What the ?#$@ is the deal with LeisurePro?

[fire_diver]

When I can't find a SS# registered on the AL dealers site, I'll call AL, talk to some nice customer service people and give them the SS. They can't find it in their system either. Then I get the "I'll do some research and get back to you." Of course, I never hear anything back about this piece of gear.

Makes you wonder, huh?

No, that right there is your "smoking gun." No company that places serial numbers on items, ships those without knowing exactly where those serial numbers are destined for. When a company says they can't find those, or they will have to get back to you (and doesn't) is just making you go away.

 

[Fordan]

What do you think LP will do if they are opened up by ALL the manufacturers, made to follow MAP, and start losing sales to the LDS, since the LDS can now compete fairly with LP?

Probably do the same thing that other online retailers outside the scuba industry do when dealing with MAPs... Call the price "too low to show" and invite the consumer to add it to their online shopping cart to see the real price they'll sell it for, or in the worst case, tell them to call or email for a price quote. There's a good chance this price will be lower than most LDSes will, or possibly even can go.

 

[pcornell]

I've been told by our Mares (an LP authorized online dealer) rep that online sales of Mares has gone down since they are legit now and made to follow MAP. What do you think LP will do if they are opened up by ALL the manufacturers, made to follow MAP, and start losing sales to the LDS, since the LDS can now compete fairly with LP?

Why do you think LP would be silly enough to sabotage the good thing they have going? They are not going to voluntarily give this market share back and as described above the manufacturers like their sales so they have no reason to force LP to do otherwise. They are merely paying lip service to their other dealers to keep peace. Every now and then they print a poster for dive shops to hang up that says they don't sell on the net, and they train their guys very well on what to say, but the hits just keep on coming.

LDS's can now compete fairly....they choose not to. If LDS's cannot compete fairly now, someone forgot to tell the guys at ScubaToys. LP is not the only business that is capable of doing what they are doing. They may be the ones with the head start, the first to execute the idea successfully, or maybe they are the ones with the most capital and can make it happen but they don't have an exclusive on how they do it. I'm sure if someone had the capital, the motivation, and the knowledge they could do what LP does or do something better. It's just a lot easier to blame business shortcomings on the market, the competition, the economy, the factory, the dealer agreement, bad publicity, bad location, non loyal customers, or whatever than it is to take personal responsibility and do something different. No matter how hard you want LP's deal to be illegitimate and for it to go away -- at the end of the day if you (closed minded LDS's) continue to do the same things, you are always going to get the same results.

I think Jack Welch (former chairman of GE) said "If you can't be number 1, you damn well better be number 2. Then when number 1 slips you will be there to take their place."

 

[vondo]

Why do you think LP would be silly enough to sabotage the good thing they have going? They are not going to voluntarily give this market share back and as described above the manufacturers like their sales so they have no reason to force LP to do otherwise. They are merely paying lip service to their other dealers to keep peace. Every now and then they print a poster for dive shops to hang up that says they don't sell on the net, and they train their guys very well on what to say, but the hits just keep on coming.

LDS's can now compete fairly....they choose not to. If LDS's cannot compete fairly now, someone forgot to tell the guys at ScubaToys. LP is not the only business that is capable of doing what they are doing. They may be the ones with the head start, the first to execute the idea successfully, or maybe they are the ones with the most capital and can make it happen but they don't have an exclusive on how they do it. I'm sure if someone had the capital, the motivation, and the knowledge they could do what LP does or do something better. It's just a lot easier to blame business shortcomings on the market, the competition, the economy, the factory, the dealer agreement, bad publicity, bad location, non loyal customers, or whatever than it is to take personal responsibility and do something different. No matter how hard you want LP's deal to be illegitimate and for it to go away -- at the end of the day if you (closed minded LDS's) continue to do the same things, you are always going to get the same results.

I think Jack Welch (former chairman of GE) said "If you can't be number 1, you damn well better be number 2. Then when number 1 slips you will be there to take their place."

Not everyone can move the volume that LP or ST can move. I'm a big fan of these two and have bought from scuba.com too, but I don't expect that my little LDS is ever going to be able to match these guys (even if they do online sales) and make a profit on a piece of gear. My LDSes have been good to me, so I do some business with both, but I've bought from several online retailers as well. Basically, if I need to try it on or it is small (and they have it) I go to the LDS. Fins, computer, BCD, lights, regs, have all been online purchases from one place or another.

 

[blindref757]

Passover cost LP $150 this week. I wanted a dive bag, had it in the cart and ready to checkout when I got the message that my stuff wouldn't ship for nearly a week--I called Joe at ST and he shipped it immediately--and matched the price.

I've ordered from LP, Scuba.com, and ScubaToys.com. I was treated very rudely by the phone tech at Scuba.com, the shipping from LP was very expensive and slow, but I've NEVER had a bad experience with ScubaToys. Best of all, they will match LP's prices, and I get my merchandise in 24 hours. The only negative is that since I live in Texas, I have to pay sales tax.

 

[fire_diver]

The only negative is that since I live in Texas, I have to pay sales tax.

Just have it sent to me up here in OK! I'll take good care of it and even test dive all of it, over and over just to make sure you get quality gear.

comrade stroke

 

[DennisS]

If you check the newest Leisurepro catalog, you can see how they deal with MAP. There are no prices, give them a call and they will give you the lowest prices. These guys started the game, if they become legitimate manufacture dealers it won't be about losing their sales and customers.

 

[Debraw]

hmmm... You'd think that if they were a Mares dealer, that Mares would be proud enough to list them as a dealer on their authorized dealer website.

LP is not listed

http://www.mares.com/dealers.php?continent=2&type=dealers&region=ALL

That's not surprising. I have requested my contact information to be updated on the website and I have still not been able to get them to change it. They still have my home phone number listed, my old fax number and my email address that I have not used in 3 years.

 

[mike_s]

If you check the newest Leisurepro catalog, you can see how they deal with MAP. There are no prices, give them a call and they will give you the lowest prices. These guys started the game, if they become legitimate manufacture dealers it won't be about losing their sales and customers.

Well by not printing the prices it also allows them to use the catalog for a longer time period. That's not a cheap catalog to print and deliver.

It keeps someone from not buying from them because the price has dropped on everybody elese website. Gear prices change often now days on some items.

That's not surprising. I have requested my contact information to be updated on the website and I have still not been able to get them to change it. They still have my home phone number listed, my old fax number and my email address that I have not used in 3 years.

Well Mares hasn't kept up with the times.... But I think that's a whole different thread.

I asked this point blank in the Mares forum on a thread several months ago. (If LP was a Mares dealer (authorized or not). The thread got real quiet after that.

 

[Cacia]

Passover cost LP $150 this week. I wanted a dive bag, had it in the cart and ready to checkout when I got the message that my stuff wouldn't ship for nearly a week--I called Joe at ST and he shipped it immediately--and matched the price.

Let be glad their faith trumps profit on some days....

I am a little surprised by what seems like disdain for the Jewish holidays.

Imagine if people were acting like this about Christmas....I don't know, it seems harsh.

No one really expects you to be loyal to an internet site...that's what I like about these places, you just order from whoever works for you that day. Period.