The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Accessories? No one but Larry and Joe at www.ScubaToys.com gets my business. What's more? They help make this site possible by advertising with us. Support those businesses that support YOUR habit! 
What Is Best Online Scuba Store?
- Thread starter cburns
- Start date
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DivesWithTurtles
Contributor
CaptainNemo
Contributor
I am one of the lucky ones I guess. I have ordered several items from Leisure Pro and received all items in a timely manner and at the price advertised. I just learned of Scuba Toys since joining this site. I didn't realize that Leisure Pro wasn't and "authorized" dealer. I can't understand why a manufacturer, many listed on this site, sell thru them. I guess it is a terminology used not to piss off their "authorized" dealers. That said, I will not hesitate to use Scuba Toys on my next purchase. They support the site, are "authorized", match price, and seem to have a lot of happy customers here. Ask questions first, that is one of the many perks of this site. Happy shopping.cburns:
KzooJason
Registered
ScubaToys is, as others have already said, an authorized retailer for the products they sell. They will also give you an additional 10% discount if you tell them that you're a ScubaBoard member. Scuba.com is also authorized for the products that they sell.
When choosing an online store keep in mind that most manufacturer's warranties are only valid if you purchase from an authorized retailer. The best way to be sure that a retailer is authorized is to check the manufacturer's web site or give them a call. Unfortunately being an authorized retailer often means conforming to the manufacturer's pricing policies which can limit the discount an authorized retailer can give you. Some sites, such as LeisurePro, offer their own warranties in place of the manufacturer's warranty. Of course this means that you're betting on the merchant staying in business. It's also worth nothing that some brands simply aren't sold online by authorized retailers.
Jason
When choosing an online store keep in mind that most manufacturer's warranties are only valid if you purchase from an authorized retailer. The best way to be sure that a retailer is authorized is to check the manufacturer's web site or give them a call. Unfortunately being an authorized retailer often means conforming to the manufacturer's pricing policies which can limit the discount an authorized retailer can give you. Some sites, such as LeisurePro, offer their own warranties in place of the manufacturer's warranty. Of course this means that you're betting on the merchant staying in business. It's also worth nothing that some brands simply aren't sold online by authorized retailers.
Jason
DennisS
Contributor
I've used Leisure Pro and Dive Inn. The prices were good and I didn't have any problems. This thread has a good list of shops people have used. I shop around and get the best deal, just like a brick and mortar store. If the government, wasteful as it is, requires its employees to get three price quotes, shouldn't you do the same with your money.
Humuhumunukunukuapua'a
Contributor
I would avoid LeisurePro. They are not authorized dealers and they sell gear that is not allowed to be sold online like Atomic stuff. I have gotten crappy knockoff stuff from them and have heard stories of getting old model stuff, stuff with serial numbers ground off, and other shady grey market stuff.
ScubaToys is the best online scuba retailer by far. They will match any of LeisurePro's prices (I have tested this many times), so they make LP irrelevant anyway. And talk about customer service! They really know their stuff and will take all the time it takes to help you with your descisions. Returning goods is always a piece of cake. They'll always cut you a good deal if you are getting some big pieces of equipment.
A couple examples: Last year they had a sale on a computer my brother and I wanted, but we had to wait until after the new year to get some funds together. By the time we were ready to buy, the sale was over. But we called and Larry gave us the sale price. That's really going above and beyond in my opinion, but as Larry said at the time, it's better for him to make less on the sale if I am happy and continue to come back to them and tell people about them. As you can see, the strategy worked. And I sent my folks to them when they needed two complete head to toe rigs.
Earlier this year, I was buying fins for my wife, but I wasn't sure of the sizing. I thought she'd need a small with her tropical booties. Larry thought she should get some Mediums so she could have the option of thicker booties. He gave me the deal that if I got the Mediums and he was wrong, he'd pay return shipping. If I got the Smalls and I was wrong, I'd pay the return. Fair enough. I went with the Mediums because they are so often right about these things.
Well, they were a bit big over her tropical booties, but the booties looked like they might not be enough to protect her feet from rubbing. I gave Larry a call, told him I thought we needed the Smalls, and he suggested a different approach. He dropped a pair of Small fins and a more robust pair of booties in the mail to me along with prepaid return postage! That way, my wife could try on both sizes of fins and both booties and find the best combo for her. And get this, he charged nothing to my credit card in advance of this, asking me to let him know what I would be keeping and mail the rest back. He basically trusted me enough to just send me a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff so I could work out exactly what I needed. Unbelievably cool!
They recently cut me a great deal on a BC/reg/computer setup for my wife and threw in a nice compass no charge just because they thought she should have one
I will never buy any scuba gear online from anyone else, especially Leisure Pro, whose only advantage as far as I can tell is prices. LP is not run by divers, and you simply will not get the level of service from them that you will from ScubaToys. And ScubaToys will match their prices. I'm not sure why people still recommend LP, because they really are sub-standard.
Always call ScubaToys because they can offer better prices over the phone than they can online. Also, they sell brands over the phone (like Atomic) that they don't carry online (because they operate in a legal fashion unlike LP).
Oh yeah and they charge actual shipping...not some inflated handling price.
I really can't say enough good things about them. Give them a call.
(And no, I have no association with them other than happy customer.)
Gregg
ScubaToys is the best online scuba retailer by far. They will match any of LeisurePro's prices (I have tested this many times), so they make LP irrelevant anyway. And talk about customer service! They really know their stuff and will take all the time it takes to help you with your descisions. Returning goods is always a piece of cake. They'll always cut you a good deal if you are getting some big pieces of equipment.
A couple examples: Last year they had a sale on a computer my brother and I wanted, but we had to wait until after the new year to get some funds together. By the time we were ready to buy, the sale was over. But we called and Larry gave us the sale price. That's really going above and beyond in my opinion, but as Larry said at the time, it's better for him to make less on the sale if I am happy and continue to come back to them and tell people about them. As you can see, the strategy worked. And I sent my folks to them when they needed two complete head to toe rigs.
Earlier this year, I was buying fins for my wife, but I wasn't sure of the sizing. I thought she'd need a small with her tropical booties. Larry thought she should get some Mediums so she could have the option of thicker booties. He gave me the deal that if I got the Mediums and he was wrong, he'd pay return shipping. If I got the Smalls and I was wrong, I'd pay the return. Fair enough. I went with the Mediums because they are so often right about these things.
Well, they were a bit big over her tropical booties, but the booties looked like they might not be enough to protect her feet from rubbing. I gave Larry a call, told him I thought we needed the Smalls, and he suggested a different approach. He dropped a pair of Small fins and a more robust pair of booties in the mail to me along with prepaid return postage! That way, my wife could try on both sizes of fins and both booties and find the best combo for her. And get this, he charged nothing to my credit card in advance of this, asking me to let him know what I would be keeping and mail the rest back. He basically trusted me enough to just send me a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff so I could work out exactly what I needed. Unbelievably cool!
They recently cut me a great deal on a BC/reg/computer setup for my wife and threw in a nice compass no charge just because they thought she should have one
I will never buy any scuba gear online from anyone else, especially Leisure Pro, whose only advantage as far as I can tell is prices. LP is not run by divers, and you simply will not get the level of service from them that you will from ScubaToys. And ScubaToys will match their prices. I'm not sure why people still recommend LP, because they really are sub-standard.
Always call ScubaToys because they can offer better prices over the phone than they can online. Also, they sell brands over the phone (like Atomic) that they don't carry online (because they operate in a legal fashion unlike LP).
Oh yeah and they charge actual shipping...not some inflated handling price.
I really can't say enough good things about them. Give them a call.
(And no, I have no association with them other than happy customer.)
Gregg
DennisS:
It's easy to compare prices online. On small items, I usually don't bother and I certainly wouldn't bother price shopping the local shops for accessories. My time is worth a lot more than I would save. I buy a lot of stuff from scuba.com and leisurepro.com through Amazon.com because I can get through the checkout quickly. And while I'm there I can pick up other stuff such as books and dvds. When I buy large items, I usually go to scubatoys.com.
I don't have any complaints about any of them.
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