call it good. No harm, no foul. But it really is a PERSONAL offense to them to buy online.
When I was having mask issues, the LDS brought a bunch to the dive for me to try... so I ended up paying 69.00 for a mask that cost 40.00 online. If I don't buy my wetsuit from them, it's good-bye to THAT kind of service. But I could buy the wetsuit AND a tank online for the same price as just the wetsuit from my LDS. I feel like I loose either way.
What to do... what to do...
 
Actually, I see the different points quite well for not being a businessman. I agree that the business gets split.

Mike, I don't envy you. You seem to care about training standards and divers. I just remember another saying in the scuba industry. "If you are going to be a millionaire in the scuba industry, start with two million dollars."

I, too, get frustrated with the high prices. The problem is that I love (some would say that I am addicted to, especially at the LDS) the sport. The LDS is a great place to hang out and talk diving. The reason that many dive shops (ours included) started catering to Tech Divers is that they spend money after they get certified to get more training and more equipment. This why Dive Rite is turning into one of the best selling brands at our shop. Actually, some our Tech Divers talked me into diving with them and I love it now.

But, divers, the high prices are not the fault of the LDS. This is a niche industry. There will only be so many divers certified. If you need to shop LP to keep diving, then feel free. But, let's just do what we can to keep the little guy in business. In the case of our LDS, I won't worry about it until the man that started it passes on and no one takes over. Maybe we'll get his son to do that. :) The current owner has earned the business of about two generations of divers in this area and is a very shrewd businessman and one of the best instructors in the state. And he has a wife with an excellent job, who he gives a lot of credit for helping him to keep the doors open. :D

Let's everybody just blow some bubbles, and I'll meet you underwater (where I seem to live anyways). Dreamin' says it best. No one way will please everyone.
 
I would think that in the case with the mask you got a return on the extra money you spent on the mask so the value may be equal when all things are considered. This is what I think Genesis is talking about.

As for the wetsuit, well that is a bigger price spread I'm not sure what the LDS could do for you to feel as though you were getting an equal value on your purchase. I guess it would depend on what perks you get for being loyal to the shop.

I know one thing I value as a customer is being recognized by the staff at the store. I like when they know me well enough to ask about my last diving excursion and how it went. If I tell them of some minor problem they offer to fix or correct it for free if its equipment related or maybe offer technique suggestions for dealing with situations I haven't dealt with. I like when they offer recommendations on places to stay or eat if I'm traveling out of state to dive. I like when the staff knows me well enough to consider me a friend. Thats the kind of stuff you won't get from the big box businesses no matter what they say and hype on TV.

I like going into a dive shop and someone there has just returned from a cave diving trip to Florida and is excited about showing me pictures they took in the cave and coming out of the cave. Again something not found in big box operations.

To me thats worth some extra money on the purchases I make. How much on any given item is hard to say but each of us and each LDS owner has to try to figure that out.
 
translucent foundation, medium lips, and very subtle around the eyes for that fresh-faced look...

Oh! Mark up!

I though you said...


C'mon, I had to do it!;)
 
Maybe try to talk them down $50-$75, because when they see you in that suit bought somewhere else, you are toast and have worn out your welcome. Maybe try the approach of getting some of the suit rental applied towards the price of the suit. Good luck.:out:
 
Maybe try to talk them down $50-$75, because when they see you in that suit bought somewhere else, you are toast and have worn out your welcome.

...that attitude in the industry that sends people PERMANENTLY to places like LP and DiveInn.

Whether I bought this or that from you, if I'm in your store, you have an opportunity to sell me something. If you fail to do so because your pricing sucks THIS time, you can fix it NEXT time, and at least save the NEXT purchase.

As soon as you play the "oh you're such a baztard for buying that somewhere else" game I won't bother darkening your door again.

Then you've lost not only the one sale, but all future sales opportunities.

How smart is that, Sir Business Owner?

That's right - throw away your customers, one at a time.
 
OK, how about this. If I buy all my major gear, starting from scratch, form the LDS, how much profit will they make. Assuming I don't buy the most expensive or the cheapest, I could easily spend 2800.00. How much profit do they make? 500.00? 800.00? Let's assume that over five years the LDS makes 1000.00 profit on the 2800 (high, I think). That works out to 16.66 per month (1000/5(yrs)/12(mos)=16.66).
So Mike, or any other shop owners, how about this: I just pay you a monthly 17.00 for 5 years and buy all my gear online. Then you do the following:
Service my gear.
Help me setup and properly use my gear.
Train me on my gear.
Treat me like everyone else.
Be polite to me.
Say hello when I come in.
Maybe even a free air fill now and then (optional).
Common courtesy.

For the lousy 17.00 a month will you at least be nice??? Look, LDS, if it's a payoff you want just say so. Put up a sign that says, "We reserve the right to treat you like garbage if we do not average 17.00 per month profit off you."

Sure glad I'm not in a business where I have to hold my customers hostage to make a buck. Sad to think that some LDS owners got into it just 'cause they love to dive...

(Sorry for the rant. Guess I'm just a little bugged about the whole thing...)
 
divegary once bubbled...
I do believe that this is a situation of Genesis LDS Rule #1.:gotcha: :badmoon:
Ok, I'll bite. What is Genesis LDS Rule number one?
 

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