Using LDS for a fitting room

[drbill]

Well this is really a tricky question. Have I done this, Yes. Will i buy from that shop if they are within 10-15%, Yes. Will i pay $1000 for a $400 Semi-Dry suit, Hell no....but i will find one to try on to make sure it fits!

These shops get bent because people are buying online, but they wont make themselves more competitive by making a 30% profit instead of a 120% profit. They are taking themselves out of the competition and blaming it on the guys that give customers a fair shake.

I can't speak for all dive shops, but the overhead for brick-and-mortar stores is generally much higher per item and the volume much lower than on-line shops. I think one has to understand this and not get outraged when prices at the LDS are higher. Of course this excludes pricing that truly represents gouging of new divers, but I have no problem with the LDS charging a price that gives them a reasonable profit. After all, I want them to stay in business so I have somewhere to go!

Of course I generally wear my wetsuits until they fall apart (current 3/2mm Tilos is 9 years old) although my Henderson Neosport is a youthful 2 years.

 

[tddfleming]

I really feel like when we start a debate on prices of items and if we would buy from a LDS or online, we are really comparing oranges and apples. As Dr Bill stated, it costs more to run a brick and mortor store-rent, insurance for classes, insurance for when someone kills themselves while trying on a wetsuit, help, training of said help that probably turns over often, upkeep on compressors, all rental equipment, inventory, ele, gas, water, pos system. I don't see why some of us get so upset that someone is making any money from us. Do you work for free??? Do I think you should work for free? No!!! Everyone out there is making money from us for anything we buy. I would not expect a LDS in NYC charge the same for one in BFE. Rents in NYC are sky high which means they have more overhead. I think the mentality of many of us expects free everything, but that is not how life really is. If you want cheap, see if Walmart carries it.

 

[Tortuga68]

Well this is really a tricky question. Have I done this, Yes. Will i buy from that shop if they are within 10-15%, Yes. Will i pay $1000 for a $400 Semi-Dry suit, Hell no....but i will find one to try on to make sure it fits!

These shops get bent because people are buying online, but they wont make themselves more competitive by making a 30% profit instead of a 120% profit. They are taking themselves out of the competition and blaming it on the guys that give customers a fair shake.

Don't they have pricetags at your LDS?

Maybe they insist you try the item on before they'll tell you the price, is that it?

 

[Coral-Reefer]

If the folks spend time with me and they have what I want in their store I will absolutely buy it from them. I generally do research on line then go to the shop if they carry the line(s) I am interested in. If they do have it and I try it there I buy it there. Most of the stuff I have bought on line without trying it out at the shop first is sitting in a box waiting to be ebayed, given away or thrown out. I tend to buy critical stuff from the LDS; regs, wetsuits, fins, masks, BCD's. Accessories I tend to buy on line. But! The closest dive shop to me is over an hour away. If I had one close by I would tend to buy everything from them, assuming they weren't at retail prices for critical stuff. Sure, sell my a net bag or dive plate at list plus but don't make 120-150% off of me for a wetsuit. Of course if there was a shop charging retail plus I wouldn't be going there anyway.

Definitley support your LDS. Let them make some money so they will be there for you.

 

[ReefHound]

As Dr Bill stated, it costs more to run a brick and mortor store-rent, insurance for classes, insurance for when someone kills themselves while trying on a wetsuit, help, training of said help that probably turns over often, upkeep on compressors, all rental equipment, inventory, ele, gas, water, pos system.

False argument, most online retails have a brick n mortar shop and serve as a LDS for their area. Classes, rentals, air fills, service, etc. should be priced so that it does not need to be subsidized by high gear prices. If a shop chooses to subsidize this with gear sales then they have only themselves to blame when they are uncompetitive with shops who do not.

I would not expect a LDS in NYC charge the same for one in BFE. Rents in NYC are sky high which means they have more overhead.

You mean like Leisure Pro?

 

[ReefHound]

I can't speak for all dive shops, but the overhead for brick-and-mortar stores is generally much higher per item and the volume much lower than on-line shops.

I guess this brings us to the old chicken or egg argument. Are the prices higher because the volume is lower, or is the volume lower because the prices are higher?

 

[ReefHound]

Don't they have pricetags at your LDS?

Maybe they insist you try the item on before they'll tell you the price, is that it?

Good point. Actually, most shops I've seen do not have price tags on the bigger ticket items. Even where they do the question arises whether the price tag represents "the price" as it does in a department store or "the starting point" as it does in a car dealership. There seems to be no universal answer. Some shop owners get bent if you try to negotiate their price down and other shop owners whine if you don't "give us the chance to compete" and just walk out when you don't like the price.

 

[tomfcrist]

@Tortuga, there are price tags on some things, and on others there arent. Really depends on how bad they want to gouge you. Usually it goes something like this....Hey guys do you carry #$%^& 5mm wetsuits? Sure do, we have them right here! Costumer looks at price tag and sees he can get it for 40% less through his favorite online retailer....the rest is history.

For real man, you are defending shops that charge 20% over MSRP on gear. Dont hide behind the brick and mortar / higher overhead story that these shops put into your head. Leisure pro has a brick and mortar on 5th avenue in NYC. Every dive shop in the world has the opprotunity to sell gear online....Go get a web designer and quit whining because other shops are out competing you.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Don't they have pricetags at your LDS?

Maybe they insist you try the item on before they'll tell you the price, is that it?

Asking price is not always the same as selling price. Negotiating before you determine if the gear fits is rather a silly idea and even more wasteful of their time.

 

[gypsyjim]

I work in an industry plaugued by internet sale, just as much as any scuba LDS's. It is simply not possible to compete on price alone, when you are offering full service, paying the costs of operating a retail store, and spending time face to face answering customer's questions, when you are competing with an operator who simply fills an order, and ships items out.

I do not even worry about the internet competition, for the most part. There are customers who want the face to face, and full service, and those who shop for price alone. THOSE price only customers pay me a lot of money over time tho, as I am one of the few who can repair their internet treasure when the problems start. I can and do charge more to service items I know came from the internet.


What always amazes me is how brash some people are about it, buying a ring and a loose diamond on the internet, and then coming to me to assemble and adjust their "bargains". So many minor problems that I will simpy take care of for our customers, (often even other local competitor's customer) for free, I charge the internet customer in full for, as they wanted to buy something where service is not a part of the overhead. You get what you pay for. I am NOT the internet operator's service department.