Another LDS Experience Gone Sour

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mxracer19

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Pensacola FL
Well this has been said a billion times before. I went down to my LDS in search of a first tank. I have yet to buy regs or a tank, as well as countless little odds and ends. The day I went down to buy my tank, my dad had come with me. That day, he dropped a solid $140 on fins/booties and earlier this year he purchased a mask and snorkel through the same LDS. I was certified through this diveshop, bought my fins booties mask and snorkel throug this diveshop. I planned on getting my AOW and rescue through this shop. This is where I wouldve gotten all of my airfills. NOT ANYMORE!

Several months ago, I had gone to them ready to buy a bcd. They set me up with some pool time(about an hour) and I tested the one I liked. On the advice from the shop, I tested a bp/w. I loved the bp/w and vowed to buy one from them at a rough cost of $650(transplate w/ stuff). Most recently I was provided with the option of buying a plain bp/w with a hogarth harness. no frills, weight pockets or pads, for ~$340. I leave for college at the end of august, just graduated HS, and I have a part-time job. If given the opportunity to spend HALF THE MONEY on a piece of gear, I have no choice if I want to dive. If the price was like $60 difference, I wouldve bought from my LDS...but $300 is just too much for a chunk of steel and an air bubble.

So Im looking at tanks, and the salesperson comes back and we talk for a second or two, and said person asks, "do you have your regulators and bcd yet?" Well honesty is the best policy, so I remarked, Im saving for a set of regs that I saw here but I bought a bp/w from someone on ebay.

WELL...

The person exploded. "alright, I have a huge problem with you trying it in our pool and getting your fitting right, my employees spending hours of precious time with you, and then you going somewhere else. " bla bla bla yada yada yada. So I sat and took it for a good 5 minutes. Person was relentless. Dad ended up buying fins and booties, and Im just going to order my tank off the internet.

Well I do admit that it was a stupid move to try out a bp in their pool and then buy it off the internet, I can sincerly state that at the time that I tested it, I had every intention of buying from them. They were always nice and they had what I wanted. But damnit, noone is going to tell me where I can spend my money, and no one is going to yell at me for buying from another place to save (!!)$300(!!) off one purchase!

Said person was stupid. Plain and simple. Eventually, my dad would have needed a wetsuit, as well as all of his other gear because he was planning on getting certified. By talking down to me as said person did, person turned away easily, $1200 in business. And no, it was NOT hours of pool time. It was maybe 1 hr. And if person isn't hear to serve, then why have a brick and mortar store? If it was me and I had such a huge issue with people trying and buying somewhere else,then I would charge a fee, like $25 to test in my pool. If you buy that piece of gear or a like product from us, you'd get your money back. Simple and safe and youre offering yet another service to the customer.

Such a shame. Out of the 8 dive shops near me, this was the farthest one for me to drive. I only went there because I enjoyed the people and service, as it was by far NOT the cheapest.

Businesses have to learn that consumers are becoming more and more bargain-savvey. The internet is hear to stay, So if you can't beat em, join em. This shop does not have a website, nor are their prices competetive. And noone likes to be yelled at when they're spending money there.


Sorry for the long rant, this kind of thing happens all too frequently.


-Matt
 
in fairness i can see his frustration...when i buy something from the internet, i don't need to go to my lds to check it out, and they generally don't stock it...

if i went and spent time there looking at it and trying it, i'd get it there...

i know there is other circumstances you mentionted...but if you weren't planning on buying the bc at the store the day you tried it on, why waste your time and the sales guys?
 
Was it the same set up as the pool or was it different? If it was the same set up or simlar then he had every right to be upset but his actions where diffently out of order. I use to work sales and had to get out of it as I would get frustrared just like the your sales person did. The difference I would try to safe a future sale from you rather piss you off and drive you out of thier store probally forever.

You still need gear right? That is the sale I would have tried to close. You where buying a tank and your dad was buying his personal gear, right? Well he just lost those future sales. That is not smart business at least in my mind. Your actually nicer then I would have been. I would have not let my dad buy his gear there and left after giving the sales person a piece of my mind.
 
mossym:
in fairness i can see his frustration...when i buy something from the internet, i don't need to go to my lds to check it out, and they generally don't stock it...

if i went and spent time there looking at it and trying it, i'd get it there...

i know there is other circumstances you mentionted...but if you weren't planning on buying the bc at the store the day you tried it on, why waste your time and the sales guys?


"I can sincerly state that at the time that I tested it, I had every intention of buying from them. They were always nice and they had what I wanted."


He didn't waste the sales guys' time. He wanted to buy it there in the first place.. It was very legitimate when he tried it on..
 
MVacc:
"I can sincerly state that at the time that I tested it, I had every intention of buying from them. They were always nice and they had what I wanted."


He didn't waste the sales guys' time. He wanted to buy it there in the first place.. It was very legitimate when he tried it on..

then why not leave with one? they had what he wanted after all? i'm not taking either side on this, i can see both sides frustrations....
 
mxracer19:
The person exploded. "alright, I have a huge problem with you trying it in our pool and getting your fitting right, my employees spending hours of precious time with you, and then you going somewhere else.

Well I do admit that it was a dick move to try out a bp in their pool and then buy it off the internet, I can sincerly state that at the time that I tested it, I had every intention of buying from them.
-Matt

I don't think it was rude to try it out in the pool and not buy it. Like you said, you intended to buy it at one point but something changed your mind. A sale is like any other business negotiation. Of every 15 or 20 deals I've been in discussing potential joint venture, consulting etc etc...maybe one or two actually happen. As a salesman you do the best you can to close the deal. Some happen, some don't. This man has a short life in the sales business if he takes every rejection personally. Did you ask him if the trees in his front yard are full of toilet paper the morning after Halloween? :D Or better yet, take your YZ/KX/CR or whatever you ride, back up to his front door and roost it. (just kidding. Motocross rules. Go Carmichael!!) :D
 
I don't think it was a **** move, if I had every intention of buying something someplace, and later found a better deal, let alone one that would save me hundreds of dollars. Who's the **** for passing up this deal?? The same happened to me when purchasing my BC. I don't feel the least bit guilty for saving myself a couple hundred dollars while still getting my manufacturers warranty, etc.

This happens everyday, it's the way the retail world works, even if you take the internet out of the equation. How many people go into a store and look at an item ask questions, etc. and then wait for it to go on sale whether it be the same store or a different store. How about test driving a vehicle at one dealership and purchasing the vehicle at another that offered a better rebate, package, trade-in value, etc.

It's simply smart shopping.

I'm a new diver and I'm already sick of hearing the LDS, ***** and complain about the internet. I understand that some manufacturers won't allow them to sell their products online, but what about the other 75% of their inventory? Just because their business model blows, and they put the GP% of one sale above volume of sales, is their own problem. If you don't understand how to run a profitable business in today's marketplace, don't whine to me about the evils of internet shopping. Most have websites and just because they don't utilize them to their full potential, I'm supposed to feel a sense of loyalty and spend hundreds of dollars needlessly? That's BULL****. The way to run a successful diveshop nowadays is starring them in the face, they can either **** or get off the pot.

You know what when those manufacturers who don't embrace the internet start losing market share, they may change their tune as well. Grey market, Black market, valid distrubtion, bottom line is units are still leaving their plants and distributorships, do you really think they care. If someone sells and item not covered under warranty, it's to their benefit, no free warranty work, no free parts, no processing of paperwork for registrations, etc. They put up a good front for the LDS's, but that's all it is is a front.

So if spending $300 more on a single item is worth it to you to hear some sea stories from the LDS owner, more power to ya. I'll take my savings and go diving.
 
Have you ever looked at a house and not bought? Have you ever test drove a car you didn't buy? Gone to a shoe store and not bought the shoes you tried on?

If later, that real estate agent/car sales man or shoe salesman had spoken to you like that, would you go back?

The LDS needs to understand that they are in COMPETITION. Not just with internet sales, but local superstores (esp here in FL) and other LDS. The only thing your LDS has to offer over the other types of stores is service. Once they stop offering that, they have nothing to offer.
 
shark.byte.usa:
I don't think it was a **** move, if I had every intention of buying something someplace, and later found a better deal, let alone one that would save me hundreds of dollars. Who's the **** for passing up this deal?? The same happened to me when purchasing my BC. I don't feel the least bit guilty for saving myself a couple hundred dollars while still getting my manufacturers warranty, etc.

This happens everyday, it's the way the retail world works, even if you take the internet out of the equation. How many people go into a store and look at an item ask questions, etc. and then wait for it to go on sale whether it be the same store or a different store. How about test driving a vehicle at one dealership and purchasing the vehicle at another that offered a better rebate, package, trade-in value, etc.

It's simply smart shopping.

I'm a new diver and I'm already sick of hearing the LDS, ***** and complain about the internet. I understand that some manufacturers won't allow them to sell their products online, but what about the other 75% of their inventory? Just because their business model blows, and they put the GP% of one sale above volume of sales, is their own problem. If you don't understand how to run a profitable business in today's marketplace, don't whine to me about the evils of internet shopping. Most have websites and just because they don't utilize them to their full potential, I'm supposed to feel a sense of loyalty and spend hundreds of dollars needlessly? That's BULL****. The way to run a successful diveshop nowadays is starring them in the face, they can either **** or get off the pot.

You know what when those manufacturers who don't embrace the internet start losing market share, they may change their tune as well. Grey market, Black market, valid distrubtion, bottom line is units are still leaving their plants and distributorships, do you really think they care. If someone sells and item not covered under warranty, it's to their benefit, no free warranty work, no free parts, no processing of paperwork for registrations, etc. They put up a good front for the LDS's, but that's all it is is a front.

So if spending $300 more on a single item is worth it to you to hear some sea stories from the LDS owner, more power to ya. I'll take my savings and go diving.


excellent points..and i agree...but i also think if you want the savings, you need to give up something, i.e. the ability to go try it on in a pool and see who it works..that's extra over what you get online, so you pay more...or at least that's the way i see it..
 

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