ghostdiver1957
Contributor
Would you support an LDS that is a members only establishment. I'm considering opening one and requiring membership dues to get preferred pricing. Sam's Club, Costco and others do it... but would it work in the dive industry?
If I open a shop and sign up say 300 members at $75 a year annual dues, that would be $22.5K in my pocket right up front. Members would be entitled to discounted airfills, travel and equipment purchases. Non-members would be allowed to shop, get air fills and travel, but they would have to pay non-member pricing. Here is my idea...
Members - Non-Members
Airfills $2.50 ea - $5.00 ea
Nitrox fills $4.50 ea - $9.00 ea
Travel 10% off - none
Repairs 20% off - none
Equipment 20% off - none
Training Classes 20% off - none
So lets say a member fills 20 air tanks a year... they save $50. They go on one trip at $1500... so they go for $1350... They get their regs serviced for $26.25 instead of $35. They buy a new BCD for $320.00 instead of $400 and they take two continuing education courses for $76 instead of $95.
For a $75 membership... they saved $307.75 or a net gain of $232.75.
Would you join a dive shop offering this... or would you walk out saying I'm not paying no stinkin $75 to be able to shop here?"
The benefit to the shop is 1. Capital... 2. guaranteed annual income. 3. Happy customers who buy more and increase sales volume and tell more to come. 4. Higher volume sales means lower costs for items due to volume buying hence increasing profit. Thoughts comments and suggestions welcome...
If I open a shop and sign up say 300 members at $75 a year annual dues, that would be $22.5K in my pocket right up front. Members would be entitled to discounted airfills, travel and equipment purchases. Non-members would be allowed to shop, get air fills and travel, but they would have to pay non-member pricing. Here is my idea...
Members - Non-Members
Airfills $2.50 ea - $5.00 ea
Nitrox fills $4.50 ea - $9.00 ea
Travel 10% off - none
Repairs 20% off - none
Equipment 20% off - none
Training Classes 20% off - none
So lets say a member fills 20 air tanks a year... they save $50. They go on one trip at $1500... so they go for $1350... They get their regs serviced for $26.25 instead of $35. They buy a new BCD for $320.00 instead of $400 and they take two continuing education courses for $76 instead of $95.
For a $75 membership... they saved $307.75 or a net gain of $232.75.
Would you join a dive shop offering this... or would you walk out saying I'm not paying no stinkin $75 to be able to shop here?"
The benefit to the shop is 1. Capital... 2. guaranteed annual income. 3. Happy customers who buy more and increase sales volume and tell more to come. 4. Higher volume sales means lower costs for items due to volume buying hence increasing profit. Thoughts comments and suggestions welcome...