Indo/Singapore Dive gear Shopping

[Kevster]

I am heading to Bali for a few days then to Lembeh for 1 week at the end of September.
I would like to buy a regulator set. I think I will buy the Mares Abyss22.
Are there any decent dive shops in Bali/Jakarta?
I am stopping over in Singapore so I may look there as well.

Price online in the UK is good , about £370 including gauges, but the mail is not to reliable where I live+ delivery charge is considerable .

 

[bodiver13]

buy them in singapore!

 

[Wisnu]

Check the new sticky in the general asia forum for the dive shop in Singapore; more choice and normally better price than Jakarta.
In Jakarta, you can check with Lautan Emas http://www.lautanmas.com/ - or Planet Diving (oceanic reseller) . Sometime, their promo offer relatively good price - example for a pacakage of SP5 Alpha8, Octo Slimline 2 (Flat type), SPG 2in1 and
BCD OceanPro Non-QLR Planet Diving offered for $500

 

[Live_in_Sin]

go to Concourse (Beach Road), there're some dive gear shops there.
or if you know exactly what you want, send e-mails to dive shops and ask around the price before you get to Singapore.
scuba@seahounds.com
http://www.waikikidive.com
http://www.ralftech.com.sg

etc.....

 

[naga]

I strongly recomend Wakiki (adress as above)

Also, go to Lucky Plaza on Orchard rd, the shopping centre is filled with dive shops, all offering good bargains

Forgot buying anything in Jakarta or Indonesia, dive shops rarely have complete inventory and prices are average, Sg is a far better option.

Remember, you can bargain for prices in Sg, do not accept first price at face value, also the more you buy, the better discount you can bargain for...

 

[victor]

Barganing in Singapore.
This is a must, they just love it when a foreigner accepts the first price that is offered.
I don't have any experience with dive gear however with other electronics 20 to 30% should be possible.
Know exactly what you want and don't be sold anything else, it's the extra's where the shop can recover their profit margin.
Watch out for exrtra's on the bill, I think there is a 4% sales tax that you can reclaim, not sure so check it out.
Don't pay a credit card charge or any other spurious charge they can conjur up.
Have yor own calculator, they use theirs to give them some thinking time while they calculate how much you are prepared to pay. Use yours to insure you know exactly what you are paying for. Know the exchange rate.
Go to more than one shop, you can play one off against another.

Most important, enjoy yourself. They love barganing and it's a good natured sport.
They are not trying to rip you off it's just the way shopping is done.

I let my wife bargin for me she is much more cut throat than me.

 

[josh]

go to Concourse (Beach Road), there're some dive gear shops there.

Heard a roumour that Concourse is being redeveloped as purely residential, and as such all the dive shops have to move out? Shame as Wakiki just expanded!
-j-

 

[Live_in_Sin]

GST is 5%.
If you have DM or Instructor friends, ask them to buy gears for you. usually you get a big discount!!

 

[Kevster]

Thanks for all the replies.

Due to my flights I will now be shopping in Singapore!!

Some of the info above was spot on.
Last time I was in Singers I bought a flash for my DSLR, I knew the UK price and managed to get a bargain… however as I thought the salesperson was a “good guy” , i bought an extra lens. I had no idea how much it was and ended up paying 30% more than the UK price….. dohh.
Will not make the same mistake again.

I have already emailed some Singapore dive shops Re the mares Abyss Reg package , the prices are about 15% more than the Uk online price. However I will try to haggle a bit. But I know I am not good at this…Will prob also buy a bag for all my gear so I hope to get a bigger discount

Once again thanks for all the info.
BTW GST is now 7%.

 

[Live_in_Sin]

that's rignt, since July, it's 7 %!!!