LDS vs. INTERNET

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friscospices.com

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BeaverLake Nebraska
What gives? Why such a big price difference in equipment. What does everyone else do? I need my LDS to fill tanks etc. so I dont want to piss them off but lets get real some of the price differences are up to 25% less via internet. Thats a big chunk if your spending 1500 - 2000 dollars. Anyway I would like to here your 2 bits about this subject.
 
Frisco,

There is a tome of discussion on this point on the board.
Just go to the "Search" function and type in "internet" or "leisurepro" or "scubatoys".

That should keep your interests piqued for the next several weeks.

And, by the way, "WELCOME TO THE SCUBABOARD" ! ! ! ! ! !

the K
 
You can do a search on it and find countless threads on the issue.

But you have already grasped the central issue - You need an LDS for air, service, etc. and it's not just that you don't want to tick them off, you also don't want to see them go out of business.

One reason for the higher cost is that they have to pay rent on shop space for a showroom and pay cash up front to stock inventory so that you can come in and see, touch and try on equipment. This is where LDS owners get mad - people come in, look at it, touch it, try it on and generally take advantage of the convenience, expertise and knowledge of the shop and then go buy it for less money on line. They then make it worse by comming back to the LDS when it needs warranty works, arrives improperly set up, or otherwise needs service.

The LDS is in fact the most convenient place to get your equipment set up, adjusted and serviced on an annual basis but LDS has to lay out money to enable them maintain the facilities to provide that level fo service.

Another related issue is that most scuba equipment manufacturers require brick and mortar dive shops to follow dealer agreements that specify minimum advertised prices and sales prices as well as restrict anything other than over the counter sales. This puts LDS owners in a bind as many would love to compete head to head with lower priced internet retailers selling non-warranty supported grey market products but hey are prevente dform doing so by their suppliers. And of course these suppliers make a big show of their committment to stop internet sales of their equipment, but given that 30% of their total sales probably come from internet sales, they don't actually do anything to reduce internet sales.

Local Dive Shops are also usually required by their equipment manufacturers to have scuba instructors on staff as most scuba companies recognize that students usually buy from the shops that trained them. So that adds another layer of overhead to an LDS that an internet retailer does not have support.

So in short, LDS owners charge more because they have to meet expenses related to lower sales volumes and higher overhead costs associated with a higher level of service and/or to comply with dealer agreements. On the plus side, for the extra money a good LDS can provide a much higher level of expertise and personal service than you would ever get from an on-line retailer.

In my experience, many divers go the on-line route, especially early in their careers, and then get wiser later after they get bit by the hidden pitfalls and discover that in the end, you really do not save any money buying on-line.
 
Typically, I will pay 10% over Internet at an LDS, plus sales tax, which means 17% more locally. Anything more than that, I'm all about the internet.

I bought my BC at an LDS recently. The price was fair, but mostly, they helped me find a size, talked to me about some of the differnet BCs and generally spent some time with me. That got them the sale. It really paid off when, as it turned out, the BC was a little too big. I had not gotten it wet yet, so I brought it back and they echanged it on the spot.

On the flip-side. I bought a dive computer and regs from scubatoys. They also spent some time talking to me about the products and gave me a great price. The dive computer had a problem right out of the box, so I called them - they sent out a new computer the same day (at least, I think so - haven't received it yet! :) ) - I've also sent back the old one - very good customer service, IMO.

I think the real key is, if you buy online, at LEAST buy from someone who also has a retail dive shop. IMO, LDS who complain about the internet are missing the boat...I know that thye simply cant sell some products online, but the future is for every brick-mortar shop to also have an e-commerce presence. Those who simply refuse to change are going to get hurt in the long run. Same thing happened in the music industry with MP3s/iTunes/Napster...industry refused to change, so the market changed without them.

/rant off
Jeff
 
I have spent a lot of money on both sides. I just bought my BCD over the internet and saved over $250 bucks as compared to my LDS. But I bought my regs from my LDS doe to the fact that they gave me a big discount plus the annual service of them is easy. I buy a lot of the odds and ends from the internet due to the price savings and the fact that the closest LDS is over 1.5 hours away. I am getting ready to buy some LP steel tanks and I will buy them from my LDS. If you are really into saving money and try the equipment, then take a trip to Key Largo and go to Diver Discount store it is as big as a walmart store and is all diving equipment.
 
I've done on both also, LDS for something you've mentioned and other items like something I wanted to put on and try out, gas fill, maintenance. Online is basically for the price (2 big sales each yr for my LDS) or items that I cannot get locally.
Then one more, ODS, the oversea dive stores.
Some people may like to go for 1 resource only, the service, the trust etc.
I also enjoy those, but I enjoy the other 2 options as well.
 
The LDS will still fill your tank. My thoughts are, if it,s not in stock you have better controll ordering it yourself. Kind of a hard stand but I am tired of waiting forever for items I have ordered through the LDS.
 
Welcome to SB friscospices.com! Like anything, if you do your research you may find good deals at both online and LDS. By the way, nice looking spices!
 
I respectfully have to disagree that internet stores do not have the overhead that the LDS has because the most reputable internet stores (Scubatoys, Dive Sports, Divers Supply, ect..) are an LDS in their own local market and carry the same overhead and then some. These guys are also authourized dealers for everything they sell. I just wish I had one of them as my LDS. It's good to support your local market up to a point but don't get taken for a huge difference. It's not too much to expect business to be competative.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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