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

[cool_hardware52]

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.

On some of the boats I venture out on everybody is using a BP&W.

Tobin

 

[boulderjohn]

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.

And my further point was that it will happen even without such a direct question. A salesperson who is consciously trying to be balanced will subconsciously steer the customer to his or her preference.

 

[TSandM]

On some of the boats I venture out on everybody is using a BP&W.

Yes, Tobin, but them is some ODD boats

 

[PhilEllis]

And my further point was that it will happen even without such a direct question. A salesperson who is consciously trying to be balanced will subconsciously steer the customer to his or her preference.

I would also agree with that. Sales people who don't understand a product and have no training or experience with it will not likely ever suggest it. This is one of the problems in moving bpw systems to recreational divers. Invisible in a majority of dive store equates to invisible in the market. Only folks like Tobin and a few others can make a substantial change in that....and I am sure that Tobin and the others are doing everything they can to expand their dealer base. Until there is a substantial expansion of the dealer base stocking and showing bpw systems, penetration of any substance will be hard.

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

 

[Teamcasa]

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.

True enough but in the end commissioned sales proves out.
First look at Sears. They had commissioned sales people selling everything from tools, appliances to sewing machines and held a strong market share until some brilliant MBA convinced them that anyone could sell a refrigerator. They lost market share and continued to lose more and more of the market. Now, they have decided to bring back commissioned sales people to the big ticket departments.

Saturn. They believed the surveys that stated that the US car buying public did not like to negotiate the price of the car. They were wrong, the dealers suffered and eventually (recently) have moved to conventional car sales with commissioned sales people. It may be too late, but the fact still remains, people love to negotiate no matter what they say on a survey.

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.

I don't mean to demean any salespeople that are making a living on a salary but in my mind, a professional salesperson earns 100% of their income based on a percentage of what they sell. They have to sell or go broke and this incentive keeps them productive or they simply get out of the business.

 

[PhilEllis]

I don't mean to demean any salespeople that are making a living on a salary but in my mind, a professional salesperson earns 100% of their income based on a percentage of what they sell. They have to sell or go broke and this incentive keeps them productive or they simply get out of the business.

I accept your definition as the definition you believe in. However, your definition would certainly classify a very large number of sales people as "amateur".....including many car salesmen, industrial salesmen, medical salesmen, and the list goes on and on.

Oh, my better half has a book of business that grosses about $500,000,000 annually for her company directly as a result of her sales efforts and her sales travel. She sells, negotiates, manages, and performs all contract duties for this book of business. She receives no commission. However, sales volume does appear as one of several factors for bonus calculation. Damn!

Phil Ellis
www.divesports.com

 

[Teamcasa]

I accept your definition as the definition you believe in. However, your definition would certainly classify a very large number of sales people as "amateur".....

I do not consider the either - or a valid argument. I too know some very productive salespeople that work for a salary (plus a bonus based on sales) and some that are purely salaried but are in no sense an amateur.[/QUOTE]

 

[cool_hardware52]

Yes, Tobin, but them is some ODD boats

Hay!













(I can only agree)

Tobin

 

[OldNSalty]

Why don't more dive shops display more (any?) BP/Ws? Because most divers don't buy them.

Why don't divers buy more BP/Ws? Because they are never introduced to them in class.

Simple

 

[MSilvia]

Why don't more dive shops display more (any?) BP/Ws? Because most divers don't buy them.

Why don't divers buy more BP/Ws? Because they are never introduced to them in class.

So, in other words, most dive shops don't carry BP/W rigs because they don't create demand for them.