I was AMAZED, simply AMAZED...

[RonFrank]

pretty amazing how easy they have it, to do this. I think it is the constant fresh supply of new, enthused and passionate prospective shop owners that come along every six months or so...all willing to take loans from Uncle Harry for massive amounts of inventory. They should be able to get new gear on consigment to a limit and the numbers should be worked out between the shop and the owner. I don't see any way they can profit. How does the guy paying rent in Hawaii ever compete with OK or SC?

He sells stuff to you!

I think some manufacture act as if nothing has changed in the retail market by continuing with aging policies, and contracts that hog tie the retailer into assuming a lot of financial risk. The LDS maybe stuck with inventory that they can not move because the manufacture authorized dealer policies force them into buying more product, or products in odd sizes and colors. They are then forced to close them out at cost or at a loss to make room for the Latest/greatest stuff.

Manufactures like Scubapro, and Suunto ban online sales, what a joke. It's like saying, hey we know you have a new and powerful marketing tool, and a potentially global market, but BTW, you can not use that market because we say so. It's even a bigger joke with Suunto who allows online sales of every watch they make on the planet EXCEPT dive computers.

Ironically some of the largest online LDS's reside in some of the most expensive area's in the country. Retail space in NYC, Key West, LA, or even Dallas, TX where Isome of the larger online shops reside is hardly cheap.

 

[JamesD]

Lake Rawlings is pretty much always like that, I used to dive there a bunch when I lived in NC, and I think it's the nearest "good" lake for quite a large catch area, at least 120 miles (roughly how far it is to Raleigh NC where I used to come from).

 

[Ber Rabbit]

That is somewhat surprising. What does it cost a shop to make fins and masks available for pool time? Our LDS provides all personal gear for OW pool session diving. This allows one to try on the various fins and masks that the store carries.

The shop doesn't have a pool on site and since I'm an independent instructor teaching at the university they will give me a discount on my gear but so far haven't let me try it out before I bought it. They can't sell returned gear as new if it looks like it's been used, they could at least keep a sample in their rental string for special requests. This shop is the main shop I send my students to for their gear purchases because they will give them a discount unlike the other local shop. Keep in mind some people in the shop like to trash talk my class and my agency to my students even though they've never seen me teach. I've had so many students come to me and say how unprofessional they thought the bashing was I lost count. They are always nice to my face though
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[RonFrank]

The shop doesn't have a pool on site and since I'm an independent instructor teaching at the university they will give me a discount on my gear but so far haven't let me try it out before I bought it. They can't sell returned gear as new if it looks like it's been used, they could at least keep a sample in their rental string for special requests.

You could try suggesting that they keep at the minimum a of a few sets of *good* fins in their rental fleet, and one mask of each model they sell? Seems like hawking equipment on the part of the instructor through making better stuff availalbe during OW classes would be a good business move. I am very positive that is exactly what our LDS does, but they do have the advantage of a pool, and instructors that are contracted to the shop, or in some cases employees.

Our LDS also has a try it after you buy it policy, and they will provide store credit for any product that is returned within some reasonable timeframe if the customer is not satisfied.

I've NEVER herd ANY Denver LDS talk down their instructors, and none will put down the agency they are affiliated with, but I have listened as one local owner who teaches NAUI bashed the living hell out of PADI. It actually had a negative impact on my considering to take some advanced classes with that shop. Less about PADI bashing, more about his attitude.

 

[wallacm]

demand is definetly out there, but if DUI was there they may have been putting on a demo. I know that here in cave country, fl, dui comes out and you can test dive some of there dry suits.

 

[BabyDuck]

yes, it was dog days. yes, there were a few classes. yes, there were lots of folks there having lots of fun.

but it's not the most people i've seen at rawlings! that's a hopping place most summer weekends.

 

[spectrum]

Sure we spend a boat load when we get started, and some some spend a second boat load buying what they really need. Eventually is slows down to a trickle unless somebody is on an long term technical track.

Nobody is getting rich filling my cylinders even though we do our best to keep them busy. At this stage what I need is not always available locally but with a few clicks it's here in time for the next weekend.

Some weekends are active. The seasons and the weather take a toll of the rest of the year in most locations. Heck we have Texans hanging up their fins, go figure.

Put it all together and it's a tough business to sustain on a year to year basis. Most that I see survive do so on solid service, a commercial clientele and diversification. I also don't see a lot of new retail investment happening.

Pete