Why would a dive shop want to buy my used tanks or not?

[napDiver]

I'm a little perplexed. Do LDS buy used tanks or are given them for pennies?

Long Story
I went in to my LDS to get hydro done on a HP80. I was selling it for 150 + hydro covered by buyer. The dives hop said they'd buy it in a heartbeat at that price. I let them know I was about to start selling a lot of my tanks HP80, HP100, LP85s, LP95s. They said they were interested and could work out a deal. Like swapping for cash, dive gear, etc.

So I called them and confirmed they were still interested in HP80s, HP100, LP85s, LP95. They said bring it all in and they were interested. So today I did and they looked, but were not interested in the LP85s or LP95s at all. For the HP80s and HP100s they were interested. But they offered $300 of air fills and boat tickets for 1xHP80 and 2xHP100.

I can easily sell HP80s for $150 and HP100s for $200. So that's a $500 value at minimum. They said they could buy the HPs new for the same price I'm offering... So I brought the 8 tanks in for no reason... I suspect they were trying to get a really good deal on them to rent them out. Using store credit/cash allows them to get a "discount" on what I'm offering. However, at the very beginning the $150 for a HP80 they said they'd buy that in a heartbeat. And now not so much... I'm so confused on why they wasted my time for no reason.

Any thoughts would be helpful

 

[Marie13]

Steels were out of stock for months due to covid and shipping delays from Europe. Inventory has improved recently. Maybe that’s why they don’t want them now.

 

[lexvil]

They didn’t waste your time for nothing, they wasted your time in the hope of outsized profit, they are in a business so it should be expected.

 

[broncobowsher]

And there was a solid buyer.
Or the knucklehead from Craig's list that doesn't show after you drove 20 minutes to meet them. Or if they did show you get a lowball off at the last minute. Maybe get stabbed in the parking lot of the Circle K?

 

[Bob DBF]

Some people are dicks. They figured that once you brought the tanks in you would do the deal to get rid of the tanks to avoid dragging them home. I'd be looking for another shop to do business with, and sell the tanks on my own.

I understand a business has to make money, but bait and switch is a matter of personal integrity.

 

[-JD-]

By giving store credit as payment they were further discounting the value.

 

[SaltyFrog]

Not a honest shop.

Yes one needs to earn money. Nothing wrong about that.
But whether one should earn money at the expense of OP or not is a personal integrity choice the shop has made.

This is purely speculation but I wouldn't be surprised they are the kind of shop that gives you short fill intentionally.

I think you should reveal the shops name here just for the record.

 

[napDiver]

If I start to see this as a pattern I will out them. I'm just going to let it go at this point. I was a bit upset afterwards. I thought for sure they'd take a HP80 for 150 @@.

Ty all for allowing me to vent.

And there was a solid buyer.
Or the knucklehead from Craig's list that doesn't show after you drove 20 minutes to meet them. Or if they did show you get a lowball off at the last minute. Maybe get stabbed in the parking lot of the Circle K?

I want to hear more about your CL stories. Seems you survived your Circle K stabbing xD

 

[_Ralph]

I’ve had shops interested when I’ve unloaded cylinders ...

Similar story, but they do say they’ll only buy them for less, as they’d like to resell them for the same price I’m offering them for.

Needless to say, they didn’t get a call back, or a chance on any of the cylinders ... or future cylinders.


_R

 

[SlugLife]

I'm a little perplexed. Do LDS buy used tanks or are given them for pennies?

Long Story
I went in to my LDS to get hydro done on a HP80. I was selling it for 150 + hydro covered by buyer. The dives hop said they'd buy it in a heartbeat at that price. I let them know I was about to start selling a lot of my tanks HP80, HP100, LP85s, LP95s. They said they were interested and could work out a deal. Like swapping for cash, dive gear, etc.

So I called them and confirmed they were still interested in HP80s, HP100, LP85s, LP95. They said bring it all in and they were interested. So today I did and they looked, but were not interested in the LP85s or LP95s at all. For the HP80s and HP100s they were interested. But they offered $300 of air fills and boat tickets for 1xHP80 and 2xHP100.

I can easily sell HP80s for $150 and HP100s for $200. So that's a $500 value at minimum. They said they could buy the HPs new for the same price I'm offering... So I brought the 8 tanks in for no reason... I suspect they were trying to get a really good deal on them to rent them out. Using store credit/cash allows them to get a "discount" on what I'm offering. However, at the very beginning the $150 for a HP80 they said they'd buy that in a heartbeat. And now not so much... I'm so confused on why they wasted my time for no reason.

Any thoughts would be helpful

"They said they were interested and could work out a deal. Like swapping for cash, dive gear, etc."

Did the dive-shop agree to the specific price, or was it more a vague? This sounds vague.

With any negotiation, or really any transaction, you have to be willing to walk away at just about any point. On craigslist, I always list an item's price as firm, and not a cent less. I also ensure it's priced appropriately to sell, potentially 15% to 20% less than I might price if I was expecting negotiation. I will also walk away over a single cent deviation. I also don't take any substitutes for cash.

If you can sell tanks for more than they were offering, forget them. Yeah, what they did sounds like shady craigslist ****, in terms of trying to pull a fast-one on you last second in the sale, and change the terms.