Using LDS for a fitting room

[tddfleming]

have bought plenty from LP, Scuba.com, Dive Gear Express, just to name a few. However, my best deals came from my LDS. Priced everything between the two and got a much better deal buying from the retail store. My guess would be that LP has a lot of foot traffic combined with people that have the money to spare, combined with their online sales to make up for the lose of not charging full retail, could be wrong also. My biggest issue is just people complaining over too high pricing. Most of that may just be me and hearing it all day when people come in. Much like when I leave here at night, I DO NOT talk on my phone, most of the time my phone is dead or lost or both and I could care less.

 

[Zen1300]

I find it most useful to just have a discussion with the store. I prefer to support local businesses - any kind. But I also like to shop online to save money.

Often a local business can come down in price and offer other incentives that make it work for both of us. Sometimes this does not happen. An online price is just too good, but that happens between brick and mortar stores too. Particularly if there is a closeout item involved.

 

[tomfcrist]

I too can get some pretty solid deals from local LDS's, and like i said will use those LDS's if they are being competitive. I will not however pay double for something for the sake of "Loyalty" or any other reason they can come up with. I'm glad some people here HAVE the money to throw away by paying doulbe for something. Case in point....What incentive do you have to buy a wetsuit for $600 from a LDS when you can get it for $350 online? None, unless the LDS can convince you that the annual service on your wetsuit will be cheaper if you buy it from them.

That last part was sarcasm....just to clarify that for the folks that like to twist sh!t around.

 

[dmoore19]

I voted Never on the poll. As has been pointed out, everybody assigns a value to the service they get from either the LDS or Online. That value varies from person to person. I like the idea of looking and touching what I am getting ready to buy, I assign a value to that, some wouldn't. I also like the idea of buying it and taking it home, that for me has value. I detest the phone systems, PUSH 1 for this and 2 for that, for me there is value in talking face to face with a person. If the bottom line for others is simply price, then there is no value to the things I mentioned for them. For me, using the LDS as a fitting room is low brow. Just my opinion, buy what you want where you want, it's your money spend it as you wish. I know I will.

 

[tddfleming]

I too can get some pretty solid deals from local LDS's, and like i said will use those LDS's if they are being competitive. I will not however pay double for something for the sake of "Loyalty" or any other reason they can come up with. I'm glad some people here HAVE the money to throw away by paying doulbe for something. Case in point....What incentive do you have to buy a wetsuit for $600 from a LDS when you can get it for $350 online? None, unless the LDS can convince you that the annual service on your wetsuit will be cheaper if you buy it from them.

That last part was sarcasm....just to clarify that for the folks that like to twist sh!t around.

Hey, Hey there, no sarcasm here, it will not be tolerated

I do buy my regs, bc, computer and such from my LDS. One thing that I have learned, it that around here I have been told by several of the LDS, that if you buy your regs from the internet and bring them in for service, they will rebuild the whole thing and charge you for it. I do not want to pay that fee over a pissing match. As for wetsuits and such, I do buy them online, and also spend mucho money sending back and forth to get the right fit. I tend to buy the things online that do not need service or will have issues with, boots, wetsuits, lift bags, smb. Now my biggest complaint of LDS is trying to get a price on say tanks. Not sure where the issue is there, but can't seem to get anyone to call me back on prices and when they do, I get some silly comment about spray painted tanks.

 

[eelnoraa]

I have always tried to support my local dive shop, but it is getting difficult. The ridiculous 10% CA sale tax doesn't help either. One example recnetly is for a pair of XS scuba spring strap. My LDS wants $70, add tax, it is $77. DiveGearExpress has it for $55 free shipping no tax. LDS is 40% more. As much as I want to support than, I really cannot justify the extra cost. However, I have never to go a dive ship, try on thiri wetsuit, drysuit .... then go buy online. I feel really bad doing it. The most I have done is to to look at it in person, then buy online.

 

[scubadobadoo]

I see dive shops fleece one guy for msrp or higher and then match prices for another guy all the time. If a shop has a sliding price scale driven by what they think they can get from someone then they have no reason to get mad if a customer tries on a wet suit and doesn't buy it from them. If you act like a used car salesmen then why should you be surprised when you are treated like one?

 

[tddfleming]

One thing that really gets under my skin when shopping the LDS and what could and has lead me to buy someplace else is the hired help that is about a two toed sloth behind the counter. Has no info on classes, has no info on prices, no info and how anything works, I am never sure what he does know. What I do know, is he is a warm body behind the counter that can fog a mirror. Other than that, I hate going into the LDS only to walk out with less info than when I walked in. LDS around here are 45-50 min. away. So that becomes a big waste of my time.

 

[gNats]

I don't believe any women have shouted out on this. And, um, yeah. That's called SHOPPING guys. You know, that THING you HATE doing on a Sunday afternoon?

I'm in the market for a new dress. I know I need a dress. But, I'm not sure what I will like. I go to Macy's. I try on several dresses with the help of a sales associate. I then go to Dillards. And, again a lovely sales associate brings me several dresses. On Monday, an e-flyer comes in from Kohl's and I find a similar dress to the one in Macy's. I go online and I buy it. It qualifies for free shipping and I get the dress not only discounted (it is Kohl's after all) but the email also included a 10% coupon.

Am I wrong for doing this?

From what I can tell, a great many online dive retailers are also Bricks and Mortar. ScubaToys in Texas. DiveRightInScuba out of Illinois. These are traditional SCUBA retailers that have harnessed the power of the Internet and online retails sales. I don't live in either state, but I have bought from both. And, in both instances, I had phone support and incredible customer service. Both retailers will also work with online customers regarding fit. I had fins ordered and sent back to ScubaToys twice after I tried them in a local pool. You lose instant gratification, sure, but, if you are not out for instant gratification, the purchase experience is satisfactory and it works.

I know that there have been people that have gone to look and test drive a new car at Harry's GM on Main but ORDERED the same car from Larry over on South. Why? Larry threw in air freshener and a bug strip.

Competitive SHOPPING has been around for decades. It is not unique to the scuba industry. Would you tell a person who shopped for an HP laptop at Best Buy that he should lose sleep if he buys the same laptop from CompUSA that was cheaper? Is it the online that is problemsome, or is that the person used one to gain knowledge and then used that knowledge to make the best investment?

If retailers feel they are losing business to online sources, then they should hire a web developer to put their product line on their website and allow paypal/mastercard/visa purchases. Market themselves to a greater population than their local dive community. I ordered from DiveRightInScuba after a Google search for replacement SiTech rings.

There are plenty of online retailers that have quality customer satisfaction and will work with you to make the best purchase decision.

It's funny. The same thing happened in the camera industry. All the mom and pop camera outfits went out of business because of online retailers. I always buy my camera accessories online. But, if I wanted to go in to their store, I could. It would take a plane ticket to NYC, but the two stores I order form online are there. Solid buildings. Why, and more importantly, HOW, do they end up with the lion's share of online business and the local guy goes out of business?

I'm sure in some business school think tank, people are trying to solve this puzzle.

 

[gNats]

I see dive shops fleece one guy for msrp or higher and then match prices for another guy all the time. If a shop has a sliding price scale driven by what they think they can get from someone then they have no reason to get mad if a customer tries on a wet suit and doesn't buy it from them. If you act like a used car salesmen then why should you be surprised when you are treated like one?

This is common. I know of two dive shops that will give students a generous discount and not budge on price to other people. And, in a way, that is fair. I don't disagree with that, if it is well known as a student discount or loyal customer savings. But, I think it should be advertised, even if just by counter small talk, so people can make future decisions based on the student or loyal discount savings.