Wow... Is this Common?

[rstofer]

By all means sign up for classes. I would assume the LDS won't have a problem taking your money for that. However, in this case, I would buy the class material from the shop, not online. At least leave something on the table.

If the LDS doesn't want your class business, you are stuck. That would be ugly. I wonder what PADI would say?

When there is only one shop in town, things can be difficult.

Richard

 

[rigdiver]

Legit student being refused. PADI may have some ethics issues with that.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Refusing service to someone is not an issue that PADI or any agency for that matter can do a thing about. If it were here in the states your only recourse would be the BBB. And that's worth about, ohh.. diddly squat. Unless they refused to train you based on things like race, religion, national origin, etc. Even then you'd have a hard time proving it. I personally do not accept smokers for training. I don't like the smell, my wife is allergic to it, there is evidence it increases the risk of DCS, and I don't want to be around it. Hell, GUE will revoke your card if they find out you smoke. But the others are correct. This LDS is a place I'd not be associated with. Do they hold a gun to you when you're shopping? Only way I'd pay those prices.

 

[NudeDiver]

Yes, it does. Spend an hour +, they leave and show up @ pool with gear bought online. It "might" be different if they were up front about what they were doing.
So, it took the employee away from working on regs or filling cylinders, etc.. How much is that worth? Don't forget to factor in the AC, rent, insurance, etc..

Oh give me a break. It's called "doing business". It's no different than going to a car dealership, talking with the guy for an hour, taking a test drive, and getting their bottom line price - and then checking the dealer across town, spend 10 minutes getting their price, getting a better deal and buying from them. That is supposed to somehow be 'unfair' ??

Dealer (or LDS) #1 knows there are competitors. When he has the customer in front of him, he can choose to make a good offer - or not. If he doesn't, it's not reasonable to complain when customer buys somewhere else.

 

[masterof0]

Still being a relative noob, I can say that I have seen similar issues with LDS's, each with varying degrees (as we all have). The thing that I have seen contributing to this the most is the acceptance of the internet. The shops that I have worked with that oppose the internet or refuse to take any part of it are the ones who seem to challenge the idea that you shop around or buy from other shops (LDS or online). The shops that embrace it are the LDS's that have either accepted it and chose to work with it or, more importantly, use the internet as an additional source of revenue to contribute to their bottom line. All of the shops have some sort of web page, but you can tell by the quality of their site, generally speaking, whether or not they accept it or fear it.

In this case, it is a tough spot to be in, but I have to say I agree with all of the others when I say that I don't know that you did anything wrong. Especially when you put the whole picture together. If he was being fair are reasonable from the beginning, I don't know that you would have felt the need to go somewhere else, but a 300% + markup is grounds for anyone to shop around. As for taking the class, it is the instructor that will make the difference. I would speak with the instructor as opposed to the owner/operator (hopefully they aren't one in the same). As long as you are comfortable with the instructor, there isn't any reason why you shouldn't take the class through the LDS. More importantly, I don't see why the instructor would turn you down regardless, that is just taking money out of his/her pocket.

 

[vtxkev]

Seeing these prices (if the OP is not lying about this & let me state I do NOT think they are I am just stating) I would have asked the LDS if they wanted to share the drugs they were on. Being serious for a moment I can not believe some people on here talking about business and how you waste their time by asking them questions and then buying elsewhere. This person paid 1/4 of what their LDs was asking. To me it sounds like the LDS is not interested in anything other then taking advantage of "Noobies" as I have seen them called on this forum. I would personally spend hours in there and then tell him to go fly a kite in a lightening storm. With the economy, people losing their jobs it is a dog eat dog world and there is no rule that you have to be loyal to anyone! Should the OP have asked if they could match the price or at least come close, yes. IMHO would it have mattered probaly not! I would give any LDS a chance to match and I bet most will come very close to gain your business. All in all I believe the OP did the right thing and hopefully they can find another place for service.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Seeing as how servicing is a profitable part of a dive business, I can't understand this reaction. Maybe he's upset with you on principle, but he just turned away a decent customer. You'd think servicing the gear is better than nothing, but apparantly not.

 

[Diver0001]

Legit student being refused. PADI may have some ethics issues with that.

PADI has nothing to say about that. Where PADI could get involved is if the LDS sold someone a course and then refused to certify them unless they bought something from the store, for example....

R..

 

[rigdiver]

Refusing to sell someone a class because they bought equipment elsewhere, well sounds pretty unethical to me. I'm not affiliated with PADI now. I've had dealings with them when instructor's that worked for me did not do their job professionally. All PADI wanted was the $$$ and a copy of a signed logbook. Never reprimanded the instructor and never mind I already paid for the cert through the PIC system.
Everyone should own a dive store. Seems like everyone knows how to run one.

 

[TennisCoach]

I would tell you to check with the store that you bought the stuff from they may have a servicing department that will do it for you cheap and fast. I know Scubatoys has a really fast and cheap service for all the gear they sell. In your case you are limited to one shop. Here in Miami we do not have that problem so shops are more willing to help because they know that if they do not wanna help there are 20 other shops that will.

Good luck
CC