Scuba manufacturers drive to protect their "brand" by controlling every aspect of its sale, rep to customer. Scubapro (for example) will not sell directly to any business other than a FULL SERVICE dive shop. They require pictures and VIN numbers off of compressors for example, and a rep contact. Additionally, they require the dive shop to sign a 2in thick contract that has very specific rules for sales and marketing, resales, and pricing, etc. They require a $10,000.00 "good faith" initial investment or "buy in". The manufacturers do not want to "dilute their brands" by allowing open sales, eBay or other second hand market sales, etc. Part of the way they "encourage" customers to go to dive shops is by withholding warranties to original purchasers and repairs THRU AN APPROVED DIVE SHOP. The other end of the equation is the dive shop, who has signed the contract and plunked down big bugs to be a player. The dive shop does not make money in repairs, fills, or classes. They make money by generating NEW divers, by convincing these new divers they need NEW gear to be safe, and by creating a culture of absolute customer loyalty to belong to the elite gang who taught them to dive. It is a carefully crafted marketing system designed to funnel business directly to the manufacturer, via a well controlled system of dive shops. Most students and divers have NO CLUE why they have to go thru the dive shop, why the pressure to stay with their certifying dive shop, or why there is no warranty or repairs outside of the dive shop.
The new divers are younger, faster, more tech savvy, and less patient. As new generations come into the diving community, and buying shifts to the web, it will be interesting to see how this affects the manufacturer and shop ability to keep a tight (and secretive) hold on the marketplace. Folks like me (
blueorbdiving.com) who want to do business in diving sales are relegated to buying and selling used equipment, and dealing with small upstart manufacturers.
Hope that helps explain "the game". I am sure this post will catch hell for spilling the truth, but it is time! Good luck.
"Be the sea"