Curious: Are you LDS loyal? What do you use them for?

[violamama]

Wow, teknitroxdiver, that seems really high for pool use. The guy here said if we "buy some of our gear" or take classes there then we can use it free a few times and cheap after that ($10 for both of us).

After reading this I'm feeling lucky, both for the number of shops within 30 minutes of our house and the quality of at least half of those.

 

[Rich Keller]

The shop that told you to wait to buy until you were sure about what you needed would be on the top of my list. Followed by the shop with the pool that wants you to try before you buy.

I go to my LDS because they are extremely knowledgeable, very reasonable and friendly. I dive and service a lot of my own vintage equipment but they are experts in all areas while I only know how to work on the equipment that I have owned so there are items I do bring to them for service and the occasional hard to find part. They have known me for a long time and understand my capabilities when it comes to working on my own equipment so they are very helpful in an area that most other shops would not even consider. I have been getting rid of a lot of excess gear over the last decade so I have not bought anything new in a long time other then vintage items I get on line that no LDS sells. In the course of getting rid of excess equipment I have probably given them equipment worth more then what I would have to purchase if I were starting from scratch today.

 

[mainedvr]

I personally do not pigeon hole myself into one type of buying. I do my best to support the local economy, but when I can get a significant savings of money or time on an item or its not carried by a local shop then I go elsewhere. I do not always buy online but may shop an online site of an actual brick and mortar store that is not local and that will support their product line. I will say that my experience at a somewhat local dive shop recently buying a wet suit was not all that fantastic. I purchased a suit they did not have the 5mm so they had to order it. They said it would be a week which was fine, but now two weeks later and several reasons given I still do not have my new suit. I have not received calls from the store with updates I have had to call each time and each time they had to call me back after looking into it. This will not keep me from shopping there again but as I told the sales person if it becomes the norm versus the exception they will definitely see less of my business. That is the one thing I see lacking in my experience in the local shops is follow through once they have your money and a real lack of personal knowledge on the product lines, they just regurgitate what I have already read in my research before buying.

 

[Wolfie_47]

Wow, teknitroxdiver, that seems really high for pool use. The guy here said if we "buy some of our gear" or take classes there then we can use it free a few times and cheap after that ($10 for both of us).

After reading this I'm feeling lucky, both for the number of shops within 30 minutes of our house and the quality of at least half of those.

We do have one shop in Columbus that will let you use the pool for the price of a tank rental but there is also one slightly northwest of Columbus that, when I stopped in to look at new masks and asked if I would be able to test the demo's for fit in their pool, they said sure for $35! That was the last time I ever entered that one!

 

[Para Goon]

I agree with you, "I want to be loyal" but also the other poster who has a "within $50" rule. That makes sense and seems fair.

The place with the pool is really close to us and one more in Tigard is also pretty good. My husband's going to take an equipment class there, in part because he's a patent lawyer and tends to get work from the tech side of each of his interests.

I'm also familiar with all of the shops in the PDX Area, and thought I would share from my experiences. Know what the equipment prices are at comparable local dive shops and online dealers that are also authorized dealers for the equipment. If there's a problem with the equipment you want the manufacturer & retailer to stand behind the product and purchase. That applies to both online and local dealers. The more knowledge you have with respect to gear pricing, the better you're able avoid paying retail++. I like to support my local dive shops with my big ticket purchase items, and want those purchases to be mutually beneficial. I want the dive shop to be there the next time I'm in a need (i.e., training, last minute item before trips, service & repairs). When you're looking at potentially spending thousands of dollars in dive gear, you want it be spent wisely. I'd also recommend checking out Oregon City Scuba. They're a relatively new shop and growing. I'm planning to do some technical training with them this year. I might see you at the OSC meeting this Thursday!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

In general, I use my LDS, as they give me helpful information, reasonable prices, and if they introduce me to something, I will not go elsewhere. There are exceptions of when I run across something that they don't carry in the shop or I decide to buy something where I get a screaming deal.

Example: $400 for a Nautilus Lifeline and a Spare Air 3.0 with accessories; that is just way too good of a deal to pass up (don't ask me where, as they were asked by one of their suppliers to take down that deal, sorry).

But the next wrist hoseless dive computer, I'll be getting from my shop. The reel for the wreck diving class I'll take in August (through a different location of the same dive shop) also from them. Yes, I could save a little bit, but the service and support.

I do agree that dive shops need to be more aggressive with their online presence. No reason while there cannot be a B&H/Adorama/Buydig for dive gear.

 

[redacted]

No reason while there cannot be a B&H/Adorama/Buydig for dive gear.

There is. It is called Leisurepro. And what do you know, they have the same address as Adorama.:shocked2:

 

[Mike126]

I have three shops with 20 mins from where I live. Two I am a regular with. I bought my reg kit from one and they talked me out of a AL Legend LX down to a Titan LX. On top of that they told me wait a month to take advantage of the octo free offer from AL. At that point I knew I could trust them for purchases. The second shop is good for other gear and seem pretty knowledgable and don't try to sell me what I don't need.

The third shop has had a history of pushing you to buy what you don't need.

I do use the internet when I can't find it locally. DSS is my favorite and have used Scuba Toys and yes dare I say LP! LP gave me a new wetsuit at the clearance price when I ordered a clearance suit that they did not have in my size.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Diver0001]

Gear and especially regulators are not just economical commodities, they are first and foremost "vitalities" --critical life support equipment that I don't go cheap on.

I think you're right about the importance of regulators but I think they actually are commodities. If two stores are selling an identical reg for different prices then the regulator will still be identical. It wouldn't make sense to spend more than you have to on it.

What I think are *not* commodities are service, knowledge of the staff and training. These are things with a big human factor that can't be bought by just taking the cheaper option.

R..

 

[redacted]

I think you're right about the importance of regulators but I think they actually are commodities. If two stores are selling an identical reg for different prices then the regulator will still be identical. It wouldn't make sense to spend more than you have to on it.

What I think are *not* commodities are service, knowledge of the staff and training. These are things with a big human factor that can't be bought by just taking the cheaper option.

R..

And if two stores are selling similar regulators with essentially the same performance (and adequate support), why would somebody want to pay 2x or 3x the price??? That might be 'S'tupid.