Local Dive Shops

[Swan1172]

Phil,

Thanks for the excellent analysis. You hit the business issues squarely on the head. All things being equal, the vast majority of consumers buy based on price and not on service. I have seen people say time and time again on this board that if their LDS had competitive prices, they would not have a reason to shop online. The problem is that most LDS don't seem to get that. They continue to operate under the outdated paradigm of "high margin/low volume", which is exactly why so many of them are failing.

As you pointed out, most of the successful online retailers started as a "bricks and mortar" LDS, and continue to operate a retail location. I know for sure that this is the case with ScubaToys, as I recently heard Larry interviewed on a Bottom Time Radio podcast. He had a good business to begin with, but expanded it by going online. His basic philosophy never changed -- providing quality equipment and top-notch service at the lowest possible price.

 

[7milehi]

If the local dive store thinks the solution to their problem is to reduce the inventory and operate an "ordered as sold" retail operation, they are terribly mistaken. I have never known of ANY BUSINESS that got bigger and stronger by retrenching and downsizing. It can't work in the long term. Anyway, my opinion. Thanks.

Phil Ellis

I agree 100% Phil.

But this is exactly what I'm starting to see as I visit many LDS , they are running on bare bones inventory with lots of catalogs and brochures and saying "I can have you one in 3 days".

What they are trying to do is shrink themselves to profitability but that only works for the short term. After that stick a fork in them .......... because they're done .

 

[7milehi]

As for Scubatoys, they are fantastic ! I called them the other day and Joe answered, he talked to me like he had known me for years even though this was my first order. He gave me good advice even though it was not a large order and didn't talk down to me like I have received from some arrogant salespeople at a few LDS's.

 

[scubabrn]

Call me an ************, I dont care. I dont buy anything without first trying it on. I do give dive shops the option of matching prices. I'll even tell them the online site and price. I doing so , I give consideration to online pricing + shipping cost yadda yadda yadda. If the shop is close and have it in stock, I'll buy from them. If they have to order it, heck I can do that. I was even told by the owner how I have helped him in his pricing by doing this very thing.

 

[7milehi]

Call me an ************, I dont care. I dont buy anything without first trying it on. I do give dive shops the option of matching prices.

The LDS can not match a lot of online site prices and stay in business and thats just a fact of business. Going to a LDS and wasting the salesperson's time and trying on their inventory to see if it fits or if you like it but knowing full well you are going to buy online is just not ethical. Thats my opinion ......... ************ !

 

[PhotoTJ]

...
If you look at your local gas stations isn't it just amazing how one can charge $3.05 per gallon on this side of the street and the one directly across the street charges $3.28? What makes the more expensive one survive despite the higher costs? Well, perhaps people tend to be loyal to their brand of fuel, or maybe the service is quicker there than across the street, or maybe the counter assistant in the shop is more friendly...you name the reasons you wish, the fact remains they both survive.
....

The reason is that drivers are:
A. too lazy to make the left turn across traffic. (The cheaper station is on the other side of the street.)
B. on they're cell phone and don't notice the difference.
C. stupid and have no concept of the value of money.
D. have a credit card at the expensive station, so they get the shaft twice and think it's a good deal!
E. All of the above.

So they pay .23 more a gallon.

 

[caseybird]

I had a talk with the owner of my LDS last week, about the "try in the shop, buy online" issue. This shop will always let a customer try on anything in the pool, and they might spend severals hours customizing a BC package. They carry DiveRite, Halcyon, Oceanic and Scuba-Pro, so they offer a very wide range of choices.
In short, some customers would tie-up an instructor and the pool for several hours, then walk out with a dead loss for the shop.
He now charges $125.00 for a try-on session. If you buy the gear, the $125.00 is deducted from the price.
So, the customer pays a part of the cost of the pool, the showroom, the overhead and the instructor, then he can choose to pay for the gear. Make the purchase, and all that is free.
Sounds fair to me. Comments?

 

[7milehi]

Sounds fair to me too !

 

[captain]

I had a talk with the owner of my LDS last week, about the "try in the shop, buy online" issue. This shop will always let a customer try on anything in the pool, and they might spend severals hours customizing a BC package. They carry DiveRite, Halcyon, Oceanic and Scuba-Pro, so they offer a very wide range of choices.
In short, some customers would tie-up an instructor and the pool for several hours, then walk out with a dead loss for the shop.
He now charges $125.00 for a try-on session. If you buy the gear, the $125.00 is deducted from the price.
So, the customer pays a part of the cost of the pool, the showroom, the overhead and the instructor, then he can choose to pay for the gear. Make the purchase, and all that is free.
Sounds fair to me. Comments?

I am not going to pend $125 to try something without being damm sure before hand it is what I want and if I am damm sure it is what I want what's the point. I can test drive a car for free at one dealer and by at a different dealer if the price is better.

 

[MikeFerrara]

I am not going to pend $125 to try something without being damm sure before hand it is what I want and if I am damm sure it is what I want what's the point. I can test drive a car for free at one dealer and by at a different dealer if the price is better.

That sounds reasonable but a few trips to the pool and a BC shows itt and is then a used BC that you can't sell.

At the department store you get to try things on in the changing rooms. I'd let you do that with a BC for free. You want to go diving with it...we're talking equipment rental. LOL

Why would you need to dive with a bc before buying it anyway? Just dive a nice wing like a Halcyon or an Oxycheck, order it online and it'll do everything you need it to do and skip all that crazy stuff that you have to see work to believe.

It's a bag to hold air for crying out loud. LOL

the modern diver at the dive shop...

"Can I dive with that tank before I buy it?"
"Hey, can I try the wistle, mask defog and light in the pool before I buy those too?"

Personally I always demand to dive in a custome drysuit before I'll order it.

Does the dive industry spread the BS or what. They convince divers that they need to dive in all this gear before buying it (the proposed value of a dive shop) and then they don't want to let them try it. It must be a PADI thing. LOL do the dive industry a favor and buy the best gear at the best price and refuce to pay so much as a single nickle for all the BS.