I just bought a BC from TommyDSports and I've had problems almost from day one. First, I ordered a Men's Large BCD for $160. A few days later, the BC arrives, but they had sent me Women's Large BCD. So, in order to exchange it, I spent $14 to ship it back, plus a $12 check to cover the shipping for the correct BC. I received the BC a week later, only to discover that the web strap that crosses in front of the cummerbund is missing. The plastic buckles and fittings are there, just no strap. I sent an email to TommyDSports explaining the problem and they act as if they don't know what I'm talking about. I sent pictures and several emails trying to make the problem clear. Now they just don't answer the emails. I eventually gave up and just bought some nylon webbing to make my own strap.
Today, I tried to mount the BC to a tank and found that the band is not long enough to encircle the tank. I believe I would be hard pressed to even mount a pony on it. There isn't even enough band there to adjust. Faced with the prospect of spending another $26 for another exchange with no guarantee that the next BC would be any better, I decided to forget trying any further contact with TommyDSports and I've ordered a new tank band from LP and will swap it out myself.
To be fair, the BC itself is a very well made product. Also, when they sent me the replacement BCD, they enclosed a nice carry bag, I suppose in partial compensation for sending me the wrong BC the first time.
However, what with the extra shipping charges and purchases I've had to make, I now have $230 in a BC that was originally $159.95.
I have two TommyDSports wetsuits and a couple pairs of boots that I like and have no problems with. But I'm not so sure that I will be dealing with them in the future.
syntaxerrorsix
October 12th, 2010, 03:47 PM
I like those walk in places where you normally get fills :)
diver 85
October 12th, 2010, 03:57 PM
Hey-----everyone has to make a profit----somehow??.....Thanks for the headsup, I saw them online one time & wasn't too impressed by them....If you paid by CC, dispute the deal & DO NOT pay em.....
cmburch
October 12th, 2010, 04:17 PM
Their mistake. Why are you not being reimbursed for shipping? Some companies will only reimburse if you keep on asking them.
Tell them you are not satisfied with the poor customer service and inability to send the correct complete item. Ask them how to request a full refund of all funds and how to return. Return the item and do not deal with them again. Do not use e-mail. Continue phone calls and letters until satisfied. Call credit card company and ask about how to deal with it.
Garrobo
October 12th, 2010, 04:18 PM
I've dealt with them several times and have had nothing but satisfactory dealings.
commm
October 13th, 2010, 04:24 AM
amazoning.
psychocabbage
October 13th, 2010, 12:01 PM
I mainly stick with the bigger names when dealing in online purchases.
I would not of agreed to pay for the shipping and would of demanded a cross ship so they can send me the item first and I could then use their packing and thier return label to ship it back.
On the other side, I would wonder what kind of quality there is in a $160 BC that was not made properly or had quality control issues.
xjeslesx
October 13th, 2010, 12:26 PM
$160 seems really cheap for a BC. Kind of makes me question the quality. As a piece of life sustaining gear I would shell out a few extra bucks to get something I know will keep me alive.
Paladin
October 13th, 2010, 12:56 PM
As far as the quality of the BC itself, it is a well made piece of gear. The material is heavy duty and the seams are solidly put together. The issue has been with the missing belt webbing and the tank band, both of which I have solved myself. If I had any doubts about the quality and reliabilty of the BC itself, I would send it back and demand a total refund. As it is, I like the BC. It's the way TDS is handling the whole matter that bugs me.
As far as the price, I only paid $150 each for the TUSA BCs that I bought from LP for my sons last year and they are really nice BCs.
Paladin
October 13th, 2010, 12:59 PM
$160 seems really cheap for a BC. Kind of makes me question the quality. As a piece of life sustaining gear I would shell out a few extra bucks to get something I know will keep me alive.
A BC is not life support equipment. It's a convenience.
ScubaSteve
October 13th, 2010, 01:02 PM
I am confused by the tank straps.....have you actually looked at the straps? I am not trying to be a smartass but usually there is some material tied up in loops that will allow for either expansion to fit bigger tanks or smaller for smaller tanks.....maybe it is looped between the BC and the plastic tank plate :dontknow:.....I just do not believe that anybody makes a BC with straps that are so small they won't even fit a pony.......if you can figure that out it may save you the purchase cost of the extra straps.
halocline
October 13th, 2010, 05:15 PM
$160 seems really cheap for a BC. Kind of makes me question the quality. As a piece of life sustaining gear I would shell out a few extra bucks to get something I know will keep me alive.
Good one! Who taught you to say that, your LDS salesman?
Doc Harry
October 13th, 2010, 06:23 PM
Sorry to hear about your experience.
If a company sends me the wrong item, I always insist that they arrange to have UPS pick it up at my house at their expense.
If they won't, then I send a letter informing them I am contacting my credit card company for a refund, and they can have their item returned to them as soon as they make arrange for UPS to come pick it up.
I had a similar experience with AIRTEX, a scuba compressor store when I bought my compressor. I ordered a very heavy part that cost about $70 to ship, plus insurance. They sent the wrong part, but insisted that I pay for the return shipping AND then pay for shipping a third time to have to correct part shipped.
I simply refuse to put up with that B.S.
Paladin
October 13th, 2010, 07:20 PM
I am confused by the tank straps.....have you actually looked at the straps? I am not trying to be a smartass but usually there is some material tied up in loops that will allow for either expansion to fit bigger tanks or smaller for smaller tanks.....maybe it is looped between the BC and the plastic tank plate :dontknow:.....I just do not believe that anybody makes a BC with straps that are so small they won't even fit a pony.......if you can figure that out it may save you the purchase cost of the extra straps.
Yes, I checked the tank strap over thoroughly. With the "loop" extended to its full length, it was still too short to go around the tank. Besides, when it was stretched all the way out, it was past any possibility of engaging the velcro. The strap was just cut way too short at the factory.
ScubaSteve
October 13th, 2010, 08:05 PM
Wow. That is ridiculous. :turd: happens but I cannot think of any good reason for the seller to not correct that.
diver 85
October 14th, 2010, 04:16 PM
A BC is not life support equipment. It's a convenience.
Well why buy 1 in the 1st place----Mike Nelson never used one..Oh that's right, he was a man......:D...just a couple straps was all he used....
http://www.scubatampa.com/images/hosecutter1.jpg
alibi 2
October 15th, 2010, 12:00 AM
I would never buy anything as important for safety as a BCD online...i know you get a deal but $160 is way too cheap a deal on a BC..that should have been a clue..
When i first got certified in '74 there was no internet to buy off of...and i didnt have a lot of money so i had to figure out what order to buy with the money i had...I paid primo and bought the highest quality i could afford ..and i took very good care of what i got...i have never regretted that decision. Any problems i had was handled right away by the shop i bought from. I still have the first pair of fins i bought and the first regulator...both are still in great shape.
When you by online it really is a crap shot...if all is good your fine ...if not ...oh, well!!
alibi 2
October 15th, 2010, 12:02 AM
Good one! Who taught you to say that, your LDS salesman?
Wow ,,i didnt even read this before i posted the exact same thing...shocking response from a DM who would know better..
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 12:58 AM
Well. the tank band I ordered from LP came in today. It took about a half hour to swap out the bands. The BC is now in full working order. I really can't complain about the quality of the BC itself. It's well put together and is weight integrated. My only complaint is with the sales department at TommyDSports. I had to solve my problems myself with no help from them.
Alibi2: I dived for many years without a BC. When I began diving in the mid '60s, we didn't have them. I didn't even own one until last year. I still don't use one underwater, but they are a nice convenience on the surface. With proper weighting, a BC is not necessary underwater. You may think of a BC as being life support and necessary for safety, but for myself, I see them as a nice convenience; a luxury. I still dive sometimes wearing only a pair of cutoffs, a tee shirt, a steel 72 on a campac with a double hose regulator and J valve. No BC, no wetsuit and, frequently, no SPG. I don't even need any weight using that configuration. Lately, I have been buying some of the modern bells and whistles, but they are for convenience sake. Should any of these luxury items fail, I can continue my dive unimpeded.
ScubaSteve
October 15th, 2010, 07:23 AM
I would never buy anything as important for safety as a BCD online...i know you get a deal but $160 is way too cheap a deal on a BC..that should have been a clue.
Really.....that is funny because I purchased my BC from LP's Ebay store 7 years ago and never looked back. I have never regretted that decision ;). Sounds like the ending to your story. Online is not the big bad evil that people make it out to be.
When you by online it really is a crap shot...if all is good your fine ...if not ...oh, well!!
Buying from one of the big online stores is no different than buying from your LDS. In fact, many of them are B&M LDS stores to many people. LP has been around longer than some of the shops I have around me. What does that tell you?
You can (and will) run into just as many issues with buying from your LDS as you will from buying from a large online retailer IMO.
Scuba.com
October 15th, 2010, 01:17 PM
Very sorry to hear of your issues with another retailer regarding that bcd. The whole thing sounds like it wasn't handled very well at all which can be frustrating. The entire experience, whether buying in your LDS or Online is all about FUN! That is all too often forgotten.
Okay, shameless plug time, although that isn't my intent here. ;) I agree with much of what has been said about beware when buying and supporting what ever store or type of store you need to support. Even though I'm working at Scuba.com at the moment. Any this isn't meant to open up a LDS vs. Web Store discussion as it's been discussed to death on this board over the years. And it's not a This Store vs. That Store thing either.
But you cannot simply dismiss buying online because SOME stores don't do a great job. I've been in many retail stores (not only scuba) where I walk out realizing I've just wasted 30 minutes of my life that I'll never get back. And I dare say I've visited many dive shops over the years that were run by people who thought it'd be "fun" to own or work in a dive shop as opposed to having a clue about owning or running a business. How these retailers survive boggles the mind.
Nor can you dismiss the person online or on the phone's experience, knowledge or ability to fit you in the correct piece of gear. Using myself as an example. I've been at this since the late 70's. Am an instructor for a few agencies (simply because opportunities presented themselves) and earned a Course Director rating for one. I've worked in, managed, and owned various scuba related businesses since the late 70's. I've spent time as the Technical Director for a couple of the major manufacturers. Basicly I trained the technicians fixing the gear in your local dive shop and then fixed the gear they couldn't figure out.
And while I'm NOT saying I'm the best, smartest, most experienced or even best looking instructor in the sport or online I am 100% positive that I can fit you into the correct piece of gear based on YOUR needs and not my daily sales total every time you call OR am capable of telling you why I can't and giving you advice on your next step in your search. Coming from the manufacturing side of the industry I have great insight into what the engineers and designers are thinking when they make a piece of gear and how that relates into how the item should fit or work for you.
And I know that I'm not unique in what I do. I have met some of my peers and even visited a couple of the well known online retailers besides our store and know they are sincere and knowledgable as well. The key to shopping online successfully is no different than shopping at a local retailer. Give us a call. Chat us up a bit. See if you get a feel for what we do in a positive manor. None of us are perfect and everybody is different.
I'm all for supporting the store that suits your fancy for what ever reason you hold dear to your heart, but don't dismiss an entire of the industry because based on the performance of a few.
sabbath999
October 15th, 2010, 02:04 PM
With all due respect, the only online store I have ever had consistently bad problems with was scuba.com.
I still have a box full of spring straps I can't use sitting here because I got tired of the expense of shipping them (and NONE of it was my fault, they didn't send the size I ordered, they supply me with proper return shipping so I ended up doing it on my nickle, they shipped me yet another order the wrong size, but this time the straps in the package were not even the same size (on was long and one was short), called them back, the guy basically called me a liar on the phone... so I am done with them, period.
I had a really terrible customer service experience with scuba.com but that hasn't stopped me from shopping with scubatoys or occasionally LP when they are the only ones that can get what I want... mostly I get my stuff from one of two LDS's though or from Cave Adventures who I consider a LDS because that's where I get my fills when I am diving in their area.
parzdiver
October 15th, 2010, 02:37 PM
Well. the tank band I ordered from LP came in today. It took about a half hour to swap out the bands. The BC is now in full working order. I really can't complain about the quality of the BC itself. It's well put together and is weight integrated. My only complaint is with the sales department at TommyDSports. I had to solve my problems myself with no help from them.
Wow - you had quite an issue there. First, THEY screwed up and should have paid all additional shipping. They should have then corrected the problems you had.
The biggest problem you have is that you have a no-name BC made for a company that has failed to support you as a customer. Having no idea where the BC was actually made, I would not trust its construction at all and would be looking for a refund. If anything goes wrong with it, you are on your own because they have already proven they won't support you.
I have made many purchases from LDS and on-line retailers. All have been great and supported me. Leisurepro in particular allowed me to exchange things when they arrived and weren't what I wanted (not their fault). In addition to getting great support from the retailer, I buy brands I have researched and seem to support their users. No-name when it comes to clips and small flashlights is one thing, no-name BC or reg or other essential gear? I wouldn't do it.
Scuba.com
October 15th, 2010, 03:14 PM
Sabbath999,
I'm sorry to hear of your troubles and obvious mis-communication here. There's no reason you should be footing the shipping bill on an error like that. All you need do is shoot an email to returns@scuba.com and tell them Bob told you to request a Fed Ex return lable and I'll see it's taken care of for you.
Nobody's perfect, and I'm the first to admit try as we might we fall into that as well.
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 03:23 PM
Here is the BC I bought, along with some info about the manufacturer and dealers who sell it:
BCD products, buy BCD products from alibaba.com (http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/252063811/BCD.html)
ScubaSteve
October 15th, 2010, 03:26 PM
Here is the BC I bought, along with some info about the manufacturer and dealers who sell it:
BCD products, buy BCD products from alibaba.com (http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/252063811/BCD.html)
It is starting to make more sense as to why they were capable of screwing up the tanks bands.....
parzdiver
October 15th, 2010, 04:04 PM
Here is the BC I bought, along with some info about the manufacturer and dealers who sell it:
BCD products, buy BCD products from alibaba.com (http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/252063811/BCD.html)
I firmly believe that quality product can be produced in many places in the world, but you are showing a link to a global sales web site, not a manufacturer with documentation, customer service, or a phone number. That just doesn't give me confidence.
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 06:55 PM
The manufacturer is listed in a box on that page. The man. is Aujasen, of China. The way things are marketed these days, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out that a lot of the name brand gear on the market comes from that same factory.
halocline
October 15th, 2010, 07:45 PM
Wow ,,i didnt even read this before i posted the exact same thing...shocking response from a DM who would know better..
No, what's shocking is that you, a supoposed 'dive professional' would be so clueless about dive safety to equate purchase price with safety, to equate online purchase with lack of safety, and to think that proper recreational dive training involves life-dependency on a BC.
Garth
October 15th, 2010, 08:41 PM
Haha. That's hilarious. $160.
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 09:00 PM
What is so hilarious? That I refuse to pay the ridiculosly over-inflated prices some places want for gear? The issue is not with the BC itself. Other than the missing web belt (easily installed) and the short tank band (also easily replaced) the BC is well made. The issue is with the sales dept. at TommyDSports and their unwillingness to solve a problem which was not of my doing.
ScubaSteve
October 15th, 2010, 09:03 PM
Who is TommyDSports in relation to the BC?
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 09:06 PM
Who is TommyDSports in relation to the BC?
TommyDSports sells dive gear under their name. The gear is purchased from Asian manufacturers (the same ones that make gear for other companies that rebrand them) and rebranded under the TommyDSports name. The BC I have is also sold under the Scubamax logo at a higher price.
TommyDSports is a reseller.
ScubaSteve
October 15th, 2010, 09:09 PM
Where is TommyDSports located? Are they B&M as well as online?
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 09:12 PM
They're in Hudson, FL. They have a warehouse there and I suppose they sell directly to walk-ins as well as online.
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 09:18 PM
When it comes down to it, I still have a good BC for a decent price. It just irritates me that TDS ignored my requests for help in solving what was essentially THEIR problem.
halocline
October 15th, 2010, 09:28 PM
And the moral of the story is:
BUY A BACKPLATE/WING!!! :D
ScubaSteve
October 15th, 2010, 09:29 PM
Agreed. This was TommyD's issue to resolve but they made it your problem when they refused to cooperate. You have done that with a financial set back. If what you got now works, I would suggest continuing to fight for resolution with them but go out and enjoy it as much as you can.
Marek K
October 15th, 2010, 10:16 PM
Haha. That's hilarious. $160.
Not at all. My wife, son, and I each have a Triple-L BC that cost $160 new in 2004 and 2005, not that long ago. And our daughter is using a Triple-L BC that cost about $100 back then. All made in Vietnam, and the quality is excellent.
The company is now called ScubaL, but unfortunately they started putting bells and whistles on and their prices suddenly jumped by about 100% -- now right in line with name-brand BCs. And they, too, apparently manufacture BCs for other, recognized companies.
Paladin
October 15th, 2010, 10:30 PM
And the moral of the story is:
BUY A BACKPLATE/WING!!! :D
I actually do have a BP/W. It's a Dive Rite BP with a Dive Rite Classic Wing. I use them with my double 72s with a USD center tap manifold and my PRAM.
halocline
October 15th, 2010, 11:32 PM
So you did upgrade your DA to a PRAM? Weren't you the guy that was thinking about that a while back? Congratulations, it's a big difference, isn't it?
My BP comment was a joke, but seeing as how you have one, why not just get an oxycheq mach V wing or a DR travel wing and you're done. I've seen those travel EXP wings for under $200, and they're not bad wings at all.
Paladin
December 5th, 2010, 06:53 AM
So you did upgrade your DA to a PRAM? Weren't you the guy that was thinking about that a while back? Congratulations, it's a big difference, isn't it?
My BP comment was a joke, but seeing as how you have one, why not just get an oxycheq mach V wing or a DR travel wing and you're done. I've seen those travel EXP wings for under $200, and they're not bad wings at all.
Yeah, that was me. I finally got around to buying the Phoenix nozzle and upgraded my DA to a PRAM. And, yeah, there is a difference, especially at higher tank pressures.
mikecotrone
December 5th, 2010, 12:23 PM
FWIW I have bought all of my big ticket items from my LDS, however i have made some smaller purchases from Dive Pro and Divers Supply and both were very good. Dive Pro's customer service was excellent since they called me to confirm items that needed to ship quick.
Paladin
December 5th, 2010, 01:39 PM
FWIW I have bought all of my big ticket items from my LDS, however i have made some smaller purchases from Dive Pro and Divers Supply and both were very good. Dive Pro's customer service was excellent since they called me to confirm items that needed to ship quick.
I, too, am a regular customer of Divers Supply. They have good stuff at good prices and their customer service is top notch. I also get stuff from Leisurepro, ScubaToys, Scuba.com, Dive Gear Express, etc.
TommyDSports is the only online retailer that has given me any grief.
