lairdb:
Could you point out these authorized dealers who will price-match LP and deliver Scubapro, Suunto, and Atomic gear to our front doors, please? Thanks; much interested.
Hmmm ... this sounds like a cleverly disguised trick question :05: I am by no means an industry expert, but I'm pretty sure that those companies you mentioned (and others like Aqualung/Apex) do not allow online sales of their products. They also have fairly rigid pricing policies that they enforce upon their dealers. So the dealers of these products do not have the same freedom as on other brands. While price is not the only consideration for buying one of these products, your LDS may be able to offer pricing below MSRP.
BTW, Since you brough this up, here's an exerpt from Atomics website:
Atomic Aquatics Dealers
To Find the USA Dealer Nearest you make your selection and press the Find Dealers button.
In the USA, Atomic Aquatics products are sold only by professional Dive Retailers at their retail store locations. Atomic Aquatics does not allow the sale of, nor does it warrant any products purchased via mail order or internet. Atomic Aquatics authorized dealers may advertise or promote Atomic Aquatics through mail or internet, but only with regards to in-store purchases at their retail locations. Be advised that anyone offering Atomic Aquatics products for sale via mail order or internet is not an authorized dealer and is not authorized to sell, repair or adjust Atomic Aquatics products.
From the SCUBAPro site:
SCUBAPRO UWATEC offers a FREE Preferred Parts for Life Program to all regulator owners (only offered through the purchase at an authorized dealer) which provides replacement parts for your SCUBAPRO Regulator, at no charge. We provide this service to help insure that your equipment is maintained to SCUBAPRO UWATEC's high standards. Since this equipment provides life support while under water, any sub-standard maintenance could be dangerous. Only the dealers in our network are authorized to perform this service and offer this program.
If you purchase your equipment outside our authorized dealer network, you will not be eligible to participate in this program. Neither SCUBAPRO UWATEC nor our authorized dealers will be responsible to repair your regulator under our Preferred Parts for Life Program. You will also not be contacted regarding post-sale notices regarding as upgrades or warranty information.
Aqualung/Apex:
Unauthorized retailers offering Aqua Lung Scuba products acquire those products through unknown sources. Products purchased through unauthorized retailers are considered third party sales and are not eligible for Aqua Lung warranty protection, service, or support.
Aqua Lung cannot guarantee in any way the condition of the product you receive through these unauthorized retailers or guarantee:
The product is in fact an Aqua Lung product
The product contains all original and current Aqua Lung factory parts.
The product meets all original Aqua Lung factory specifications.
Here's one from DiveRite ... they specificaly mention LP:
Warning: Unauthorized Dealers May Cost You Money
Unfortunately, not every business that advertises itself as selling Dive Rite products is a legitimate Dive Rite dealer. Why is this important? If you purchase what you think are Dive Rite products from other than authorized dealers, there is no way we can guarantee:
That the items you are spending your good money on have not been previously used
That something other than Dive Rite parts have been substituted for the original
That important serial number information has not been removed from the product in an effort to prevent us from tracking unauthorized product distribution
That what you are getting is evenly remotely a Dive Rite product! ("Bait and switch" is a common tactic among shady retailers.)
It's important you understand that, for these reasons, Dive Rite cannot provide warranty coverage for items purchased from other than authorized dealers. To help you avoid such purchases, we maintain a list of businesses we are aware of that are not authorized Dive Rite dealers, even though they may advertise our products.
YOU MEAN THESE FOLKS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED DEALERS? Recently, Leisure Pro, a large, New York-based mail-order business, published a catalog and website featuring the very same product images as you can find in Dive Rite's catalog and here on our website. Does this mean Leisure Pro is an authorized Dive Rite dealer? Guess again
Not only is Leisure Pro NOT an authorized Dive Rite dealer, it used Dive Rite's copyrighted product images without our knowledge or permission.
Obviously, Leisure Pro is not an authorized Dive Rite dealer. Any products you purchase from them are not eligible for Dive Rite warranty protection.
OK, that's enough for tonight .... stepping down from my soapbox. I gotta get up early in the morning to go diving :jump3: