LDS Charging to TRY ON wetsuits???

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jsado

Contributor
Messages
229
Reaction score
8
Location
upstate NY
# of dives
50 - 99
That's right. My local dive shop has done it again! My sister went to our local dive shop, Aquatic Center of Rochester. She had every intention of purchasing a wetsuit. She brought a few up to the counter, politely asked if she could try them on and they said, ABSOLUTELY!!!.. for $25.

A $25 fee if you'd like to try on a wetsuit. The rationale of the salesperson was that too many people are trying them on and buying them elsewhere. Well, maybe people wouldn't buy them elsewhere if your prices weren't so ridiculously inflated! A $25 fee to try on gear... that will probably help sales!!!!

Yes the internet is killing some brick and mortars, but NOT all. Some have figured out how to do both and be quite successful. Aquatic Center of Rochester, I think it's time to lock up and put the for sale sign out front.
 
I have mixed feelings about this, because my first reaction is to feel outraged that a vendor would charge for trying on a wetsuit. However, I think it's ethically questionable to go to your LDS to see stuff in person (since the LDS paid for the space and inventory that would allow you that opportunity) and then go and give the business to a vendor that did nothing to help you make an informed purchase. I am very sympathetic to the position of the LDS, but this doesn't seem like a good solution. I wish I could offer a better idea.
 
Did they give you the $25 back if you bought the wetsuit or they weren't ale to sell you one that fit?

I ran into a similar thing with a fin demo day - they wanted $10 to try fins but didn't offer it back as a credit if you purchased. I didn't care for that.

But, if its what you have to do to stay in business........
 
Dear LDS:

Make it $50 and refund it in full if the person buys one. You won't have anyone but serious shoppers trying them on -so you can give them your full attention to thickness, fit, and customer service.

Explain the problem up-front with a polite sign on the wall as to why you need to have this policy...
 
Dear LDS:

Make it $50 and refund it in full if the person buys one. You won't have anyone but serious shoppers trying them on -so you can give them your full attention to thickness, fit, and customer service.

Explain the problem up-front with a polite sign on the wall as to why you need to have this policy...

I've seen several articles in the business news over the last year discussing how this is increasingly the practice in several parts of the industrialized world in clothing stores, particularly slightly higher end and women's wear. (Usually not quite that large a sum.)
 
This seems like a bad business practice. There will be people with no intention of buying a suit there, but there also will be people who just want shop around and may come back to the store if they liked the prices / service. You do not want only serious shoppers in your store, Word of mouth about good service, people seeing and impulse buying things other than the suit in the shop, and even simple exposure for those who are trying to buy online are all beneficial.
 
Slightly different angle. I rented my 1st (and current) wetsuit for $11 for a dive. Then thought maybe I'd buy it if it was for sale. Yes- cost $165. I said, well, I already paid $11 to rent it for a dive can I get that $ taken off? No, unless you bought a NEW one. So it cost me $176 total instead of $154. I was told by someone that a dive shop is a tough business. That was before everything went to pot- that was '06 and it was Vortex Spring. I know they were perfectly within their rights. I felt it was being cheap.
 
If I owned an LDS - I would charge $20 to try on a wetsuit and would give credit for the $20 if you purchased the suit.

In my LDS there is way too many people that come in to try on the suit for size with full intentions to purchase over the internet once they know what fits.

Some people sweat up a storm in trying on a new suit. Makes it more difficult to sell later.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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