While perusing the web for divegear (what else??) I noticed that Divesource has a list of their clearance items for this coming Saturday's blowout sale (Nov 1st). Some pretty good deals by the looks of things.
What a great time to pick up some good stuff at reduced prices. I hear other shops will be doing the same over the next several weeks but I couldn't find any specific dates on the webpages I visited.
Just an FYI
Diverlady
(Am I breaking any Board rules with this post???)
boney
October 28th, 2003, 06:01 PM
Not sure about breaking any rules, but now everyone will be there:)
I'll have to fight my way through the crowds just to get something... anything. :D
I plan on going...
scubagirl15
October 29th, 2003, 04:34 PM
Just found more sales! :)
www.aquasubscuba.com
snuggle
October 29th, 2003, 10:53 PM
im sure that there will be many people at dive source on saturday so being 200 plus miles away i called them n bought 2 bare supra drysuits from them..very nice fellas to deal with..
JeffG
October 30th, 2003, 03:01 AM
snuggle once bubbled...
im sure that there will be many people at dive source on saturday so being 200 plus miles away i called them n bought 2 bare supra drysuits from them..very nice fellas to deal with..
Better neck seals I hope
boney
October 30th, 2003, 12:13 PM
Looks like the month of November will be a busy one for divers and diveshops...
:)
rescuediver009
October 30th, 2003, 03:19 PM
I dropped into Dive Source today to do a little scouting and they said they were also selling off some their rental gear as well on Saturday.
They said prices would vary depending on the set but they have quite a few BC and regs sets that they were selling for $550 and they are giving a year warrenty as well. ( sounds good to me :D)
Their rental Regs are mostly all blizzards and the BCD's were mostly Sherwood Magnums which I have used before and liked.
It's nice to see a shop using better stuff in rental than the cheapest stuff available , I remember one set of gear I rented elsewhere that was bottom of the line and though it worked the Blizzard was much nicer.
I'll be there Saturday for sure
( PS - I agree they are very nice fella's to deal with !)
Dive Source website- map etc. (http://www.divesource.com)
artw
October 30th, 2003, 05:02 PM
hmm.
interesting.
Does scuba 2000 ever update their website???
Jonathan
October 30th, 2003, 09:14 PM
as you have no affiliation with the shop...
diverlady once bubbled...
(Am I breaking any Board rules with this post???)
seahunter
October 30th, 2003, 11:38 PM
The S2K web site is updated every week but the changes are minor. The updated date is posted on the home page. It doesn't need to have a major overhaul very often.
It's very time consuming and expensive to update a full web site therefore the information is pretty generic. Usually the details on the site don't change too often (course prices, rental/service rates/location/etc).
The role of the site is to give an overview of the business operation and to encourage you to visit or contact it.
Scuba 2000 does have a weekly newletter that is currently running at about 15 full pages. It is completely new each week and has the latest information about all operations plus other scuba news. The newsletter is emailed to over 3500 subscribers every Wednesday. It's easy and cheap to produce and mail and very current (weekly).
We've found that is by far the most efficient way to keep the divers up-to-date.
Coupled with The Diving Board (a local but very busy scuba chat line), there's no lack of contact between the divers and S2K.
BTW we are getting on average about 850,000 hits per month (that's just under a million hits every month).
We also get compliments daily about our website from the people who call the shop after visiting the site. It obviously works.
seahunter
October 30th, 2003, 11:49 PM
Do you also get your air fills at a dive store 200 miles away snuggle?
Or do you just expect you LDS to stay in business to fill your tanks even though you buy gear somewhere far away?
diverlady
October 31st, 2003, 09:05 AM
seahunter once bubbled...
Do you also get your air fills at a dive store 200 miles away snuggle?
Or do you just expect you LDS to stay in business to fill your tanks even though you buy gear somewhere far away?
Well now that's a bit harsh. Buy your gear where you want to and let others do the same. If Snuggle feels he gets better service and pricing from somewhere other than a "local" shop, then so be it. It's called a competitive marketplace. Personally, I'll shop where I can get the best price and service for the equipment I want. Fortunately for me, that's Divesource which is local but not the closest diveshop.
Perhaps the LDS didn't carry the manufacturer Snuggle wanted to use.
Or perhaps there is no LDS where Snuggle is and he gets his airfills when he drives to a divesite.
Maybe he's related to the owner of Divesource and is, therefore, supporting family.
You're offering a sharp criticism when you may not have all the facts surrounding this particular situation. Perhaps just asking Snuggle why he chooses to buy his gear where he does would be a more appropriate and constructive dialogue.
Diverlady
snuggle
October 31st, 2003, 01:59 PM
thanks diver lady and very well put i might add..seahunter..first of all it would have to freeze in hell before i have you or anyone else telling me where to buy my gear plain and simple..i just happened to read that the shop was having a sale and i decided to have a look at their site..i picked up 2 drysuits for very cheap and they have arrived already which impressed me since they didnt recieve payment until yestreday afternoon..i lucked out in the fact that both suits actually fit...i was going to go to your shop for your sale as well to maybe buy a few used tanks..but i guess that would be wrong according to you..you might as well get down on everyone one who visits the board who at one time or another has bought online..or somewhere other then their lds..i dont know you seahunter but give a good deal on something thats better then here and il buy from you thats the bottom line..if i can save a few hundred dollars here and there id be foolish not to buy somewhere else..a brand new bare supra goes for what 900.00?and i got 2 for a fraction of the cost....tell me im crazy or just plain smart with my money..diver lady have a good day and again thanks..
Dive Source
October 31st, 2003, 02:39 PM
Hello to all of the people on the board and to the fine people who took the time to call me personally regarding this topic.
I read through this thread and first let me say thanks to diverlady for posting the info about what we have going on etc. and thanks to Snuggle for buying those 2 old used drysuits off of us, I hope that they work out for you.
I don't usually spend much time on message boards anymore as it seems that some people use them as a place to blow their own horn while not really offering usefull advice. I find it very ironic that certain individuals have more posts than actual dives and some haven't even got in the water in years but continue to be "experts".
I promise not to be one of those.
But as this thread affected me and someone who took the time to buy something from my shop, I felt I owed a response.
Dear Mr. Pierce aka Seahunter?
The suits that snuggle bought were probably 10 years old, had no valves and as I told him they maybe full of holes, that is why we sold them to him for $75 each. ( how could they be worth anymore?) I even told him he could probably get valves from his local shop to get them going.
I don't think that this action makes him some type of internet low price hound or a bad person. He basically found something in our bargain bin that worked for him - BRAVO .
We got rid of some old suits and made a friend today while it appears from what I read here that you made an enemy, which I am very suprised you would do considering how long you have been kicking around the scuba industry.
These are the facts and that's all I have to say.
Thanks Snuggle and I hope the suits don't leak..if they do I'll give you a bottle of glue for free . LOL.
:D
diverlady
October 31st, 2003, 02:45 PM
Good Grief!! Seahunter is a shopowner?!? I can't understand why a business would shoot themselves in the foot like that.
Any scuba business owner should (in my opinion) be treating everyone on this Board as a future customer. Basically, if you go shooting your mouth off and being hostile here, who would want to do business with you?
(That would, of course, be a rhetorical question.)
Just another reason to shop at Divesource.
Diverlady
boney
October 31st, 2003, 03:14 PM
I foresee another one of "those" threads emerging...
Let the games begin...
FIGHT!
:D
diverlady
October 31st, 2003, 03:26 PM
boney once bubbled...
I foresee another one of "those" threads emerging...
Let the games begin...
FIGHT!
:D
Oh I hope not.
Can't we all just try to get along??
Diverlady
cat
October 31st, 2003, 04:57 PM
Take seahunter at his word and shop at the stores you get fills at. Unfortunately, since there seems to be a shortage of good wreck diving in the GTA and thus I see no likelihood that I will ever need fills from S2K. I will continue to shop elsewhere knowing that even seahunter will approve of my decision. Very selfless of him argue this point, actually, especially given where his store is, though I don't think much of his manner of presentation.
I've bought gear over 2000 miles from my "home" LDS, never mind a piddling 200. If you look at it from a fills perspective, I shouldn't be spending much in my Edmonton LDS at all because I rarely get a fill there (not much to dive :( ) and I might as well just hand over my bank account to NTD and DiveTech (plus the LDS here in T-Bay). Umm, not that that's not happening slowly as it is ;)
pufferfish
October 31st, 2003, 05:26 PM
diverlady once bubbled...
Good Grief!! Seahunter is a shopowner?!? I can't understand why a business would shoot themselves in the foot like that.
Any scuba business owner should (in my opinion) be treating everyone on this Board as a future customer. Basically, if you go shooting your mouth off and being hostile here, who would want to do business with you?
(That would, of course, be a rhetorical question.)
Just another reason to shop at Divesource.
Diverlady
The board has been real quiet over the summer without Seahunter but seems like the real deal is back;)
Diverlady I hope you have a real thick skin and lots of time. I think I will just sit back and watch the show :mean:
Kevin R
October 31st, 2003, 05:41 PM
Wait, wait, nobody reply to this one yet
I'm out of popcorn again and need to make more.
:)
Kevin R
October 31st, 2003, 05:42 PM
OK, go ahead.
Chris Red
October 31st, 2003, 10:42 PM
Pulled up my comfy chair - good supply of left over halloween munchies... and... chomp chomp... started to read through the threads...munch ...
Pretty dry stuff... Oooh - I can't believe I said that on a Scuba Board! :rolleyes: When I came upon this little gem.
Small business' come and go with narry a notice from most shoppers, but Dive stores... that's a smaller market place, and now with the advent of the Internet - talk about a fragile ecosystem! :froggy:
Sure saving money is important! But building a supportive relationship with your local retailer can do more than just save money... It creates a neighbourhood or community, a place to share knowledge, learn, go on trips, meet new buddies, and yarn.
So you think their prices are high? Can't find that nifty gadget on their shelves? Why not discuss it? You might be surprised at the result. I'm sure most store owners would welcome a chance to improve their marketshare, rather than lose their customers.
From time to time I've found myself irritated by some customer service short fall - while it is tempting to just never patronize that business again, it can be mutually rewarding to gently point out the defficiency.
It's nice to think you'll be able to go back to the same place again and again, feel you can trust the products, training, the service and the expertese. Nice too to be recognised with a hearty "Halloo!" when you walk in the door. It's a small community... a good neighbourhood !
hmmmmm... run out of munchies! :out: l8r
rescuediver009
November 2nd, 2003, 03:13 PM
Hmmm... Seahunter, looks to me like ypou vanished very quickly... heh, heh, heh. Way to go Dive Source. Well said and accurate.
Seahunter welcome to "No-buisnessville" population: you
DeepScuba
November 2nd, 2003, 09:17 PM
heheheh Kevin :-)
Well, what can I say. I've met Seahunter several times. He's always been GREAT to me. Yes he knew I was out of town, but the truth was.....well heck, I won't get into it.
I just wanted to say, even though I don't know him real well at all, that post didn't seem quite like "him". Maybe he had a bad day. From my dealings with him, it didn't fit his normal personality.
Have a nice day Alec, you've earned it bud. Good store, good people.
Does Ryan still work the front desk? A very personable young guy.
Chet
November 3rd, 2003, 12:43 AM
Hi people, had a fun summer and fall diving in some very interesting places.
Well, how should I start.
Who cares where you buy anything related to diving. A reg. from this guy is the same reg. from the other guy, really. Model x is model x. If you can save a few bucks great, I know we all need a few pennies in our pocket at the end of the day. What gets me are some of you that drive around for days to save a few bucks or travel great distances for a snorkel keeper. Get a life!!
Know here is the flip side, if you do support a LDS then, you never know, you might get a better price then the guy or girl off the street.
I have had the pleasure of diving with some great individuals this summer and they where from these LDS that are always metioned on this board, and they all have great this to say about them.
Be Safe
Chet
scubagirl15
November 3rd, 2003, 01:14 PM
Chris Red once bubbled...
Pulled up my comfy chair - good supply of left over halloween munchies... and... chomp chomp... started to read through the threads...munch ...
Pretty dry stuff... Oooh - I can't believe I said that on a Scuba Board! :rolleyes: When I came upon this little gem.
Small business' come and go with narry a notice from most shoppers, but Dive stores... that's a smaller market place, and now with the advent of the Internet - talk about a fragile ecosystem! :froggy:
Sure saving money is important! But building a supportive relationship with your local retailer can do more than just save money... It creates a neighbourhood or community, a place to share knowledge, learn, go on trips, meet new buddies, and yarn.
So you think their prices are high? Can't find that nifty gadget on their shelves? Why not discuss it? You might be surprised at the result. I'm sure most store owners would welcome a chance to improve their marketshare, rather than lose their customers.
From time to time I've found myself irritated by some customer service short fall - while it is tempting to just never patronize that business again, it can be mutually rewarding to gently point out the defficiency.
It's nice to think you'll be able to go back to the same place again and again, feel you can trust the products, training, the service and the expertese. Nice too to be recognised with a hearty "Halloo!" when you walk in the door. It's a small community... a good neighbourhood !
hmmmmm... run out of munchies! :out: l8r
Amen. :)
boney
November 3rd, 2003, 02:07 PM
Well that wasn't as bad as I thought... :D
Personally I go to 3 stores as not everyone carries the same product lines.
However I think Chet put it best...
DPVDiver
November 3rd, 2003, 05:16 PM
Personally I believe the dive store is very important but why does one have to commit to just one. Get to know all of the stores in the area. That way you are not bound to one only if something happens.
Also, when I used to work in dive stores it really bugged me when people would buy from places like LP and Dive Inn without asking first. What I always tried to tell my customers was give me a chance to match. If you bring in an add from the net to the LDS then they have two courses:
1 - sell it to you at a reduced price or
2 - lose the sale.
At least give them a chance to match, like everyone says you can't get air on the net.
rescuediver009
November 3rd, 2003, 05:46 PM
Chet once bubbled...
Know here is the flip side, if you do support a LDS then, you never know, you might get a better price then the guy or girl off the street.
Be Safe
Chet
Only one correction to that, not you might get a better price. Consistant customers ALWAYS get a better price
divemed06
November 4th, 2003, 03:01 PM
rescuediver009 once bubbled...
Only one correction to that, not you might get a better price. Consistant customers ALWAYS get a better price
Depends where you shop....I bought 3 regs, 2 bcd's, 4 tanks, a couple wet suits + accessories from the same shop over a 3 month period. When I went back a month later for a dry suit, my LDS wouldn't even price match another shop! The "owner" was upset that I was looking around at other shops...go figure:confused:
Axeman
November 4th, 2003, 04:11 PM
if you want to support your local LDS then phone them and ask them if they will price match.
some shops right in the GTA have a price guarantee. just like future shop. Find a shop that will stand behind their prices.
Then you won't have to feel ripped off. and the LDS can stay in business.
Not all shops think that the end of the transaction is when your money is in their hands.
some shops even encourage you to shop around.
Those shops, they are out there you know.
hopefully this post is read an not deleted.
boney
November 4th, 2003, 06:25 PM
Holy crow...
I didn't think this would still be going... look at what you have created diverlady:D
Axeman - I think you're right in saying that "good" shops are out there... but far and few between.
Divemed06 - I've seen some similar things happen as two shops I know... I was looking for a knife at one and the person just smiled and says thats what we sell them for... BS! I see the exact same knife elsewhere for cheaper. Then there was this other incident (it wasn't me, but a dive buddy) where my buddy was buying regs and he had prepaid the LDS in good faith. Then when they finally arrive the LDS tried to add more charges after the fact. I said "what the fudge!!!", thats a used car salesmen trick. It just got worse from there, needless to say that shop lost 2 customers that day, and who knows how many more potentials.
Then there are the shops that surprise you... in a good way! One where the owner is very enthusiastic and is fun to talk with, even when he is having a bad day, and the other surprised me by remembering me on the 2nd visit! :wacko:
That's enough ranting for me... I'm down to 500PSI...
Axeman
November 4th, 2003, 06:45 PM
It pays to ask.
If I were you then I would ask at the dive shop. Ask Them "so, I like this knife, is this the best price I am going to find?" and if they say yes then ask them what happens if you walk into jo blows dive shop and see it for cheaper. Find out which shops have a guarantee and then if you find it cheaper what will they do for you.
I always ask. Even when I buy a DVD I ask for a better price. And guess what, even when I buy dvds that are already cheap compared to most I still get a dollar off.
sometimes I can't get anything off but it can't hurt.
every 1.00 I have saved from building my dvd collection has saved me enough for a few more.
and when I buy something at one place and see it cheaper elsewhere then I go back and usually end up with an in store credit.
but the store that stands behind the price and is willing to at least credit me the difference gets my business and it helps to knwo if they set their prices due to a std markup or do they price shop the competition?
Warren_L
November 4th, 2003, 08:28 PM
For me, it doesn't have to be the absolute lowest price, as I do believe in the value of service. However, I do expect to get a reasonably good deal, but I won't nickel and dime when I know the service is good.
seahunter
November 4th, 2003, 09:27 PM
Yes - the mighty seahunter returneth!! "The 'real deal' as they say!"
I was away for some time and unable to add my perspective on the Scubaboard. For the record, I'm a frequent contributor on 4 other boards including of course The Diving Board http://www.scuba2000.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi . These are not all scuba related. I do have other interests!
Also for the record and as is well known by those who've seen my posts previously or know me, I'm the ultimate devil's advocate - that is, if everyone is taking one side of an argument to the extent that another entire view is being missed, I will take the other view even if my heart is not in it. This is after all, a discussion board where divers come to get ideas and opinions. It would be useless and no fun if, in each thread, all the participants agreed!
It has been stated here previously that there are very few dive store operators who are prepared to participate on this or other public forums. I have been complimented by some pretty hard-nosed Scubaboard members for my participation. It has not been without irritation. It seems that some divers rank dive store owners next to lawyers and think they are all crooks. After 35 years in the business I can sympathize a bit with those feelings but, trust me, not all dive store owners are crooks.
I can't believe that divers would give me grief because I suggested they ought to support their LDS. I expected snuggle to explain his reasoning and that has happened albeit in a rather round-about way. Now that we understand the dry suits were older, used and very cheap, it makes a difference. Obviously those items would not be available at your LDS.
I did not hint that you should ONLY buy from your LDS!
I did not say you should never buy at long distance!
I did not tell you where to buy your scuba gear!
I did not suggest that you should not look for a better price!
To do any of these would be presumptive of me and not good business as well since I sell to one heck of a lot of divers that live a long ways from S2K.
I did suggest that divers ought to support their LDS and that position won't change. There is an assumption that your LDS has good gear, competitive prices and good customer service.
I can't see where my comment was antagonistic, hostile or an act of "shooting myself in the foot".
This is an example of how dive store owners are viewed and treated differently than other members. The same post made by another member would not have generated nearly the animosity and that may explain why other owners do not participate. At least give me credit for guts and integrity.
If you're not prepared to at least read and think about my posts; if you're not able to accept that some posts will disagree with your ideas; if you don't want to hear suggestions from a dive store owner then simply add seahunter to your ignore list! You're not the only one - just don't forget that the Scubaboard only thrives with discussion and debate and that depends on differences of opinion. And, if I may be a bit immodest, I suggest I have more experience in the sport and the industry than most on this board. I like to hear your opinions despite that fact. Any mature person would reason that my opinions should at least be considered rather than thrown out simply because I'm in the scuba business!
As to buying scuba gear or anything else, it's your money. Spend it wherever you'd like.
Now let's get personal:
Hi puff! Missed me huh! How's things? Is the air in Ontario better now? You more than most know how I can irritate on the board but you must agree (and have in so many words), that I get everyone involved in the debate!
Your feigned surprise at 'discovering' I'm in the scuba business diverlady is surprising to me itself. It's never been a secret and least of all to you.
Sorry rescuediver009, but I never disappear. It appears that most of your post did a vanishing act though heh, heh. What were you trying to say?
Welcome Dive Source. Post #1!! If your customer base is like mine, get used to the calls. It seems that many divers prefer to gossip than dive. Lots of divers think that dive store owners are always hostile to each other or trying to outdo one another. It must be a shock to them to discover that we often actually work together and have a common purpose - to serve the diving public! I'm not certain how many times you and I have talked but it's more than once. I'll be watching as your numbers grow.
One last thought - a few have mentioned a 'price guarantee'. While that may seem to the diver to be a good thing, in fact it's usually the diver who gets hurt in the end. Everytime a dive store closes hundreds of divers lose equipment and lose money, the suppliers are financially hurt, the scuba industry is hurt and the sport is inconvenienced. It happens all the time (6 stores in Ontario in '03 alone) and it will happen to you.
Why not insist on a customer service guarantee instead of a price guarantee?
- does your store have a lifetime guarantee on personal gear even against breakage?
- does your store let you try gear in the water before you make a decision to buy?
- does your store have an unconditional 15 day return policy on every stock item?
- does your store return deposits if you cannot complete a course, attend a dive or complete a purchase?
- does your store guarantee your success on courses or return your money?
- does your store give you a detailed analysis of the service before and after serviced is performed?
- does your store have published customer service policies?
or would you rather save a few bucks and take your chances?
I have to stop now before puff gets angry at the length of this post.
diverlady
November 5th, 2003, 10:06 AM
Your feigned surprise at 'discovering' I'm in the scuba business diverlady is surprising to me itself. It's never been a secret and least of all to you.
I think you're mistaking me for someone else, Seahunter. I didn't feign surprise at all, I truly was surprised. I don't know you nor did I know you were a shop owner until one of your customers enlightened me. Your post in my thread was the first encounter with you I'd had.
I must reiterate that your comments to Snuggle were tacky. You came out of the box shooting at him without all the facts surrounding his purchase and in the end when the facts were revealed, you had made yourself (and thus your business) look less than favourable. Had you simply asked him about his purchase to determine the reasoning, you would not have demeaned yourself. I'm sure you realize there are a lot of new divers just lurking here hungry for the inside scoop and reading your comments for the first time could turn potential business away from your shop.
I concur with idea of presenting a different angle on subjects as useful discussion. It is not necessarily the idea you propose that may be taken as offensive but more the manner of presentation of such discussion materials. That is where I wish to suggest caution.
Diverlady
rescuediver009
November 5th, 2003, 06:47 PM
divemed06 once bubbled...
Depends where you shop....I bought 3 regs, 2 bcd's, 4 tanks, a couple wet suits + accessories from the same shop over a 3 month period. When I went back a month later for a dry suit, my LDS wouldn't even price match another shop! The "owner" was upset that I was looking around at other shops...go figure:confused:
That should say something about where you were shopping to begin with. You haven't returned I hope ?!?!
rescuediver009
November 5th, 2003, 07:03 PM
seahunter once bubbled...
Now let's get personal:
Sorry rescuediver009, but I never disappear. It appears that most of your post did a vanishing act though heh, heh. What were you trying to say?
Welcome Dive Source. Post #1!! If your customer base is like mine, get used to the calls. It seems that many divers prefer to gossip than dive. Lots of divers think that dive store owners are always hostile to each other or trying to outdo one another. It must be a shock to them to discover that we often actually work together and have a common purpose - to serve the diving public! I'm not certain how many times you and I have talked but it's more than once. I'll be watching as your numbers grow.
I have to stop now before puff gets angry at the length of this post.
A mere jab at your disappearance at the most convenient time... The heh heh was only in accordance with diverlady's comment regarding your comments that apparently came from a shop owner. You mentioned your experience? I think that by some you may now be placed in the category of " I own a shop so I know everything. " As for your questions about shop service and product guarantee... yes, yes, yes, yes, yse, and ... yes
seahunter
November 6th, 2003, 02:53 AM
I started in the scuba industry as a part-time store clerk in 1969.
In the ensuing 35 years I have personally opened or helped others to establish perhaps 25 stores here in Ontario, in Florida and in the Caribbean. I built the largest chain of stores in Canada and more recently the largest store in Canada. I have had some great successes and some miserable disappointments.
The single most important thing I've learned about the sport and the business of scuba is how little I know.
I have ideas and I have a great deal of experience about what will work and what won't but, I don't have all the answers.
Sorry rescue, but you'll have to look elsewhere.
Based on your response, stick with your current store. It sounds like it's one of the good ones!
You're right diverlady! I mistook your name for another ID on this board that is very similar. My mistake was pointed out to me by another contributor to this thread. I don't think I said anything that was uncomplimentary to you but I apologize for that honest mistake.
Similarly, I'm not sure if my criticism of snuggle was sharp, harsh or even tacky. It is an honest comment that is heard quite often in the industry where customer loyalty is important to an LDS. It is the topic on many past and current threads on this board but, if my approach seemed offensive, I apologize to snuggle too. Having now learned the details about his purchase of the 2 dry suits from another source (not from suggle himself), he clearly was not being disloyal to his LDS since that purchase was not available from his LDS.
The basic premise still has merit however and begs more discussion. Assuming your LDS is a decent store with acceptable customer service, local divers should try to support it as much as possible. Unlike many other retail businesses, dive stores offer many services that are not profitable - services that they actually pay for to serve the divers.
At $5 a fill, no dive store will ever make money filling tanks. It's unlikely the income from the fills even pays the hydro much less the capital investment or the on-going maintenance. Dive stores do not make money for arranging sport dives. In the hopes of a few rentals or sales, they will arrange and make deposits on charters in advance and hopefully recoup that investment if the dive boat is filled. At S2K we give donations to dozens of charities, divers events, the OUC, dive club functions and so on to the tune of about $3500 annually. I'm always trying to help the divers enjoy the sport any way I can. Recently we helped a group enjoy a wonderful night at the movies. I didn't even get to go. Most stores offer free scuba intros in the hopes of attracting new divers. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. My staff is always happy to render advice or assistance to divers planning a dive trip locally or to the south with no liklihood of making any money. We prepare and post on the web site dozens of maps to dive sites both well-known and new. It doesn't make us a cent. I have seen maps that I had made by an artist for our site copied on other store sites. I don't mind but it still costs the dive store owner.
The point is that any decent dive store contributes a lot to ensure all divers (not just his own prefered or regular customers) have easy access to the sport. If all that was taken away the divers would suffer. I simply ask on behalf of all the good dive store operators that you think of these things occasionally.
If there were more dive store owners on this board that were not afraid of being shot at for expressing their views, they'd agree.
d33ps1x
November 9th, 2003, 11:16 PM
seahunter once bubbled...
Do you also get your air fills at a dive store 200 miles away snuggle?
Or do you just expect you LDS to stay in business to fill your tanks even though you buy gear somewhere far away?