LDS Charging to TRY ON wetsuits???

[Mike]

That's right. My local dive shop has done it again! My sister went to our local dive shop, Aquatic Center of Rochester. She had every intention of purchasing a wetsuit. She brought a few up to the counter, politely asked if she could try them on and they said, ABSOLUTELY!!!.. for $25.

A $25 fee if you'd like to try on a wetsuit. The rationale of the salesperson was that too many people are trying them on and buying them elsewhere. Well, maybe people wouldn't buy them elsewhere if your prices weren't so ridiculously inflated! A $25 fee to try on gear... that will probably help sales!!!!

Yes the internet is killing some brick and mortars, but NOT all. Some have figured out how to do both and be quite successful. Aquatic Center of Rochester, I think it's time to lock up and put the for sale sign out front.

What's you plan now? How you're going to try on a wetsuit before you buy it online? Drive to Buffalo? Maybe search for an Ap for your I-phone?

 

[vladimir]

I have no problem with it, as long as the shop has enough inventory to reasonably assure that one of them fits you, and as long as the charge is a credit towards any eventual wetsuit purchase. (I'd be surprised if it wasn't.) But you can always just order two suits from LeisurePro, the medium and the large, say, and send back the one that doesn't fit.

 

[scubadiveilat]

That's absurd!!!

Inquire with another dive shop or place. Otherwise purchase online prices are less expensive and you'll find a whole lot of selection in dive suit.

Browse around!!!

 

[scubamarketing]

From my days working in an LDS, I find this to be completely stupid. We had plenty of instances where people actually told us they just wanted to check sizes before ordering online. We helped them just the same as if they handed over $10k upon entering. After the great service, seeing they would only be saving maybe 10% (which we usually ate if doing a package deal) and realizing that they NEEDED the LDS eventually, 99% bought in store. Had we treated EVERY potential customer like they were trying to rip us off, they would have just gone elsewhere.

Now, as an LP employee, vladimir is right, just order two and send one back (PFF Guaranty Program Information | LeisurePro.com)

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Wow, that is crazy. Sounds like the reaction of a failing business getting desperate.

Leisure Pro has a perfect fit guarantee, if you find gear does not fit when you receive it, they will exchange it back for another size and pay shipping BOTH ways. Some people don't like LP, but those boy are are not afraid to put their money on the line. I would hazard to guess other top tier online retailers might match this. Other than the time required for the extra shipping, its pretty cut n dried.

 

[jsado]

What's you plan now? How you're going to try on a wetsuit before you buy it online? Drive to Buffalo? Maybe search for an Ap for your I-phone?

Did you even read the original post?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

As much as I shake my head sometimes at the zany policies that some dive shop owners come up with, I can understand this one ... at least if the $25 is applied toward a subsequent purchase. It eliminates the folks who are using his shop as a "fitting room".

I know way too many folks who regularly go into dive shops to look, handle, and size their equipment ... and then after the shop staff provides them with service and time, they walk out and order what they want from LeisurePro.

I've got no issue with folks buying online ... I do myself, with some regularity. But if you're gonna do that ... for chrissakes, don't use the dive shop as a place to get fitted for what you've already decided to buy elsewhere. That's just wrong.

If you think $25 is outrageous, try hiring a valet ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Mizer67]

I could see making it refundable toward the purchase, but 25 non refundable? The last thing they would see is me walking out the door never to return.

 

[justadyver]

I help out at lds. Had a person come in for a suit. We usually have 30 to 40 suits on stock. The customer tried on several suits. Found one that fit very well. Said she would be back in a week to buy it. Three weeks later, she returned to the store with a same model suit she had tried on at our store that she had purchased at another store (they had to order it). She wanted to exchange it for the one she had tried on at our store because it fit better. We told her to return it to the store where she purchased it and then return and buy the one she had tried on at our store. Never saw her again. How is that for Balls!

 

[freewillie]

I like to support my LDS whenever possible, but this is a little much.

Time to find a new dive shop.