The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[waterdogs]

I keep coming back to this because this thread is really starting to and has been interesting.

How Much? Back to supporting my LDS, I would for $50-75 more than the online price, but not more than $100. When I see a LDS sell the same BC'D for $600 and online it's $420, that just tells me Im an idiot if I want to buy it there. That LDS, who i may visit a couple times a year has not given me an additional $180 worth of value for purchasing that item there.

I understand bottom line, break even, etc. and I do wish I could support my LDS on a 100% basis, if you look at my previous post you can see by the money i've spent, I HAVE.

But I still have my future wife's bc and reg's to purchase, either buy online and save $500-600 or buy at my LDS. I could use that $500-600 for a dive trip to try out that new equipment.

If the LDS was between $75-$150 within online price on package I would, but they are $510 off.

What would you do?

waterdogs

 

[Dee]

Murdock....your changes have been made!

 

[MNScuba]

Great, thank you! Much better.

 

[dvleemin]

It seems to me that the bad guys in all of this is the manufacturers. They are responsible for creating a situation where an LDS is paying more for their products than some online stores are selling them retail. Thats ridiculous. Unfortunately I think the only solution to this was if all the LDS's basically stood up to the manufacturers and forced them to play fair - and thats not going to happen.

My personal view on this is I would happily pay increased prices for servicing and instruction at my LDS. But I won't pay double for the same equipment. Here in Edmonton we have 4 dive shops, 2 of which are not great. And all of them have extremely high prices. I would love to be able to buy everything there, but the cost difference is just to high. In this case, the prices in town are even much higher than else where in Canada.

Ferrara has made some really good comments on this thread, and I really feel for him. I think that eventually something drastic is going to have to happen to this industry. Who knows what though. . .

Darryl

 

[SpyderTek]

Ok, I can accept the idea that there are liabilities and such with a LDS sellign their own warrenty for equipment they arent authorized dealers for. And so, not being authorized dealers aren't authorized service stations for said equipment. I'm sure you can get insurance covering these types of sevices. Don' knwo what the overhead might be though.

However, lets assume I have the expertise to maintain my own regulator and chose not to trust my annual service check / rebuild to someone else. (I am talking about somethin that I rely on to keep me alive here after all). How would I go about getting the parts and service manuals for my own equipment? If I CAN get this material then I don't see what is preventing my LDS from doing the same and if I CAN'T get this information I think we are talking about some sort of violation of anti-trust or better business rules or SOMETHING.

I mean, I don't service my own car but I definately COULD if I wanted to.

Dunno, I just definately see another business model here than either of the models taht are being offered by the Manf./Dist. OR the Online people. Wish I had the money / skills to try it out.

Businessly,

Spydertek

 

[flash]

Ferrara,

I understand what you are saying, but the only rule that is relevant is that the customer is always right. If you charge double the price for an identical item, I will always buy it elsewhere. If what you are selling is not identical, then you have to do something to set it apart, to show why it is worth double.

Somebody somewhere is able to make a profit charging much less than the LDS. I don't know why and I don't care as long as I am sure it is legitimate and it is the same piece of equipment.

There will always be a demand for tank fills, classes, trips, and servicing. Maybe the price of those will go up in order for the LDS to survive. Maybe like some people have said, the LDS will stop selling gear altogether, maybe not. I know lots of people who still take their car to the dealer for service.

 

[treble]

Might also be good to ask how many check prices on line. I've bought plenty of things on line, but no dive equipment so far - I've wanted to touch and feel the goods, try them on and test them.

 

[DiverInAk]

This thread has been great at bringing out some new points over the old LP vs's the LDS discussions in the past. There are also more participants, many of whom obviously have seen the monetary benifit of buying over the Internet or through Catalogs.

I feel for the shop owners, but I fear a reduction in quality of good sold.

I know that in my business, when the PC clones hit the streets it changed the market for good. Margins went down, and so did quality in many sectors. However in the end it was good for the consumer, and the manufacturers that wanted to stay in business had to set themselves apart.

As a system integrator, we sell hardware and software, but the margin is so small it's not worth it for our volume. However it does support our real bread and butter, and that's service.

Now I don't want to see PADI instructors charging $100.00 an hour either, sorry guys/gals. But there has to be some middle ground and the manufacturers certainly have a LOT to do with it.

We have only two LDS's and one is a multi-sport store, selling bikes, skis, snowboards, clothing, in-line skates etc.. That's what keeps him going. How does the other shop survive? Good question and it remains to be seen how long it does.

Here's a question, should I pay $500.00 for a PST AquaAir Pro 104 that's been sitting in his shop for over a year? That's the price marked and he would rather sit on it than sell it for less. Go figure. If I buy on line and ship it, I'm still $200 to the good. I'd rather put the $200.00 to service at his shop or towards a DM class or something. So he fails to move the inventory, make a some margin and then still get the money I saved by returning for service. Beats me.

 

[trymixdiver]

I have mixed feelings about this topic. I supported my LDS for years, never got anything outside of them. I got them to get all my tech equipment, which they didnt carry in stock. I paid alot of money, but i felt good about it and i was very happy with my LDS employees. I never questioned the prices ( my fault) because i trusted them to treat me fairly, after all i had spent 5 to 6 thousand dollars on tech equipment there. I was planing to dive Lake Tahoe on a regular basis ( 35 degrees F below 50 feet ) so i ordered a FFM, an Aga mask. After i had it for a few months i found out i way way way over charged. I was very upset that my LDS was raping me after all the $ i spent there over the yrs. So i say if they are $50 dollars more no big deal but anything above that and they are not getting my business!!!!

just for the record they charged me $875.00 for the aga. I later bought another from a different store for $320.

Yes i should have checked around but, the actions of this LDS in bending me over so to speak was unacceptable.

 

[Ferrara]

Spydertek,
To get parts and service manuals you would have to know someone who was a dealer who was willing to sell to you. The manufacturer will not sell them to a non-dealer. Certainly the competition won't seel service parts to me. I will check the dealer contracts to see if it is forbiden contractally. I do know instructors with the connections to obtain parts and manuals.

As for the prices on the viper and the apeks. I don't sell either one. I did sell Apex when Zeagle didtributed them.