To buy equipment on-line or not

[Chad Carney]

I'd rather buy from the guy who does not charge me an extra $100 for "dealer prep" unless I want it. I'm fully capable of doing those kinds of things myself. If I run into a problem, I'll either fix it myself or seek to invoke whatever warrenty came with it.

Were we talking cars or regulators? Oh, I guess it doesn't much matter. My response seem to fit either one.

awap,

Please don't misconstrue my post to recommend buying from uncompetetive dive stores, to the contrary, I favor free enterprise.

My point is solely that at Zeagle we will not open a store that does not have the knowledge and wherewithal to distribute our products professionally.

The consumer deserves reliable products and service, from the point of manufacture to the point of sale.

Chad

 

[redacted]

awap,

Please don't misconstrue my post to recommend buying from uncompetetive dive stores, to the contrary, I favor free enterprise.

My point is solely that at Zeagle we will not open a store that does not have the knowledge and wherewithal to distribute our products professionally.

The consumer deserves reliable products and service, from the point of manufacture to the point of sale.

Chad

And that is the way it should be in general. Most divers need that kind of expertise and support when it comes to buying and caring for equipment. And I think it is reasonable for those diver who need that level of service to pay a little extra for it. But when I ask a shop if they can be more competetive and get the lecture training & compressor & service & expertise & warrenty, I explain to them that I wasn't looking for training or air, prefer doing my own service, know exactly what I want and don't need their advice, and have no intention of maintaining the warrenty. Occasionally I find an LDS that I can do business with. And sometimes we find occasion to use our knowledge to help each other. Usually by pointing new customers in their direction.

It would not be good if all we had were Leisure Pros. But I would hate to think what it would be like without them.

 

[UP4AIR]

My 2cents is this....I think there needs to be a happy medium between the LDS and the internet. Why? Because without support from us, the LDS will not be able to sustain itself. I don't know about the rest here....but I haven't found a good internet sales site that gives good air fills on my tanks.....

 

[Halthron]

I don't know about the rest here....but I haven't found a good internet sales site that gives good air fills on my tanks.....

I currently only gets fills from places that aren't dependent on selling gear to stay in business. That may change but that's the way it is now.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

My 2cents is this....I think there needs to be a happy medium between the LDS and the internet. Why? Because without support from us, the LDS will not be able to sustain itself. I don't know about the rest here....but I haven't found a good internet sales site that gives good air fills on my tanks.....

We're working on it. We are going to take our compressor hose and tap it into the fiber optic network. Just think, high speed broadband air fills in the convenience of your own home! :icon82:

 

[scubatoys]

It's kind of interesting... I was just contacted by a guy who is setting up a Scuba Training and Travel center, complete with pool and with air fills, but no retail sales. He came to talk to me about this as he is in our area, and he wants to remove the pressure of sales from the educational process, and not try to compete with internet stores, especially when we are in the same town. So instead, he is working on training and travel only, then tell them to buy their stuff on line... or over in our store.

He's been in the business for years, and says he's crunched the numbers and he can make this model work when presented properly. An interesting twist on the business model.

 

[DiveMaven]

I not only bought my life support gear from an on-line dealer, but I have them service it as well. Frankly, I consider ScubaToys as my LDS, even though they are in Texas and I'm in Washington.

 

[ktrjc]

I bought my mask, fins and wet-suit on-line, had a snorkel. My regs I bought from my LDS, the price was great, and they will happily give me a loaner if anything happens to mine and they can not fix it in time. Working on a BC, this will probably be from an on-line shop or from the flea market, as the local ones don't carry the brand I want.

My LDS of course wants me to buy everything there, however they understand that they can not carry everything for everyone, and the almighty dollar it the deciding factor. However if they are close on price and carry the brand I will gladly buy it from them.

 

[Babydamulag]

It's kind of interesting... I was just contacted by a guy who is setting up a Scuba Training and Travel center, complete with pool and with air fills, but no retail sales. He came to talk to me about this as he is in our area, and he wants to remove the pressure of sales from the educational process, and not try to compete with internet stores, especially when we are in the same town. So instead, he is working on training and travel only, then tell them to buy their stuff on line... or over in our store.

He's been in the business for years, and says he's crunched the numbers and he can make this model work when presented properly. An interesting twist on the business model.

It is timely for me to read this article. The guys at SCUBATOYS are realizing what we are seeing as "THE TREND" in Asia. My partners and I have decided that we will stock only the essential things the traveling diver might need (o-rings, straps, etc.). The days of the LDS (Mom and Pop style) seem to be numbered here. The trend seems to be LOCAL SUPERSTORE or Internet Store. This dynamic seems to shaping our industry. Thoughts?

 

[PerroneFord]

I agree to a point. However, I feel there will ALWAYS be niche markets where local stores are not only welcome, they are nearly required.

This is by no means the ONLY place it happens, but I'll use Cave Divnig stores because they are nearby and I've visited them. People doing this kind of diving seem to relish having places they can go and get gear suited TO THEM, and purchase them from someone who has competitive prices, and KNOWS THE GEAR. When a guy calls ahead and says he needs a 1/2" SS Snapbolt, there is not a 3/4" butterfly snap waiting on him. When a traveling diver comes into the store and asks about the current flow in a cave, and three divers who've just finished that dive an hour before give up to the minute info, it's very worthwhile. When you show up for fills, need 260cuft of trimix, 40cuft of oxygen, 40cuft of 50%, and a bottle of Argon, and can get them all filled while the people behind you are laughing and telling stories, it's not the the traditional "Mom and Pop" store.

I see the same potential in online stores. People act like there is some huge mystery to running a successful online business. There isn't. It's the same as running any other successful business. Fair prices, quaity merchendise, and service after the sale. The internet squashes geography. Completely flattens it. It allows a TOP business like ScubaToys to essentially become a LDS to someone even outside the US. It's a great model. As much as I like the model, S.T. is NOT a technical diving center, and thusly has gaps in it for things certain divers would like. Not a big issue as I don't think this is their market. For that, I'll look up Joel at TDL, or other online vendors. Guys like Tobin thrive because of happy customers who recommend his products by word of mouth.

All that said, there is STILL room for the local shop. Because that face to face sale still has value. Being able to try on certain gear has great value. It's AWFULLY hard to pull the trigger on an $2200 drysuit without trying it on first. It's awfully hard to buy $800 worth of regulators without seenig how they breathe. And it's hard heading to a dive site you've never been to without some local knowledge. The sooner LDS's learn to stop competiting at things they do poorly, and learn to leverage what they do well, the better off they will be.

Of course, this is just the opinon of someone who has not RUN a SCUBA business, though I have done other businesses both online, and brick and mortar.