shrwdtech
Contributor
I have to add fair with fair here. Hudson may or may not have a valid point or just have an axe to grind. I too have done plenty of business with all 3. Scubatoys, Liesure Pro and Scuba.com. I find my preference to be Scuba.com. I've also visited Scubatoys and Scuba.com both. I'll probably never visit LP as I'm not a NYC fan and just don't see a need to be there. Each has treated me well and each has made mistakes. I have to admit Larry did fix the mistake at Scubatoys with a bit less hassle than the other 2, but over all I find the staff at Scuba.com the most equipped and capable I've dealt with.
I'm not sure where or how you found incompetence there, but it makes me wonder if it was ONLY them, or the transactions as a whole. Unfortunately the only way to truly find out usually just winds up in a big pee'ing contest that serves no real purpose. Having worked retail, I do know that a labeling error on a shipment from a manufacturer could easily cause a recurring problem with exchanges, especially if the person or people pulling the product are unfamilliar with it. In a case like that maybe they should ask somebody more knowledgeable? But I think we as consumers often forget about the sheer volume of work these companies can deal with each day and if something doesn't appear to be a glaring problem how easy it might be to overlook. I often have to remind myself that if I am far from perfect myself.
I've enjoyed the level of experience with everything from gear, to instruction to travel advice I've received from the staff at scuba.com. They have always been easy to deal with for me, quick and if the person (I believe they are all instructors, or at least the people who discuss gear and such are) I have had on the phone has not had my answers often another person on staff at the time has had experience with what I need.
Their return/exchange policies could be a bit more streamlined and easy, but it is their policy to make.
To call their store "mediocre" shows that you've never actually seen it. It's unique in its set up, but rather easy to use. It's clean and spacious. The repair department is nice. Not the best I've seen but easily one of the top few. The same staff you speak to on the phone is who helps you in the showroom. I found Bob and Bill to both be every bit as pleasant and helpful in person as they sound to be on the phone. It doesn't take long to realize that these people know a heck of a lot more about scuba than most of us do.
On the day I visited I saw no less than 4 difference groups of customers come into the store and discuss everything from personal gear packages for a class being taken at a competing store, )with not even an ounce of animosy laden sarcasm nor a single attempt to sway the customer into a class of theirs) to cameras to some gear that I can only describe as light years out of my league (a dive computer that has books to read or video games on it for deco stops?) And amazingly they had the vast majority of the gear being sought after right on site! I watched Bob and Bill both use the same patience and knowledge there in thier store that I've recieved from them over the phone or via emails.
In my dealings with Scuba.com I've only really found 2 things I would see changed. Their free shipping can be confusing until you get the hang of it and how it works. It seems difficult. Either offer free shipping or don't. And more importantly they desperately need some sort of online inventory. Before visiting I often wondered if they had anything at all in stock and just obtained what was ordered to fill sales with. I snuck a peak behind the "Wizards Curtain" (their wharehouse door) and I was surprised to see a very large wharehouse and many, many racks probably 10 feet high or higher all filled with gear. Somebody on the staff mentioned it being in the neighborhood of 10,000 square feet. All I can say was it a pretty impressive "dive shop".
All in all, they are my shop of choice. They've never let me down and I look forward to many future purchases with them.
I'm not sure where or how you found incompetence there, but it makes me wonder if it was ONLY them, or the transactions as a whole. Unfortunately the only way to truly find out usually just winds up in a big pee'ing contest that serves no real purpose. Having worked retail, I do know that a labeling error on a shipment from a manufacturer could easily cause a recurring problem with exchanges, especially if the person or people pulling the product are unfamilliar with it. In a case like that maybe they should ask somebody more knowledgeable? But I think we as consumers often forget about the sheer volume of work these companies can deal with each day and if something doesn't appear to be a glaring problem how easy it might be to overlook. I often have to remind myself that if I am far from perfect myself.
I've enjoyed the level of experience with everything from gear, to instruction to travel advice I've received from the staff at scuba.com. They have always been easy to deal with for me, quick and if the person (I believe they are all instructors, or at least the people who discuss gear and such are) I have had on the phone has not had my answers often another person on staff at the time has had experience with what I need.
Their return/exchange policies could be a bit more streamlined and easy, but it is their policy to make.
To call their store "mediocre" shows that you've never actually seen it. It's unique in its set up, but rather easy to use. It's clean and spacious. The repair department is nice. Not the best I've seen but easily one of the top few. The same staff you speak to on the phone is who helps you in the showroom. I found Bob and Bill to both be every bit as pleasant and helpful in person as they sound to be on the phone. It doesn't take long to realize that these people know a heck of a lot more about scuba than most of us do.
On the day I visited I saw no less than 4 difference groups of customers come into the store and discuss everything from personal gear packages for a class being taken at a competing store, )with not even an ounce of animosy laden sarcasm nor a single attempt to sway the customer into a class of theirs) to cameras to some gear that I can only describe as light years out of my league (a dive computer that has books to read or video games on it for deco stops?) And amazingly they had the vast majority of the gear being sought after right on site! I watched Bob and Bill both use the same patience and knowledge there in thier store that I've recieved from them over the phone or via emails.
In my dealings with Scuba.com I've only really found 2 things I would see changed. Their free shipping can be confusing until you get the hang of it and how it works. It seems difficult. Either offer free shipping or don't. And more importantly they desperately need some sort of online inventory. Before visiting I often wondered if they had anything at all in stock and just obtained what was ordered to fill sales with. I snuck a peak behind the "Wizards Curtain" (their wharehouse door) and I was surprised to see a very large wharehouse and many, many racks probably 10 feet high or higher all filled with gear. Somebody on the staff mentioned it being in the neighborhood of 10,000 square feet. All I can say was it a pretty impressive "dive shop".
All in all, they are my shop of choice. They've never let me down and I look forward to many future purchases with them.
