Wow... Is this Common?

[Gunrock0811]

I'd show LP over LDS anytime. I'v been to my local LDS and others out of my area to compare prices and their prices can't even match LP even with shipping. also, like someone said, LDS should welcome all the business they can get because 9 out of 10 times u go into them they have less than a handful of customers. LP on the other hand, u go to their store and it's packed! their store price and online price is the same. just that online u actually pay more coz of shipping, but then u have to account for ur drive to NYC, parking, tolls, gas.

i do 95% of my shopping online on everything (^_^)

 

[rstofer]

The owners of the shop felt kind of betrayed after bending over backwards to give great customer service and great pricing to these guys. On top of that, the students didn't even give the shop an opportunity to match the online price or come close so that was frustrating.

Don't shop owners realize that some people find negotiating price to be distasteful? A store has a reg tagged at $600 and I know I can get it at LP for $300 (hypothetical). How can I start a negotiation? "So, I kind of like this reg but I can get it at LP for $300". Just saying that will start an interesting conversation, the result of which is I won't be back to that store - ever.

Even if I went with "So, I kind of like this reg, what can you do on price?" I would expect to hear "<this brand> has a price that we can't change because of our contract". No wiggle room at all. It isn't even worth starting the discussion; it is embarrassing.

I suppose the shop owner could, when he saw me looking at the reg, say something like "You know, I can make you a much better deal on that reg. I can't match LP or some of the other online stores but I can sell it to you for $400 (hypothetical again) and throw in <fill in the blank>".

I think it is up to the shop owner to start the conversation because I never will. I just look at the price, shake my head, and walk away.

Then too, most shops really want to sell the reg for $600. If they can get it, why not? But, having made the decision to hold the line on price, they shouldn't whine about the fact that people choose to buy elsewhere. It's just business...

Richard

 

[ScubaSteve]

My lord these threads get tiresome. Bottom line is.....it's a BUSINESS! This is a business topic and many people just come on here and exploit emotions with no business sense. BUSINESS is about competition (if it was a monopoly or oligopoly we would not be having these discussions). If you cannot compete, you disappear. Simple right? If every diver were to begin buying all their gear online, would all the shops close? Maybe. Then comes the argument of "You can't buy air online!". Guess what.....if there is a market then the seller will be there. It might even be me when I see the opportunity for a small business. I will buy a compressor and start selling you air for $30 untill more people buy compressors and I will drop my price to $25 to compete, then $20 then $15 then $7 and there will be lots of people selling and lots of people buying. If it costs me $15 to fill your tank when a guy next door can fill it for $3.50.....why should I get mad at you for taking your business there? This is just ridiculous! BUSINESS!!! If you cannot compete you should not be selling.

And also....guess what? I expect quality product AND quality service for the price that I pay. I do not care if you have to drop your price by 200% to get the sale, I expect that I will get everything that I should. If I do not, I go elsewhere. Should I also have to feel bad because I went somewhere else because you treated me like a ass? NOPE! You need to service in all ways or lose the business. That is so simple yet people cannot figure it out.

 

[Straegen]

First rule of retail... customer is always right and if they are wrong work with them and make them feel right. Any retail outlet worth a crap should always treat the customer with respect and try to work it out. If they don't, I would take my business elsewhere. There are a lot of online shops that will likely perform the service needed and it probably won't be any more expensive even with shipping or take any longer.

In no instance can I think of that a retail person should be outright rude to a customer even when the customer is rude to them. These LDS seem to attract some poor business people just from the few I have visited.

 

[Miller64]

We all know that online buying/sales are here to stay.People are going to use it.Even if a small,LDS can't buy 500 of anything at one time,and sell less exspensive by volume,do you think before a lot of them go out of business for not competing with online pricing or getting mad for someone buying online,losing customers,that they will one day see that lowering pricing ,happily accepting warranty or service work,for pay,not free, would maybe help the local?These days one has to accept that some would like to spend money on fun stuff,but just cant afford to pay double for the same equipment.I know some will say,if you cant afford it,dont do it,but if you can do it by getting equipment less exspensive.You can see where I am going with this.LDS lower pricing on what they can,freindly service.Its business,they are trying to make a living,but to get one customer and lose 3?Seems there can be some merging of the two in some way where everyone is happy or is this just my fanatsy?And to be honest,as a middle class worker,its hard for me to pay $600 for something I can get for $350.Yes,the warranty thing comes in...

 

[ScubaSteve]

......Seems there can be some merging of the two in some way where everyone is happy or is this just my fanatsy?

They call it CLICK and Mortar. This is a brick and mortar store and presence with the benefits of on-line commerce as well. Leisure Pro, B&H Photo, Reef Photo and many others are like this. This is, in my opinion, the merging. This will evolve as everything always does, but this is the start.

 

[Miller64]

Not to say every LDS should have a store front and a large online presence,but more to the competetive pricing side,service with a smile.I know everyone cant be LP,but a way to sell for less,even if it is a little more than online,and i say little.I would be happy to pay some more over online price at a local.But,I dont have 20 years to replace my whole equipment package 3 or 4 times,so I;m not gonna make anyone rich anyway and soon to be retired,I have to be a bit frugal.

 

[pollywogg]

Unfortunately, I've heard of this a number of times. Most of the time, it's not quite so extreme, but some dive shop owners feel, unjustly, that the fact you bought equipment online took money directly out of their pockets. Now, I love my LDS, and when I can, I will support them, but if that means spending $200 extra on a BC or a reg just to make my LDS owner feel warm and fuzzy, I can't justify it.

 

[Straegen]

It is there job to convince us to spend our money there... not the other way around. This industry just boggles my mind sometimes... what other retail establishment would people go to get so putoff and often mistreated? The Soup "Guy" from Seinfeld maybe (apparently can't use the N_z_ word without asterisks appearing).

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

This is my take.

When I got certified I bought everything from my LDS that certified me. Looking back I got royaly hosed; not that I'm whining about it but I did pay full boat for entire package. That's just how it was done then. At that time online shopping was in it's infancy and not many people went that route.
I liked the guys that worked there and they didn't mind when customers stopped by just to see what was new and grab a freebie dive magazine and just shoot the bull about diving.
Then all the guys I liked moved on and the place seemed to become colder and colder. The owner didn't want anyone in there unless they were going to spend money.
Over time all the guys I was diving with and I got into more advanced diving and that LDS refused to carry the stuff we needed so we resorted to online shopping. Since then about the only thing I've bought at that LDS is air and some scubapro stuff becase they are an authorized dealer.

I think for LDS's to make it they will have to combine their dive stuff with a larger sports store to help cover the overhead costs. Diving is a micro clientelle. Diving is also an extremely expensive sport that attracts the cheapest S.O.B's around. If someone sees a screaming deal on the internet, it's only human nature to want to save money.

The only way to stop online throat cutting would be for the manufacturers or distributors to enact a price protection policy and if any online retailer tries to undercut the LDS they get the ax
and the manufacurer stops selling to them. But the online business is huge and no manufacturer will ever do that, so here we are back to square one.