Or the manufactuers will go direct to the consumer and enjoy aportion of the margin that is currently shared with the distributors and LDSs. They can't tell US that, because they still need the LDS....for a while.
There was a time when there were no LDS's. Sporting goods stores and department stores carried the gear.Classes were out of the local "Y",scuba culb, local pool or university.
In a way this was great for instructors.You could work and sell out of these stores without repercussions of working with the compeating dive shop.Your class, your prices and the customer was free to shop around for their gear wherever or instructor got commission for bringing a customer into a "preferred" store.
That would mean no costly compressor to buy,no bank loan for stock ect...Hell I think alot more people would be a head if this were still the case and being in the market I'm in would certainly be all for it.
The manufactures are just FN us over and something has to be done.
Ron