LDS Experience

[rockrug]

I know this issue has been beat to death, but I wanted to throw my two cents in over the internet vs LDS debate.

My girlfriend and I were looking to buy our first set of gear. Of course, we checked on line and found some pretty good deals. In the end, though, we ended up buying from the LDS where we got certified.

When we were looking for gear, Bob (the LDS owner) literally spent hours with us going over the pros/cons of everything in the store, getting the correct fit, etc. He took the time to figure out our needs and then fitting what we wanted within our budget. Once we had settled on the gear we wanted, we got to try everything out in the pool. There is a slight whisle problem with my reg, and they are taking care of it ASAP, in time for us to go diving the following weekend. They went over every single function of our computers...I could go on and on.

So in the end, could I have gotten a better price on line? Probably. But, there is no way I would have gotten the same level of service.

Brian

 

[MikeFerrara]

An LDS is in a position to provide a great deal of service if they choose to. The good ones do. Of course there are divers who just don't need those services and just want to trade money for the item they ask for. And then there are other divers who just think they don't need those services because they don't know what it's like to have them...or the ones who get the services free and still buy where it's cheap.

Maybe shops should charge for the services and gear seperate. If you need the time of a consultant you should probably be willing to pay for it. At the same time if all I want is to buy something why should I pay for somebody elses consulting time...or their class...or whatever?

In your case all that matters is that you feel you got your moneys worth. you got the gear you wanted and the help you needed. That works.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

And you should most likely be treated special when you walk in that shop.

 

[Dive4Life]

I know this issue has been beat to death, but I wanted to throw my two cents in over the internet vs LDS debate.

My girlfriend and I were looking to buy our first set of gear. Of course, we checked on line and found some pretty good deals. In the end, though, we ended up buying from the LDS where we got certified.

When we were looking for gear, Bob (the LDS owner) literally spent hours with us going over the pros/cons of everything in the store, getting the correct fit, etc. He took the time to figure out our needs and then fitting what we wanted within our budget. Once we had settled on the gear we wanted, we got to try everything out in the pool. There is a slight whisle problem with my reg, and they are taking care of it ASAP, in time for us to go diving the following weekend. They went over every single function of our computers...I could go on and on.

So in the end, could I have gotten a better price on line? Probably. But, there is no way I would have gotten the same level of service.

Brian

I am glad that you got what you needed with service that you would recommend. That LDS did something right for you and gave you something that you could not get online and so in the end it was worth the cost. Mike said it best with, "You got your moneys worth." They provided you with what you needed.

 

[matt t.]

I know this issue has been beat to death, but I wanted to throw my two cents in over the internet vs LDS debate.

My girlfriend and I were looking to buy our first set of gear. Of course, we checked on line and found some pretty good deals. In the end, though, we ended up buying from the LDS where we got certified.

When we were looking for gear, Bob (the LDS owner) literally spent hours with us going over the pros/cons of everything in the store, getting the correct fit, etc. He took the time to figure out our needs and then fitting what we wanted within our budget. Once we had settled on the gear we wanted, we got to try everything out in the pool. There is a slight whisle problem with my reg, and they are taking care of it ASAP, in time for us to go diving the following weekend. They went over every single function of our computers...I could go on and on.

So in the end, could I have gotten a better price on line? Probably. But, there is no way I would have gotten the same level of service.

Brian

Sounds like you had a good experience and were satisfied with the value of the gear and service you got for the price you payed. Loyalty on both sides goes a long way. Good luck and enjoy the new gear!

 

[RDP]

An LDS is in a position to provide a great deal of service if they choose to. The good ones do. Of course there are divers who just don't need those services and just want to trade money for the item they ask for. And then there are other divers who just think they don't need those services because they don't know what it's like to have them...or the ones who get the services free and still buy where it's cheap.

Maybe shops should charge for the services and gear seperate. If you need the time of a consultant you should probably be willing to pay for it. At the same time if all I want is to buy something why should I pay for somebody elses consulting time...or their class...or whatever?

In your case all that matters is that you feel you got your moneys worth. you got the gear you wanted and the help you needed. That works.

A reasonable consulting fee would not be out of line. The LDS should get paid for a service. Sometimes their markup on products is too insane to consider. Example: I bought a set of Faber 95's online for $205 each, to my door. This weekend, I saw the same tanks at a LDS for $399.99 each.

 

[jonnythan]

Yeah, I bet a dive shop that charges you $30 to tell you about their BC's is going to last a long time.

 

[The Kraken]

Just saw an Oceanic Atom 1.0 at a local dive shop priced $30 over MSRP.
I'm not even going to mention how they outfitted some of their open water students in Henderson Hyperstretch wet suits that were waaaaaaay to big for them and charged them a premium price.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Yeah, I bet a dive shop that charges you $30 to tell you about their BC's is going to last a long time.

Yes but we can skip all that by just asking for a Halcyon 55 pound explorer. LOL

 

[MikeFerrara]

A reasonable consulting fee would not be out of line. The LDS should get paid for a service. Sometimes their markup on products is too insane to consider. Example: I bought a set of Faber 95's online for $205 each, to my door. This weekend, I saw the same tanks at a LDS for $399.99 each.

But...for that $399 they can discuss the pros and cons of different color scheems and explain to you that what you really want is an al 80 like every one else dives. LOL