LDS Charging to TRY ON wetsuits???

[Eric Sedletzky]

Many internet dealers also have a store front. Leisure Pro in NYC has a store, Scuba Toys has a store, North East Scuba Supply has a store, Dolphin Scuba Center in Sacramento has a store. They all have to pay everything a regular LDS pays (because they are one) and they have to pay additional people to process internet orders, take care of stock, package and ship, deal with returns, etc.
They do all this with discounted prices, many with free shipping over a certain amount, and many throw in do-dads to sweeten up the sale.

It's not our fault some LDS's failed to see the future and the power of the internet.

Edit** Just saw Pete's post above...he beat me to it.

 

[mike_s]

Phil,

Do you realize that MOST Scuba Websites are an LDS?.

Many internet dealers also have a store front. .

just so other know, most manufacturers agreements to sell products require a "dive shop" (internet or local) to have a "store front" and be a real dive shop to be able to order their products.

So it's not like someone can go out and create a web industry and only sell online with no store front.


I think that Joe Diver America might be (or have been) the exception. Either that or they were a "internet name" for another storefront. For the longest time they wouldn't even put a contact number on their website and I'm not sure they operated a real storefront. Not sure what they do now.

 

[Wet Ham]

Surely that can't be good for business. I would have thought that in this age of internet shopping, a major KPI would be to have as many people walk through the door as possible. If it was my dive shop, I would take it on the chin that people are trying wetsuits on for free and then buying online. The onus would then be on me to do something about making them a customer - whether it be through outstanding service, signing them up as a club diver, somewhere to come and buy accessories or for further training. Instead of this LDS penalising everyone (not just internet shoppers) that wants to try on a suit, they should embrace the fact that at least these people are actually COMING IN TO THE STORE - how about giving them some good old fashioned great service or something!

 

[oly5050user]

Many internet dealers also have a store front. Leisure Pro in NYC has a store, Scuba Toys has a store, North East Scuba Supply has a store, Dolphin Scuba Center in Sacramento has a store. They all have to pay everything a regular LDS pays (because they are one) and they have to pay additional people to process internet orders, take care of stock, package and ship, deal with returns, etc.
They do all this with discounted prices, many with free shipping over a certain amount, and many throw in do-dads to sweeten up the sale.

It's not our fault some LDS's failed to see the future and the power of the internet.

Edit** Just saw Pete's post above...he beat me to it.

Leisure pro does have a storefront presence.Its upstairs from the street.A street that has next to no parking available.A parking ticket can cost alot $$.Are they authorized dealers for EVERYTHING they sell,or is some of inventory greymarket? Many LDS will pricematch any authorized dealers prices,not greymarket dealers prices.Really cannot compare apples to oranges here.
Try taking/dragging your tanks upstairs to get them filled.Thats if they actually can fill.Do they have nitrox ,or trimix? Do they offer regularly scheduled classes? Do they have rentals? Do they have their own indoor heated pool? Do they offer ow training dives on a regular basis? Do they take customers diving locally or on trips?If they cannot or do not offer theses services I would not call them a LDS.

 

[redacted]

Leisure pro does have a storefront presence.Its upstairs from the street.A street that has next to no parking available.A parking ticket can cost alot $$.
Try taking your tanks upstairs to get them filled.Thats if they actually can fill.Do they have nitrox ,or trimix? Do they offer regularly scheduled classes? Do they have their own indoor heated pool? Do they offer ow training dives on a regular basis? Do they take customers diving locally or on trips?If they cannot or do not offer theses services I would not call them a LDS.

I guess if a scuba retailer has to offer all those things to be called an LDS; then I don't have any LDSs in my area.

Heck, all I wanted was an HP seat for a Mk20. Maybe he should have charged me something to give me the "life support and liability" spiel.

Maybe an LDS should charge an entry fee at the door. I have heard of divers who go in and try on masks and fins, just fondle regulators and ,god forbid, ask questions and get answers (and BS); all for free.

Leisurepro could probably install a $20 toll gate at the base of their stairs. I'll bet they could make that work.

 

[KarolinaKid]

Since the last couple of posts mention Leisurepro and there's all the talk about "authorized" dealers...I have a question. If Scubapro (among others), for example, takes a hard stance and does not warrant product, even brand new, purchased from non-authorized dealers like Leisurepro, why are they selling boat loads of their product to Leisurepro to resell?

I have a hard time believing there are that many authorized dealers with that volume of inventory going belly up and selling their stock to LP to the point of keeping LP that well stocked and with some of the motst popular and latest gear.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Leisure pro does have a storefront presence.Its upstairs from the street.A street that has next to no parking available.A parking ticket can cost alot $$.Are they authorized dealers for EVERYTHING they sell,or is some of inventory greymarket? Many LDS will pricematch any authorized dealers prices,not greymarket dealers prices.Really cannot compare apples to oranges here.
Try taking/dragging your tanks upstairs to get them filled.Thats if they actually can fill.Do they have nitrox ,or trimix? Do they offer regularly scheduled classes? Do they have rentals? Do they have their own indoor heated pool? Do they offer ow training dives on a regular basis? Do they take customers diving locally or on trips?If they cannot or do not offer theses services I would not call them a LDS.

LP is in Manhattan. Most of the things you mentioned are NYC specific issues and not LP issues and those issues extend to the LDS's as well. It is a pita to bring anything in or out and to park near any of the other 5 or so scuba shops located in Manhattan as well. I know as I have been in and out of both LP and the other two shops located within as close as a few blocks hundreds of times with gear.

Again, not defending LP specifically. I am just pointing out some local info and I agree they don't offer all the same services that many wonderful shops like your do but they must be offering something judging from their popularity. Every time I have gone in there it was filled with more real live shoppers than the other two close by local shops combined and that is my point. I wish other struggling shops would learn from them in small ways instead of run from them in every way.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Since the last couple of posts mention Leisurepro and there's all the talk about "authorized" dealers...I have a question. If Scubapro (among others), for example, takes a hard stance and does not warrant product, even brand new, purchased from non-authorized dealers like Leisurepro, why are they selling boat loads of their product to Leisurepro to resell?

I have a hard time believing there are that many authorized dealers with that volume of inventory going belly up and selling their stock to LP to the point of keeping LP that well stocked and with some of the motst popular and latest gear.

The mechanism for selling to LP indirectly is as simple as an "authorized" dealer ordering stock and requesting a drop ship to their "warehouse" in NY. The volume of gear from belly-up LDS would be way too small to sustain LP and the others. By the time most LDS die, they have little stock to sell. The manufacturers allow this as it creates 2 sales channels, a premium "full service" and a discount channel to maximize their profit.

They are not ignorant of what is going on and certainly are not helpless to stop this if it suited them.

 

[Rileybri]

LP and places like Scuba Toys, DRIS, DS are very different beasts. LP is not an AD for all product they sell. The sell so much because they have a good price the problem comes when the new owner of a LP Scuba Pro reg goes in for service and finds that its a Euro regs and everything is backwards to the US mkt and cant be rixed, or does not qualify for warrantee and free parts cus the reg was purchased via a GOOB sale and thus not covered by SP (LP deos offer their own warrantee and svs. plans). It’s not a scam but its not far from one. That said if you are getting something you plan to service your self or don’t care about warrantee then its a great deal for everyone.
The other places as far as I know are AD's for all the product they sell and only offer some product online (or at lest only advertise it on line) and are for the most part brick and mortar LDS's first. Ya can’t blame Joe and Larry for seeing the light and being first in line.
As for the OP and having to pay to try on gear, I would suggest a google search of dive shots in Ra Cha Cha as your sister and you will have 7 other store fronts to choose from. Its your $ and your chose where you spend it. I for one would not pay to try on gear unless it was getting credited back to me if I buy. Once again I am super psyched that the only real dive shop around me is amazing and actually helpful.

 

[mike_s]

LP is not an AD for all product they sell. .

while that's true... I think if you go look, they are an Authorized Dealer for MOST of the items they sell.

The only exceptions that I know of are Aqualung(Apeks), ScubaPro, and Dive Rite. Maybe Atomic. (perhaps someone knows of some others).