Why don't more dive shops display more (any?) BP/Ws?

[boulderjohn]

This depends on how the salesperson is compensated for the sale.

If the salesperson is paid $50 for each traditional BC they sell and $20 for each BP/W they sell, they would not try to sell the BP/W unless it was clear the customer had their heart set on getting the BP/W.

I suppose that would be true, but it would be a curious practice IMO. In the shop I use, sales people are paid for the time they are in the store, with no individual commissions.

 

[boulderjohn]

You are completely correct, and I can't imagine that any THINKING person would expect anything different. After all, a sales persons job is to sell what his or her organization makes....no matter what the product is.

I'm not sure you and I are talking about the same thing. I am talking about the sales person in the shop, not the manufacturer's sales person.

 

[imwright1985]

I think the problem is BC's are easily purchaseable where BP/W You might like Brand x Harness with Brand Y Plate, and Brand Z wing. Most divers are Rec/Vaca divers which Having a regular BC saves some of the headache of trying to piece together a nice Rig they like, so sales interest would naturally be higher with BC. These 2 reasons make "dealer pricing" status harder to get with BP/W. With me I like the thought of being able to go doubles and kinda customize my rig so I dive Zeagle because its able to kinda tailor to my needs and it can be added onto incase i go doubles. When i go to change my BC I will probably stay Zeagle but am kinda inclined to going BP/W

 

[Teamcasa]

I would not argue that. However, my employees are not paid on commission at all. They make the same salary if they sell nothing. I don't know how others do it.

I suppose that would be true, but it would be a curious practice IMO. In the shop I use, sales people are paid for the time they are in the store, with no individual commissions.

This makes sense is a small (dollar volume) operation. However, commissioned salespeople will always outperform (in dollars) their salaried counterpart, provided they have the inventory and customer base to support their efforts.

The trouble is most dive shops could not support even one professional salesperson.

 

[PhilEllis]

I'm not sure you and I are talking about the same thing. I am talking about the sales person in the shop, not the manufacturer's sales person.

I was also talking about the sales person in the shop. They are there to sell things....the things Their shop stocks and trades. If the shop does not stock a particular brand or a particular style, I can't image they would spend any considerable amount of time selling what they don't have. I also would not think anyone would be surprised about that.

Phil Ellis
www.divesports.com

 

[boulderjohn]

This makes sense is a small (dollar volume) operation. However, commissioned salespeople will always outperform (in dollars) their salaried counterpart, provided they have the inventory and customer base to support their efforts.

Two replies:

First:
Most shops do not have the inventory and customer base required.

I was recently in the shop for several days working on regulators and things. On one of the days I would guess that nearly nothing was sold, even though a small number of people came in and got a lot of very helpful advice. Perhaps they will come back later and purchase--likely from a different sales person. Any sales person working that day would have been badly hurt financially. The next day in one half hour period two customers came in and purchased two regulator sets each. No need for assistance--they came in knowing what they wanted. A commissioned salesperson would have done very nicely with no real effort.

Second:

Are you sure commissioned will always do better?

About a decade ago I was in a group that investigated incentive pay theory with the goal of making a recommendation. I read two books and maybe 40 journal articles on incentive pay. The overall consensus is that working on commission (or similar practices) works well in some situations, but overall brings more negatives to the business than positives. One theorist said "It only works in buffalo hunting and shoe selling."

One of the biggest drawbacks is that in a company which functions best when employees work cooperatively with one another, it destroys the needed cooperation. The employee who makes the big bucks could be achieving those big bucks in ways that are great for him or her but harmful to the overall success of the company.

 

[redacted]

Customers are not demanding them. Major manufacturers are not supplying them. The numerous smaller suppliers makes for more competition than the scuba retailer is used to. And that includes competition with standard. big name BCDs that provide a higher retail markup.

Yet I am seeing more and more. 5 years ago, it was rare to see another BP on a dive boat. Now it is rare not to see another on a larger boat and fairly common to see them even on smaller boats.

 

[boulderjohn]

I was also talking about the sales person in the shop. They are there to sell things....the things Their shop stocks and trades. If the shop does not stock a particular brand or a particular style, I can't image they would spend any considerable amount of time selling what they don't have. I also would not think anyone would be surprised about that.

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What I was talking about is the situation where the sales person is giving advice on different items that the store sells. If a shop sells both jacket style BCDs and BP/Ws, and the sales force generally likes jacket style BCDs then customers will walk out with jacket style BCDs while the BP/Ws linger on the shelves. Before too long, the owner will note that the BP/Ws are not selling and discontinue them.

 

[PhilEllis]

The trouble is most dive shops could not support even one professional salesperson.

I don't know what YOU classify as "professional" sales people. Clearly, many shops do support employees whose primary job title includes retailing dive equipment.

Phil Ellis
www.divesports.com

 

[PhilEllis]

What I was talking about is the situation where the sales person is giving advice on different items that the store sells. If a shop sells both jacket style BCDs and BP/Ws, and the sales force generally likes jacket style BCDs then customers will walk out with jacket style BCDs while the BP/Ws linger on the shelves. Before too long, the owner will note that the BP/Ws are not selling and discontinue them.

Now I understand and I completely agree. In almost EVERY sales conversation in a scuba store, the customer will eventually ask "what do you use?" I agree fully that this question is most likely to be answered as a jacket style or a back inflated traditional buoyancy vest.

Phil Ellis
www.divesports.com