where to buy

[BrianS]

I don't think it's fair to say "they are usually not authorized dealers". That is a big catagory.

Everything I have bought online has came with a MFG warranty.

My BC I bought at a store, because I wanted to try it on to make sure I liked it. Regs, I tried enough to know what I wanted, and I got it cheaper online with a MFG Warranty. Same with my Wetsuit, Computer.

Just be a smart shopper and you will be fine shopping online.

Online stores can use warehouses in less desirable areas with small cramped isles and floor to ceiling shelves an minimal lighting and heating, Staff can be minimal and not required keep brick and mortar store hours. Since they are usually not authorized dealers, they also do not have to buy minimum quantities of merchandise. So yes they can sell for less.

With online stores you can save money. But look at what you don’t get online. No physical merchandise to look at and try on (something that must be important to you or you would not be going to the brick and mortar stores to examine the products before making your online buying decisions). You can’t walk in and say, I have a problem with this and get it repaired on the spot, or do a warranty exchange on the spot, or a free rental while it is being repaired. But most of all you also do NOT get a Manufacturers warranty. Yes most online stores offer their own warranty that is supposed to be “just the same”. But my brick and mortar store offers mfg warranty and they also stand behind the merchandise.

I am all about saving money, but I buy at the best price I can find at a local dive shop. Do I ever buy on line? I might consider buying small stuff where warranty is not an issue and no, I do not go to the LDS and use their merchandise as store fronts for the online stores to check out the products first.

 

[scubacalifornia]

I'm not a lawyer, and I cannot cite the source I heard this from, but I have heard that in California, the law mandates that a manufacturer must honor their warranty on new, first-quality merchandise, regardless of whether or not it was purchased from an authorized dealer. I've heard that manufacturers and authorized dealers will lead you to believe otherwise for obvious reasons. Perhaps it has to do with state commerce laws here in CA that aren't necessarily on the books in other states. Has anyone heard about this?
Kevin