Leisurepro.com + suunto

[redacted]

LUBOLD8431 once bubbled...
Let me ask you online shoppers something:

Would you buy a brand new CAR without a warranty?

What about a brand new personal computer?

OK, well, anyone that wants a BRAND NEW BMW 7 series, WITHOUT a WARRANTY, PM Me...

If it is half MSRP as is typical of better online deals.

I have bought cars and computers online - they both came with a norrmal warranty.

But I do believe in giving the local dealer a shot, including the LDS. More and more they are realizing they are going to have to be price competetive if they want the business.

On very reliable goods, the warranty issue is just not that important as long as the seller will exchange the occasional "lemon" when it turns up. LP seems to have established a good reputation for doing this. With LDS, it seems to be a bit more hit and miss. Based on reports on this board, many are excellent while others are very poor.

 

[netmage]

sealkie once bubbled...
Ok .. I`m a bit sick if this - equipment in the LDS that comes with the knowledge and support of the LDS staff not to mention the proper warrenty is not always hunderds of dollars more than Leisure pro

All the Aeris equiment in my LDS is the same price or with 10 - 20 dollars for LP. The Mares equioment is alittle more expensive ... but you are not always talking many hunders of dollars

Aeris is one of the manufacturers that does allow online sales - I've seen them marketed at other places with full manufactures warranties (i.e. Divers Supply)... Mares also allows online sales (www.scubatoys.com). I would venture to bet LP might be an authorized reseller..... Or maybe just the fact that these manufacturers allow online sales - competition has pushed down prices... (Shhhhh don't tell Genesis - he might be right!)

The true grey market savings comes from the manufacturers which do not allow online sales, i.e. Apeks, Scubapro - there you are definately looking at $100-300 savings depending on the reg/computer you choose.

 

[5615mike]

netmage once bubbled...


Aeris is one of the manufacturers that does allow online sales - I've seen them marketed at other places with full manufactures warranties (i.e. Divers Supply)... Mares also allows online sales (www.scubatoys.com). I would venture to bet LP might be an authorized reseller..... Or maybe just the fact that these manufacturers allow online sales - competition has pushed down prices... (Shhhhh don't tell Genesis - he might be right!)

The true grey market savings comes from the manufacturers which do not allow online sales, i.e. Apeks, Scubapro - there you are definately looking at $100-300 savings depending on the reg/computer you choose.

Good point. I have seen Aeris and the other pelagics from full retail to discounted prices like Divers Supply adn Scubatoys. I think I have seen a wider range of prices on those mfg than anyothers.

 

[large_diver]

Chuck, let's look at the counterpoint.......

Say I walk into a local, unnamed LDS (an authorized Suunto dealer) and ask them about a new Suunto product that I have already done quite a bit of research on. What I find out is:

(1) They are completely unfamiliar with the product
(2) They don't have it in stock and have never even seen one before
(3) They question why I would want it
(4) They will only order it for me if they charge my credit card first
(5) They will charge me 40+% more than I can buy it for online.

Why should I pay more for this type of service...when I will in fact get a warranty from an on-line provider....and they will deliver it to my house.....

Sorry for the rant, just trying to offer a different perspective (all facts above are true).

-C

 

[Gilligan]

Aloha LUBOLD8431,
Hell yes it's about money unless you are rich and money doesn't matter. That's why it's called "shopping". My LDS couldn't have gotten me a replacement Cobra any faster than LP did. As for buying a product at a local shop because the salesperson has expertise on it. NOT. Maybe the shop owner does but the help usually stands and looks at you with that blank stare that says "dude, I just work here". I get my air fills from an LDS here on Maui whom I won't name, and their help rotates through almost as fast as a NY tollbooth. When it comes to salespeople and politicians, "if their lips are moving they are lying". Call me cynical, but I don't believe anything w/o doing my own research.
:shades:

 

[Dryglove]

You also have to remember that lubold works for a dive shop so of course he is gonna be biased against online sales such as leisurepro.

 

[Otter]

gray market equipment? I have been told by dealer reps (who admitedly may not be unbiased) that much of the gray market equipment is from LDSs who violate their agreement (perhaps lopsided) with the manufacturer and sell qty at slightly above their cost.

Does the source of this equipment matter? Even if its illegal (civil vs. criminal) ?

Edited: typo corrected

 

[LUBOLD8431]

I keep forgetting to tell myself to stay out of these threads.

Chris-- I dont know what your experiences have been with your LDS, but I know, that I try to know as much as possible about any piece of equipment that I sell.

As a matter of fact, I have been getting myself aquainted with the new SUUNTO computer, the Gekko this week. Wont be out for a little while... Have any of you heard about this one???

Also, a side note on LP's warranty. They are not an authorized dealer for most things that they sell, including Suunto (this is a fact). When something happens to whatever you buy from them, they replace it with a new one. Then, they eat that loss. They cant get it replaced from the manufacturer. (unless they have a LDS that will send it back FOR them to be replaced, which has been alleged, and which the LDS that does this is violating their dealer agreement).

SO, if you have a recall on a piece of equipment, if you bought it at an authorized dealer, we can do an upgrade, or replace a part most of the time while you wait. LP expect a much longer turnaround time.

ANyways, you can buy wherever you like. Point is, you are not getting manufacturer's warranties, and protection from recalls like you get from an LDS.

But, as I said earlier, most people just care about how much its goin to cost them, not the service that you get from an LDS...

Point of fact-- I just sold an Apeks regulator to a customer, and I set it up for them, with the LP inflator hose, pressure gauge, and octo. This reg, like a few others that I have sold, needed to be adjusted a little. Do you think LP has service techs that know what the he!! they are doin??? I dont think so...

This is just one aspect of the service that an LDS can give. And, if you guys are not satisfied with your LDS, find a professional retailer DS that can help you...

but, what it comes down to is, this is life support equipment. It is precision equipment, and sometimes needs to be tuned, right out of the box... LP cant help you with this.

 

[scubasean]

LUBOLD8431 once bubbled...
I keep forgetting to tell myself to stay out of these threads.

As a matter of fact, I have been getting myself aquainted with the new SUUNTO computer, the Gekko this week. Wont be out for a little while... Have any of you heard about this one???

Also, a side note on LP's warranty. They are not an authorized dealer for most things that they sell, including Suunto (this is a fact). When something happens to whatever you buy from them, they replace it with a new one. Then, they eat that loss. They cant get it replaced from the manufacturer. (unless they have a LDS that will send it back FOR them to be replaced, which has been alleged, and which the LDS that does this is violating their dealer agreement).

Actually, my dealer LDS doesn't seem to have one to sell me (so far as I can see on the shalf), so I don't know about it.

As to what LP does with the broken computer, I care not. I only care what the effect is on me, which is the $150 savings.

Sure, if I have a problem, I may have to wait a week or two, but no prob, given the savings...There is no guarantee that my LDS will be able to shorten the wait, assuming I paid full retail to shop with them..

 

[Genesis]

Also, a side note on LP's warranty. They are not an authorized dealer for most things that they sell, including Suunto (this is a fact). When something happens to whatever you buy from them, they replace it with a new one. Then, they eat that loss. They cant get it replaced from the manufacturer.

Oh yes they can.

Its called the implied warranty of merchantability and fitness; a defective product is not fit to be sold.

When I started the petition drive and talked to manufacturers, raising this attempt to duck their legal responsibility on defective merchandise, every single one of them asked if I had an actual defective product - and offered to exchange or repair it if I did.

Irrespective of where it came from.

The manufacturers and distributors know that they are obligated to do this under US law.

They can duck the "free parts for life", as that's not really a warranty (either in word or deed), but for defective merchandise there is no escape, unless it is sold with the explicit disclaimer of being "AS-IS", which, of course, is never done for anything that is a new product.

They all claim they won't honor warranties, but they will. They will likely force you to send it back to them, but they will honor it - not because they want to, but because they have to.