Worth paying local dive shop prices?

[oly5050user]

I'm completely new to diving and am trying to get certified before I leave to study abroad in Australia later this month.

I have found a local dive shop which I like, who does SSI Training/certification and they seem to be a good bunch of guys.

One thing I have run into now that I am not satisfied with is their certification gear requirements. To take their class you must have a mask, snorkel, boots, and fins. This isn't that much of a problem, but it almost seems as though they are trying to make additional money off of the people taking the class by having them all buy stuff at their shop.

I went in today, as I realize it is important to get some gear that works well and I have no idea how to select it, and I felt almost completely at their mercy! No, they did not try to talk me into the most expensive stuff they had, but it was a small shop and their selection is limited and markup seems high compared to online retailers (of course).

I guess that leads me to my next question; to buy or not to buy online? After doing a bit of comparison shopping with e-tailers, it seems I could have gotten a bit more for my money. What are the general thoughts on this subject?

Thanks, and I am anxiously looking forwards to becoming a diver!

they spent the time explaining the benefits and features of items..should be compensated reasonably for that..if during class the equipment does not fit /comfortable properly I am sure they will exchange in store immediately for another..cannot do that online..

 

[oly5050user]

Something else though.
How long will the LDS stay in buisiness if we don't purchase from them? Then a lot more of us won't have one in the area I suspect.
Three in my area went under in the last few years. Staff at two of them told me they could not compete with Leisure Pro.
I think if you build a relationship with your LDS, you will see the discounts. Not as much as the online folks, but I think the service and advise is worth it. When I purchased my ScubaPro reg from the local shop, they loaded me with enough air fills on my card to make it well worth it.

my sentiments exactly.

 

[redacted]

they spent the time explaining the benefits and features of items..should be compensated reasonably for that....

How much do you think that is worth? If I don't waste their "time explaining the benefits and features", should I just expect that "value" in a direct discount?

It a good thing we are not expected to treat car (or any other merchandise I can think of) salemen that way.

 

[scubadobadoo]

I have only received biased advice from EVERY LDS I have entered. Their job is to sell their gear and their advice is geared towards this fact, regardless of what I want and that's cool becasue they are a business. Plus, the biased advice you WILL receive from your LDS may be spot on for you.

I have taken two, week long dive trips (for two) with the money I have saved by shopping around oth at LDS's and online. TWO WEEK LONG TRIPS FOR TWO!

I take one more week long trip for two a year because I choose NOT to dive with my LDS's over priced trips. If your LDS gives you a great deal then good for you, really. Mine don't, even after spending money with them and being a nice customer.

If your goal with diving is to meet people locally, then a LDS relationsip may be valuable but that can be done without them too. If your goal is just to dive, then what the heck do you need a LDS for? And don't tell me for air because if that is all a LDS can offer then they suck. Yes, most of my LDS's suck. They frequently charge MSRP or more and don't price match. They have limited or almost no stock, specific stock, and bash other shops and brands and usually give poor advice about gear they know nothing about because they don't sell it. I have driven miles out of my way to go to a decent LDS eventhough I have SEVERAL within 10 miles. I shop on the internet, meet other divers on the internet, plan trips on the internet, and also learn on the internet. The world has changed folks. If the LDS's don't change with it then they will (most of them) go out of business and that's not my fault for wanting to save A LOT money. Likewise, I don't blame or look down upon those that choose to spend more at their LDS. For many, this really is the best option.

I save grief by not shopping at LDS's anymore. Don't give me grief because I don't choose you. I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU AND YOU DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ME UNTIL I WAS INTERESTED IN SPENDING MONEY IN YOUR SHOP. I don't take this personally so why should you? Are you paying my bills? The problem is that many (not all) LDS's act more like used car lots. If my post irritates you then you may be one of these LDS's. If your LDS doesn't suck, then why get offended.

 

[7milehi]

I had a saleswoman at a LDS tell me a couple of weeks ago she could not discount any SP products unless it was in a SP package deal , reg-bcd-computer ect. and then only 10% max. I was ready to buy a MK25/S600 if she would have given me 10% off(only 3% after taxes) she would not do it, only full msrp of $605. LP sells this reg for $425 but I was willing to buy it from a LDS for $544, which is $119 more than LP and still no sale. Was she telling me the truth about SP pricing policy? I really hate it when someone bs's me.

 

[ChrisA]

To take their class you must have a mask, snorkel, boots, and fins.

You have to try this stuff on. How could you buy a mask on-line? OK I did but it was an identical replacement for one that was lost. Later on you will know many other divers and you can look at their gear and buy it on-line. Just concider the difference in price part of the price of the class.

If you don't know what you want it is better to buy it from the shop that is teaching your class so that if after using it in the pool you can exchange it for something else if it does not work for you.

Wetsuits are something else that must be tried on

 

[TheFoggyMask]

Put Another Dollar In--PADI

Some PADI dive shops you go to will try to shove every bell and whistle down your throat. I'm still confused as to why everyone thinks they need a computer? But without that dive shop you would have been completely lost as to what you need, and something you need to realize when you're in a retail store is that you are paying for the storefront and the employees in addition to the product, and instant gratification. Stores are there to make money, and all stores are going to be concerned about the bottom line, and they bring you back with excellent customer service.

I worked in Blue Sierra in Issaquah, and I hope to go back whenever I can, and the internet is KILLING small hobby stores. But where do you go when your internet purchased protien skimmer, powerhead, regulator, or other peice of expensive equipment breaks mysteriously? A store. Then you expect them to fix it for you, or at least take a look at it, for free. What good is your savings of 50 bucks now? I know saltwater city employees will absolutely not service anything that was not bought at thier store. I also know that if your internet bought boot or glove starts to come apart, you're going to be out high and dry.

So please! You can't expect internet prices from a retail store! They have many more expenses and many more advantages than the internet. All the owner of the website needs to know is how to put a picture and a low price online, while he pays an incredibly minimal fee for his domain name and bandwidth. The webmaster will not know even close to a tenth of the amount that a good retail employee can give you. The webmaster won't be inclined to give you any personal attention, you're one of thousands, whereas a retail store does and should.

As to the original poster-- you're overreacting to a very simple expense. At any dive shop you go to you will be expected to buy a mask, fins, booties, snorkal and gloves.

 

[redacted]

I had a saleswoman at a LDS tell me a couple of weeks ago she could not discount any SP products unless it was in a SP package deal , reg-bcd-computer ect. and then only 10% max. I was ready to buy a MK25/S600 if she would have given me 10% off(only 3% after taxes) she would not do it, only full msrp of $605. LP sells this reg for $425 but I was willing to buy it from a LDS for $544, which is $119 more than LP and still no sale. Was she telling me the truth about SP pricing policy? I really hate it when someone bs's me.

Shop around some more. She was misrepresenting the truth. There are plenty of SP shops that would rather make about 80% of the MSRP profit than nothing. Some will even sweeten the deal beyond the allowed 10% discount with other merchandise or service.

 

[cummings66]

This thread will be around in many forms for I suspect the rest of my life. Until one or the other goes completely out of business I fear this argument will never be solved.

NOBODY can say for 100% online is good or bad, LDS is good or bad. I've seen them both ways, Larry at Scuba Toys is probably as good as any LDS in the world, better than many of them without any question.

I've been in LDS's that don't deserve my shadow to cross their threshold, and they'll never get a nickle of my money. I've seen many LDS's meet or even beat Internet pricing, mine does it all the time. They've even picked up a product line just to sell me something I wanted.

I know that you have good and bad employee's everywhere, some know what they're doing and others barely know how to breathe, you can not state with certainty that one side of the sales tree has good ones and others do not. That's life.

 

[Wayfarer2]

True that a LDS will have higher prices mostly due to higher overhead but it seems that sooner or later you will want to utilize your LDS for other things beyond equipment purchases such as Classes, quick turnaround service on equipment or just networking with other local divers. If we don’t support our local LDS some day it might not be there when we need it.

I am new to diving having gotten certified in June but I have noticed some things about dive shops and the people who work in them in the limited time I have been involved in this sport. I travel constantly for work and have started checking out dive shops all over the country as I travel. I have probably been in a dozen or so in the last month and have always gotten a great reception from the staff even when I let them know I am just looking they have taken the time to tell me about various pieces or brands of equipment, local dive sites or trips they have been on.

For the most part people who own or work in dive shops do so because they love diving and very few if any are getting rich doing it, in the process they are making the fun and adventure I get out of diving possible so I don’t really have a hard time paying a little more at a LDS than I would on line.