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This whole price thing is not much different than any other industry. Try to buy the microsoft software, same price everywhere, same for Mac, and lots of other stuff. The difference in the scuba market is that it is so small.
Several major manufacturers still are trying to tell the smaller local stores that they do not sell direct to the bigger retailers like Leisure Pro. Fewer and fewer folks believe that.
The larger fully authorized dealers like Scuba.com, Scubatoys.com Diverssupply.com, Diversdirect.com buy at deep discounts and long terms.
The smaller stores buy at a much higher wholesale price and they have a hard time competing, particularly when they have some attitude about the whole online world.
It does seem that more and more of the smaller guys are coming on line and trying to compete in todays market. I wish them all good luck. I hope one of my locals does the same before too long.
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