mike_s:
AL cannot and will not tell LDS that they have to sell another manufacturers product at a set price..if concerned about it put it (the discounted/free)stuff on a different invoice..
Online sales
- Thread starter ERIC.K
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
AL cannot and will not tell LDS that they have to sell another manufacturers product at a set price..if concerned about it put it (the discounted/free)stuff on a different invoice..
mike_s
Contributor
oly5050user:
Ok.. you were talking about combing two manufacturers products together for a package. You're right. They can't tell them that.
"Direct this issue to the MFGS., I Think" OK
Dealers (store/shops, not the online folks) who relay on the MFG for products and service do so to deliver service to consumers. MFG types need quality dealers to deliver their products to quailified consumers. This symbiosis results in the win, win, win, (consumer, dealer, MFG) scenario the majority of people like in this gear intensive, education required activity. Take away this balance (too many people circumventing the circle, be it MFG, consumer) and one of the three comes up a loser instead of a winner. What I read in your post is the thoughtful thinking of the balance. Good stuff!
Hoa!
Dealers (store/shops, not the online folks) who relay on the MFG for products and service do so to deliver service to consumers. MFG types need quality dealers to deliver their products to quailified consumers. This symbiosis results in the win, win, win, (consumer, dealer, MFG) scenario the majority of people like in this gear intensive, education required activity. Take away this balance (too many people circumventing the circle, be it MFG, consumer) and one of the three comes up a loser instead of a winner. What I read in your post is the thoughtful thinking of the balance. Good stuff!
Hoa!
Gil57usa
Contributor
I think the point a lot of people are missing here is customer service. You can take any kind of store that sells any type of product, and it comes down to customer service. If your prices are too high compared to other shops that sell the same thing, I go elsewhere. If I buy a product elsewhere and bring it to you for service and you get bent because I didn't buy from you, I go elsewhere. See the point i'm making here?
Here in the Rochester, NY area, we have several dive shops. At one, there is no negotiation on price, and if you ask what something costs, the owner just says I'll get one ordered for you, never saying what it costs. At another shop, they put on a good show of wanting to take care of you, and for the most part they do, if your wallet is open. However twice they have screwed up service on my gear and instead of smiling and accepting responsibility and making it right, they made it sound like it was my fault for not checking my gear properly before using it.(hmmm, how do they think I found the problem?). Guess who lost my service business forever? Now I deal with a shop in Florida. They go out of their way to give me good prices and back up their service without question. It would be nice to have a local shop I could trust, but until one shows up, it's only a couple days in the mail for good customer service.
Honestly though, The brick and mortar stores that think they can survive and thrive by being the "only game in town" are seriously kidding themselves. In this day and age of world wide commerce, it is the customers playground. Do right by us, and you will survive and thrive. Keep treating us like you are doing us favors by talking to us........Say bye-bye!!
Here in the Rochester, NY area, we have several dive shops. At one, there is no negotiation on price, and if you ask what something costs, the owner just says I'll get one ordered for you, never saying what it costs. At another shop, they put on a good show of wanting to take care of you, and for the most part they do, if your wallet is open. However twice they have screwed up service on my gear and instead of smiling and accepting responsibility and making it right, they made it sound like it was my fault for not checking my gear properly before using it.(hmmm, how do they think I found the problem?). Guess who lost my service business forever? Now I deal with a shop in Florida. They go out of their way to give me good prices and back up their service without question. It would be nice to have a local shop I could trust, but until one shows up, it's only a couple days in the mail for good customer service.
Honestly though, The brick and mortar stores that think they can survive and thrive by being the "only game in town" are seriously kidding themselves. In this day and age of world wide commerce, it is the customers playground. Do right by us, and you will survive and thrive. Keep treating us like you are doing us favors by talking to us........Say bye-bye!!
mike_s
Contributor
You're right that the brick and motor stores that think they are the only game in town and have high prices will not survive.
However, some brick n mortar stores are thriviing. They do enough volume to compete and also give great customer service.
some of those same brick-n-motar stores do that by being online, and still give great service and great price.
the ones that haven't learned to adapt will die away. manufacturers that have the same mentality will to.
However, some brick n mortar stores are thriviing. They do enough volume to compete and also give great customer service.
some of those same brick-n-motar stores do that by being online, and still give great service and great price.
the ones that haven't learned to adapt will die away. manufacturers that have the same mentality will to.
CenTexDivin
Contributor
- Messages
- 195
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 50 - 99
What I've begun to understand about business in general, is that companies today need to focus on the tasks that make the business revenue, and thus allow the organization (in this case the LDS) to survive. With global competition becoming a factor (i.e. internet sales), the brick and mortar store needs to streamline their operations to be able to compete. However in order to create and maintain customers, the store must provide a service that is unable to be satisfied by these distant, and even foreign, competition, which generally manifests itself in customer service. The LDS that cannot adjust to this are destined to go out of business.
I don't know if anyone has ever heard of this analogy, but here it goes. When ordering a piece of meat from a butcher, you can order the leanest steak you can, but it will have no flavor. A good piece of meat needs the fat, or marbleing, to create flavor or taste, this marbleing is similar to the service that a company provides that makes customers want to continue coming back to use its services. Too streamlined, or lean, and the company has no flavor and is no different from any other competitor available. (from the World is Flat - Thomas Friedman)
If you're still with me, the LDS needs to get a wake up call and realize that they are no longer the only game in town and even if they are in the BFE (Big *Fat* Empty) more than an hour away from the local metropolis. I think the most effective dive equipment sales person must understand that they will likely start dealing with potential customers that have the resources and motivation to research their purchases throughly rather than simply receiving the recommendation of the counter jockey at the LDS.
Sorry about the length, but I'm gettting frustrated with hearing from the LDS, that just because I don't buy a part from the LDS, or even a local competitor, that I may get screwed or get defective equipment.
I don't know if anyone has ever heard of this analogy, but here it goes. When ordering a piece of meat from a butcher, you can order the leanest steak you can, but it will have no flavor. A good piece of meat needs the fat, or marbleing, to create flavor or taste, this marbleing is similar to the service that a company provides that makes customers want to continue coming back to use its services. Too streamlined, or lean, and the company has no flavor and is no different from any other competitor available. (from the World is Flat - Thomas Friedman)
If you're still with me, the LDS needs to get a wake up call and realize that they are no longer the only game in town and even if they are in the BFE (Big *Fat* Empty) more than an hour away from the local metropolis. I think the most effective dive equipment sales person must understand that they will likely start dealing with potential customers that have the resources and motivation to research their purchases throughly rather than simply receiving the recommendation of the counter jockey at the LDS.
Sorry about the length, but I'm gettting frustrated with hearing from the LDS, that just because I don't buy a part from the LDS, or even a local competitor, that I may get screwed or get defective equipment.
Having had an online business (not scuba related) prior to my current retail business, I can appreciate the savings that the online stores can give, all be it no good for the retail business'.
It is not just that the LDS have to sell at a set price, but they have to pay overhead that most online store do not. My insurance this year nearly tripled, as well as my taxes on my buildings more than doubled.
I appreciate a deal just like the next guy, however I believe that if you work with the right dive shop, and begin a relationship with them I am sure that you will begin to see benefits that far outlast their monetary value. There are several ways that the dive shop can make it worth your while to shop consitantly with them, I know that I do it in my business. We still need them to do the warranty work and repairs. I would imagine they would be more inclined to do your repair work for no charge, as a benefit, if you purchased the equipment from them.
"Would you purchase your eggs from Sam's Club then bring them to Denny's to have them cooked?"
I guess you just have to find the correct LDS to work with.
Just my humble opinion.
It is not just that the LDS have to sell at a set price, but they have to pay overhead that most online store do not. My insurance this year nearly tripled, as well as my taxes on my buildings more than doubled.
I appreciate a deal just like the next guy, however I believe that if you work with the right dive shop, and begin a relationship with them I am sure that you will begin to see benefits that far outlast their monetary value. There are several ways that the dive shop can make it worth your while to shop consitantly with them, I know that I do it in my business. We still need them to do the warranty work and repairs. I would imagine they would be more inclined to do your repair work for no charge, as a benefit, if you purchased the equipment from them.
"Would you purchase your eggs from Sam's Club then bring them to Denny's to have them cooked?"
I guess you just have to find the correct LDS to work with.
Just my humble opinion.
R
redacted
Guest
The LDS that wants to compete with online retailers can do it. They have more to offer and they just have to use it to their advantage. An example from a local shop: "Buy your BCD and regulator unit complete with alternate air source and computer from... and your annual service on both items are free for as long as you own the equipment."
Run the numbers and you should find that trumps any of the online deals for a full set of gear if you have your gear serviced annually. So find an LDS that doesn't just complain about the online competitors. Find one that competes with them.
When LDSs compete, divers win.
Run the numbers and you should find that trumps any of the online deals for a full set of gear if you have your gear serviced annually. So find an LDS that doesn't just complain about the online competitors. Find one that competes with them.
When LDSs compete, divers win.
mike_s
Contributor
jstbecauz:
Very true.
However to add to this discussion since you mentioned non scuba related online sales, that is the way that the retail business is changing.
You might not get personal customer service online, but you don't get it at Wal-Mart either.
A recent Christmas shopping experience at Wal-mart had us waiting in line for 45 minutes to check out. WHy? Wallyworld is too cheap to actually pay cashiers to use those 35 check out lanes they have in the store. Only 5 were open on a Saturday night 3 weeks before Christmas.
Solution: Amazon.com (or simiar online store). I didn't wait in line once, got prices that matched Walmart, or were better, got free shipping, paid no sales tax, and 3 to 5 days later all the items magically showed up at my doorstep with plenty of time to spare for Christmas.
Oh... Amazon will even wrap each present before they put it in the shipping box for a few bucks more.
Now. Like someone said, find a dive store that will compete. My LDS does that. However many don't. The ones that don't won't be here much longer because even Amazon.com sells scuba gear now.
This whole thing sort of reminds me of car buying in a way (but not eggs, sorry jstbecauz). When a particular model is popular or hot, the dealers don't need to move or bargain much. However, I will shop around for the best deal if I simply have to have that model, and I will drive a few hours out of my way to save hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Also, the dealer who gives me the old song and dance about overhead and costs for employees, building taxes, air conditioning, showroom, etc. are really working hard at NOT getting my business (sorry again jstbecauz). I'm betting that Larry and Joe at Scubatoys (and other adaptive, progressive, authorized dealers) have an air conditioner running right now. I wonder what their taxes are like in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. I cringe at the thought. I wonder if they pay their employees or if they are all volunteers or maybe slave labor. Also, I'm willing to bet that if I bought a reg from a LDS and then asked ScubaToys to service it....they would!
Flame suit on.
Also, the dealer who gives me the old song and dance about overhead and costs for employees, building taxes, air conditioning, showroom, etc. are really working hard at NOT getting my business (sorry again jstbecauz). I'm betting that Larry and Joe at Scubatoys (and other adaptive, progressive, authorized dealers) have an air conditioner running right now. I wonder what their taxes are like in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. I cringe at the thought. I wonder if they pay their employees or if they are all volunteers or maybe slave labor. Also, I'm willing to bet that if I bought a reg from a LDS and then asked ScubaToys to service it....they would!
Flame suit on.
Similar threads
