Why I have decided to stop shopping for ANYTHING at the LDS

[cornfed]

this is turning into a waste of time.

Click here...

 

[tobad78]

Consider that next time you "add to shopping cart", wait a min and call a couple LDS and just say "I'm about to buy "XYZ" online for XX dollars from ABC online, can you match or come close?" If they harass you too bad for them, I think you'll find more and mores LDS are willing to do what they can now, even if 1 year ago they were not willing at all.

I tried and they gave me the typical speech. After the rant the then went the typical No warranty (BS, I bought from scubatoys.com) I even tried to get them to sell me used gear but the owner was so pissed that I bought my fins (Apolo) online he treated me like crap (Even yelled at my GF on her OW dive). She refuses to take a photography class with him because of this so he lost alot of money eventhough he got around $2,000.00 from us. Now we have to dive to another shop because she badly wants to take this class. I've even been checking things out at his store and the owner just walks away from the counter so I have to wait until his worker finished to check me out. If I had the money I would open a shop across the street from him just to shut him down.

I'm glad some of you have great LDS

But they didn't carry a few things I wanted Zeagle for one

Oh yeah if my LDS go out of business then I'll get my air at the Lake Dive shops (where I dive anyways)

 

[ScubaNorth]

You do know what a troll is don't you?!

A short little ugly guy with pointy ears?

But I am off subject, No? Let's see LDS ripping everyone off- Not so. Not using LDS for anything but fills kind of silly, I just crushed a Reg and needed a new one and bought local well local 1 hour away. Sure I paid more but I was in the water the next day. Let's face it I spend hundreds a year plus a ton of time searching for Lobsters I could grab at the grocery store for much less a pound, sound financial reasoning doesn't have a lot of use in scuba. His change up on the price is dead wrong, you quote you live by the quote, but you should have walked away and said no thank you. Hmm what else have we covered so far, oh yeah all LDS must die. Well that one won't happen, it is a market economy and we have a need so dive shops live. As far as air fills without dive shops, you can buy lemonade at a road side stand that only sells lemonade. So air fill shops open up around dive areas or boat yards, it would happen. Remember the commercial "bottled water, who would ever pay for water when it's free?", yeah same with air, 10 bucks a fill who would pay for air it's free, hey I would. I pay what like $8 a gallon for gas now, or what ever awful amount it is to just get to the dive site. I would pay $10 a tank if I had to.

Peace.

 

[lairdb]

Respectfully, I think setting up LeisurePro2.com is the point. An LDS setting up a basic site of what they currently stock isn't going to cut it. No significant discounts apply without volume, and volume doesn't come without a large customer base that is seeking diverse products. A Joe Schmoe's hardware down the street wouldn't last more than a year once Home Depot moved in. Unless it specializes in niche items, it hasn't got a chance. People want it fast, they want it cheap, and they want selection.

This is more complex than you'd think. A recent study indicated that the very best place to set up an independent coffee-house was right across the street from a Starbucks.

Consumer behaviour is complex and multivariate.

 

[pants!]

This is more complex than you'd think. A recent study indicated that the very best place to set up an independent coffee-house was right across the street from a Starbucks.

Consumer behaviour is complex and multivariate.

Yup... the best place to set up a new nightclub is right next to the busiest night club in town..

 

[rjchandler]

Yup... the best place to set up a new nightclub is right next to the busiest night club in town..

Drugstore chains do this too.

 

[MEL-DC Diver]

This is more complex than you'd think. A recent study indicated that the very best place to set up an independent coffee-house was right across the street from a Starbucks.

Consumer behaviour is complex and multivariate.

In which case they would be catering to a niche market that is looking for something that a larger retail outlet cannot provide (better coffee, anyone?), and in all likelihood willing to pay more. Most shops cater primarily to the rec diver and carry the same things and offer the same services, more or less. Shops that can distinguish themselves in one form or another can and will be able to succeed, though the majority will simply lose out and go under. Assuming our threadstarter's statement about the shop he went to is indicative of how the entire shop is run, let's take that shop and put it across the street from Scubatoys and see what happens, yes?

 

[sdstahl]

Does anybody else find it odd as to how few LDS give comment on this board? With the number of divers on here one would consider this a pretty good place to learn about your clients wants and needs. Just a thought... I have seen no comments from any shops in the NJ area.

 

[H2Andy]

well, it takes a brave fox to jump into the middle of the Annual Fox Hunter's Gala

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Does anybody else find it odd as to how few LDS give comment on this board? With the number of divers on here one would consider this a pretty good place to learn about your clients wants and needs. Just a thought... I have seen no comments from any shops in the NJ area.

I'm with Andy on this one ... given the tenor of the thread, if I were an LDS owner I'd not be at all tempted to mention it here. That'd be like painting a target on your forehead ... :11:

On the other hand, I have to believe that quite a few LDS owners are reading your comments ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)