My story about a dive shop

[The Bends]

While I vehemently agree that we should try to support the local dive shops, I've also seen dive shops that seem like they're gouging the customers. -Especially in touristy areas. When I worked at a dive shop on Guam about thirteen years ago, we standardly marked up 70-85 percent over retail. We bought BCs for $300 and sold them for $550.00 -600.00.

Dive shop owners have a resposibility as retailers -the customer does not bear a responsibility -except to shop. Good will is reciprocal. If I've got to spend two thousand dollars to get a free tank refill or a couple of free O-rings...However, if a dive shop is courteous FIRST, I'm more likely to think of them on my next purchase. If a dive shop owner thinks the customer OWES him, then he's missed the basic premise of customer service. A local tire shop fixed a flat tire for me six months ago for free -and I returned to buy four new tires three months later (I didn't shop around or browse the internet for tires). If my local dive shop owner would even acknowledge my existence when I enter or converse every now and then, I'd probably buy more big-ticket items from his shop. He can rant and rave about the internet sellers all he wants, but if I can get the same cold impersonal service via the internet -at 50 percent savings, I'll take the internet. I was just recently in there looking at a BC for $380.00. He wouldn't deal at all. So I bought the same BC on-line for $175.00.

-BTW The on-line retailer gave me a free box of O-rings too.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Juls64 once bubbled...
If we were a little closer to each other it would be a great match. I'd be a great customer and you sound like a terrific LDS owner.

Julie

I lived up your way until about 7 years ago.

 

[scubasean]

Kosh once bubbled...

He knew how much money I’d dropped at the store, but he wouldn’t give me an $8 hanger!
Daryl

Although my LDs seems to treat its customer service with a smile, etc., they seem to give very little on price. (Their business, so this is not a complaint...)

But, I was rather taken aback when I bought my wetsuit and they charged me $6 for the heavy hangar....I couldn't believe that it was extra cost...heh

I ended up paying, since $6 isn't really a reason to be get bent out of shape.....LOL...But, due to the inflexibility (I also had purchased other items there a week earlier, to total $1100 in the two trips) I bought other expensive items from LP to round out the package....(now, all I can afford is air fills...)

I felt the wetsuit was reasonably purchased from the LDS because I could try it on there, ask questions, etc.

But not to give me the hangar...LOL...I'll probably remember that for years to come.

--Sean

 

[Rick Inman]

Ok, so here's my question: If a new diver is slowly buying gear off the internet, but in the mean time renting consistantly from the LDS, buying maintance stuff, booking trips, taking classes, spending some money here and there... Is this helping the LDS? If you move to a new town already owning your gear, the new LDS doesn't seem to mind you dropping a few dollars in his/her shop. Even if a person is buying online, they still need to spend SOME money locally. Does the shop owner want us to or not?
I really want to know...
Thanks!

 

[MikeFerrara]

Rick Inman once bubbled...
Ok, so here's my question: If a new diver is slowly buying gear off the internet, but in the mean time renting consistantly from the LDS, buying maintance stuff, booking trips, taking classes, spending some money here and there... Is this helping the LDS? If you move to a new town already owning your gear, the new LDS doesn't seem to mind you dropping a few dollars in his/her shop. Even if a person is buying online, they still need to spend SOME money locally. Does the shop owner want us to or not?
I really want to know...
Thanks!

The hope of the dive shop is to sell you equipment when you need it.

The purpose of the trips is to keep you diving and create the need or desire for new equipment. Even when commissions can be made on a trip they are usually used to help send some one with the group to entertain. Again their something else a shop does to generate equipment sales.

There is certainly profit in renting equipment, however, being inland we don't rent very much. The equipment we oqn is there because we need it to teach OW classes.

The little things you buy like mask defog or a bottle of sink the stink certainly have a good markup but the total dollars generated are small.

The fact is that without the equipment sales nothing else makes enough to keep the doors open.

 

[trymixdiver]

My LDS is DiversDiscount.com, there main store in located just 5 min up the road from me.

My only problem with DD so far has been an equipment purchase from Halcyon. DD told me a few days to deliver the goods without calling Halcyon first. it took about 6 weeks if i can recall.

If i am correct, DD is no longer selling Halcyon due to the long wait for equipment, it was just pissing people off.

Andy

i only wish they pumped 02, i have to drive 45 min to get deco gas.

Mike F - if the extra money i spend for someone from the LDS to come on the trip is to "entertain" me then i have got ripped off every time.

 

[chrpai]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


The hope of the dive shop is to sell you equipment when you need it.

The fact is that without the equipment sales nothing else makes enough to keep the doors open.

If your telling me everything except equipment sale is a loss leader.... fills, rentals, service, training, travel and it all must be made up on equipment sales, then that sounds like a very bad business model.

 

[Compressor]

No dive shop, No airfills. Is this what we want? Poorly managed LDS who rip people off should be more consumer conscious, and consumers need to be aware of supporting the LDS or else: No air fills.

 

[DivePartner1]

chrpai

I'd love to a local shop that provides that kind of service? Could you let me know, PM or post? Thanks!