I'm just curious, has anyone every run into problems with their primary lds when they make purchases else where? Such as bad attitude, different treatment from other folks that frequent the store that strictly do business there. I'm not talking about the apparent age old debate of online shopping versus lds, I'm talking about if you do most of your diving and certifying through one lds but maybe your not a big fan of the brands of equipment they sell or just prefer another brand or find something used at a pawn shop and when they find out, they necessarily come right out and say it, but they let you know in other ways that they don't like that. I haven't had this problem myself as of yet, but I've heard of some who have in our area and I was just wondering if this is a general practice with dive shops. So fill us in on your experiences.
runvus4
April 23rd, 2003, 10:25 AM
Never had that problem. I really doubt many people would have such an experience without unthinkingly (and possibly unknowingly) flauting the purchase, requesting some sort of service for that purchase or otherwise antagonizing the LDS about it such as pumping them hard for information/tryouts and then taking the purchase elsewhere after using the LDS' services/time. LDS' may not be happy to lose sales, but the ones that are still in busines usually know better than to chase off the business that they do get.
kd5izq
April 23rd, 2003, 10:30 AM
That was basically my thoughts as well. Like I say, I've not run into this, but I've talked to a few that have and I just really wanted to get the thoughts and experiences of those on the board in regards to this.
Northeastwrecks
April 26th, 2003, 09:24 PM
I first started divng out of my current LDS when my wife took their certification course. I was speaking with the owner about the gear I owned at that time.
He politely asked if he could have a shot at my business. I started with a new tank and haven't stopped since.
Periodically, I'll want something that he doesn't stock or in a model that I don't like. If he can't get what I want, then I go elsewhere. He's cool with that since I gave him the chance. Of course, its usually something small.
I'm lucky, however. The LDS owner goes out of his way to service his customers. He picked up Halcyon and DUI distributorships because people in the shop wanted it.
My old LDS, on the other hand, can be problematic. I need to go there for some reg service. The first time I brought my singles reg in with a long hose and an Apeks backup, he told me that I'd screwed up the regulator. Eventually, he came around, but I really don't enjoy going there.
Jonathan
April 27th, 2003, 09:19 AM
but I always give them first shout - if they can't supply or come up with a suitable alternative at a competetive price the usually mutter but know my business is worth hanging on to.....
Jonathan
nk5
May 3rd, 2003, 01:50 PM
Loyalty seems to be a big deal with most dive shops. Some take it personally if they see you with a piece of equipment or even a minor accessory that was purchased from another shop.
My LDS has been cool so far. He understands that no shop can carry every single brand and the customer has the right to buy stuff elsewhere.
washow88
May 3rd, 2003, 05:52 PM
No, never, they are cool about it.
My LDS knows that I do business with them for certifications and trips.
I purchased my gear online and they service them annually without any problem.
I guess they figured it out; I can take my gear somewhere else for service.
ColdH20diving
May 3rd, 2003, 06:06 PM
My LDS is right next door to where I work, he gets 99% of my business. He carries everything from basic beginner gear to techincal equipment. Once I got to know him, he allowed me to set up an interest free account. My dive buddy and I walked in one day and each bought about $800.00 worth of OMS gear, didn't put a penny down. His prices are the lowest in the area, so we have the best of both worlds, great prices and 0 interest.
caymaniac
May 3rd, 2003, 06:28 PM
I just returned from the LDS. I'm mad:upset: . I was asking him about a Suunto computer (vyper), since we are going on a trip and my wifes primary computer is about to die, I asked about the cost of renting one, he says " 120.00 per week" , Ill be gone for three, I say "how about one week rate, and we'll see if we like it", he says no, and "you should have booked the trip through me", I say "I would have liked to but you were $800. higher than I could get off the net" ,he says "that's my price", I say "that's $1600. dollars, I can't afford to give money out like that, that is another dive trip"!, he says that's my price, I say "it took me an hour to drive here, I want to do business with you", he says," that's my price".
I left, I'll be buying from LP. What advantage is it for him to try to stick it to me like that? :doctor:
All the more reason to shop on the net.
Caymaniac
Bob
May 3rd, 2003, 09:07 PM
Caymanic,
You didn't do one thing I would have done before I left. I would have invited this guy to kiss my :moon: :tree: Bob
Northeastwrecks
May 3rd, 2003, 09:41 PM
Int
Spray25
May 3rd, 2003, 11:19 PM
Are you sure you didn't make a wrong turn and end up at MY LDS?
kd5izq
May 6th, 2003, 12:02 AM
This post has gotten alot of great responses with some real world reasons why some people feel this way about certain LDS's. I for one am very lucky, we hav a great LDS and they will get most all of my business as far as I'm concerned, but I was mostly curious to see if others had the same problems as some of the folks from our outlying areas here have had. Thanks for all the stories. As far as that paticular LDS is concerned, I think I'd find another LDS as soon as possible, because with an attitude like that I wouldn't think that he would last very long. But that's just my opinion.
z28pwr
May 6th, 2003, 10:32 AM
I bought some stuff from the local LDS where I'm getting certified through but I couldn't afford to buy everything there, it was just not reasonable. They wanted 180 for my fins and 180 for my girfriends fins when LP had them for $99 that's $160 dollars I saved by buying them from LP. That's almost a new regulator.
I know they have to make some money since they are paying rent and employees but if you are 50-80% higher then online then there is a problem.
I purchased $1,100 dollars worth of equipment from LP which would have costed me over 2K at my LDS.
I'll still try to support my LDS by buying the small stuff from them.
chiara
May 6th, 2003, 10:49 AM
The shop (PADI) I used to go for my refills (with pre-paid refills' card) is just about working on its 5* rate.
When I started looking for AI, IDC and IE I obviously had to look somewhere else.
My current Course Director is also the shop owner.
I have to drive there half an hour compared to the former 15 minutes (out of town vs. downtown Brussels), but since I have to go there anyway for the course it doesn't really matter.
Since starting AI I've bought a pair of gloves, booties and regularly fill my tank there.
I'm seriously thinking about changing my BCD, guess where I'm inclined to look?
During pool sessions we get free use of tanks and free refills.
This is not the case with the other shop, and I know it for sure, because we attend two different pools, one with the Course Director's club, the other with our local club (where only Open Water students get tanks for free, hey, I'm a student as well :upset: ).
plsdiver4377
May 6th, 2003, 12:58 PM
So far my primary shop has been good to deal with (there are 4 within a 40 min drive). They have been very understanding about the fact they don't always carry what I'm looking for, so of cousre I will buy it elsewhere.
The biggest problem I have is with the owner of 2 of the shops (2 different towns), he's way to pushy even to the point of saying equipment he used to sell is bad unless it happens to be what he sells now. I realize he's trying to make a living, but he won't do it on my dime with that kind of attitude.
The only other problem is getting Nitrox fills since 3 shops use Partial Pressure and my primary LDS uses the Membrane system. Therefor all of my tanks have to have a Nitrox sticker on the regardless of whether filled that way or not.
Cheers
lawofgravity
May 6th, 2003, 09:58 PM
From a different angle.
For the last two months, I've been slowly putting together my equipment. I've snuck into four different dive shops to get the feel for the stuff I want to get. All of them have been great and very helpful. So how do I repay them? I get my reg set from a dealer in Ontario, Canada, a BCD and a Vyper from ebay. In total, I figured to save around $800 Canadian, which will be used to get a drysuit sometime in the summer. My bank account is still in the black, but I feel horrible using the LDS's especially since the diving economy here has been extremely slow for the past two years. I figured I'll repay them by taking some speciality courses with them, but then again, that's not much of a revenue generator.
Spray25
May 6th, 2003, 11:28 PM
lawofgravity once bubbled...
From a different angle.
For the last two months, I've been slowly putting together my equipment. I've snuck into four different dive shops to get the feel for the stuff I want to get. All of them have been great and very helpful. So how do I repay them? I get my reg set from a dealer in Ontario, Canada, a BCD and a Vyper from ebay. In total, I figured to save around $800 Canadian, which will be used to get a drysuit sometime in the summer. My bank account is still in the black, but I feel horrible using the LDS's especially since the diving economy here has been extremely slow for the past two years. I figured I'll repay them by taking some speciality courses with them, but then again, that's not much of a revenue generator.
Interesting story. You are correct, that was not very nice. I would not have done that. I have been careful to not use an LDS's time if I do not plan to buy from them. I do not encourage this practice at all. However, I will say that it is an inherent risk in any business that you may spend time with a customer, time that you deem valuable, only to have them buy somewhere else.
The client that did not buy from you was obviously missing something he wanted. Most (but not all) recognize that there is more to value than price alone. There is service also. The balance between price and service is diferrent for every customer though and you will not get them all. If an LDS refuses to discount at all then he is not going to sell to very many people that do there own research and simply are looking for a competitive price.
Lawofgravity, are you by chance affiliated with an LDS?
lawofgravity
May 7th, 2003, 01:25 PM
No, I'm not affiliated with an LDS. However, because I'm in most of these shops quite often, I'm pretty much recognized whenever I walk in the front door, so much so that I usually stay an hour or two at a time, chitchatting not only about equipment, but what dives I've been doing and what dives they've been doing. For the most part they lay off the sales pitch. That's why I feel guilty about not buying MAJOR equipment from them. But like most people here, I can't justify spending twice the amount at an LDS. We live in a free market society and we certainly have the right to spend our hard earned cash where we want to. I fear though, that if the LDS and the dive companies don't get together to remedy the situation, stores will be going out of business left, right and centre.
