Aqualung's stance on e commerce

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cerich

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Aqua Lung America’s Retail Philosophy Outlined Here.
DiveNewsWire:
Jan. 8, 2007: Vista, CA (DNW) --Recently a major industry stakeholder endorsed on-line gear sales and encouraged dive retailers to set up shopping carts to ‘embrace the future.’ This may have some of our retailers asking if Aqua Lung America’s position on e-commerce has changed. The answer is No.


The Internet should be recognized as a tool and the dive industry needs to embrace its technology. We need to continue to look for the opportunities and benefits that it offers. In fact, Aqua Lung has been at the forefront of bringing technology to its retailers. We were the first manufacturer to enable dealers to order products via a secure B2B portal. We were the first with product serialization tracking, a technical information library, product F&B aids and marketing collateral that dealers can download online 24/7. We certainly believe in the value of technology.


We also need to know and recognize the Internet’s challenges. We were the first diving equipment manufacturer to employ Net Enforcers to assist in reducing “third party” or “grey market” shipments from unauthorized sources.


In terms of e-initiatives such as marketing our business and communicating with customers, the applications are endless. We can all do a better job of promoting diving and the dive industry on the Internet


Our disagreement lies in how the Internet is used to sell product.


We believe the best opportunity for growth is directing consumers to their local professional dive retailer. That is where diving’s customers are created. It is where we truly have the opportunity to create committed divers, as opposed to teaching people to dive. A committed diver is someone who becomes a competent diver, bonds to diving’s “social scene,” buys equipment, takes additional training and goes diving. No one can argue that there is no better advertisement for diving than enthusiastic and committed divers. Industry stakeholders need to focus and work together to ensure a healthy environment where retailers can prosper.


Let’s not kid ourselves. When companies talk about or endorse e-commerce in the scuba industry it means selling scuba gear on-line, which has not and will not create a level playing field for retailers as some have suggested. In fact widespread endorsement of on-line sales may drive more sales to the established Internet players. The single most important objective for our industry should be to get more people into professional dive stores. Offering or promoting on-line equipment sales will not do that.


For this, and all of our previously stated reasons, Aqua Lung will continue to stand by and support its “in-store only” retail sales and service policies.
 
cerich:
Let’s not kid ourselves. When companies talk about or endorse e-commerce in the scuba industry it means selling scuba gear on-line, which has not and will not create a level playing field for retailers as some have suggested. In fact widespread endorsement of on-line sales may drive more sales to the established Internet players.

An interesting statement. As a potential customer the corporate objective of "creating a level playing field for retailers" seems a little bizzare. I'd prefer an objective of something which would make me want to buy their product.

As it is I doubt I will walk into a retailer and ask "but is the playing field for you as a retailer of this product level?" It is quite low indeed on my list of purchase criteria. I daresay I would not mind the playing field for retailers being a mite competitive, that way they might work hard to get my business.
 
Nice of them to believe this, but it's becoming increasingly apparent that many retail customers do not.

Of course, AL does not see those people as their customers, the dive shops are.
 
Aqualung:
We can all do a better job of promoting diving and the dive industry on the Internet
For starters, one would hope that they would invest some effort, time and money here on the LARGEST Media Publication for Scuba Diving. Our monthly unique visitors eclipses the sum of every National/International Scuba Diving related magazine's circulation out there.

Many of our services such as the Private Manufacturers' Forum are absolutely FREE. What a great way to bridge the gap between diver and manufacturer.
 
Aqualung:
We believe the best opportunity for growth is directing consumers to their local professional dive retailer.
But I'm not interested in or responsible for the growth of the industry or any individual business. I just want to get the best bang for my money with my purchases.

This means, amoung other things, competative product pricing and access to service parts and information so I can do my own service.
That is where diving’s customers are created.
No. Customers are created by providing the products and services that they want. As it stands now, Aqualung doesn't do that for me.
Let’s not kid ourselves. When companies talk about or endorse e-commerce in the scuba industry it means selling scuba gear on-line, which has not and will not create a level playing field for retailers as some have suggested.
I don't care anything at all about a level playing field.
In fact widespread endorsement of on-line sales may drive more sales to the established Internet players.
So?
The single most important objective for our industry should be to get more people into professional dive stores.
You just keep trying to get me into a dive shop. While you're doing that I'll be purchasing and using the products and services of manufacturers and distributors that will sell me what I want rather than trying to force me to do what they want.
For this, and all of our previously stated reasons, Aqua Lung will continue to stand by and support its “in-store only” retail sales and service policies.
Well, there you go.
 
Let’s not kid ourselves. When companies talk about or endorse e-commerce in the scuba industry it means selling scuba gear on-line, which has not and will not create a level playing field for retailers as some have suggested. In fact widespread endorsement of on-line sales may drive more sales to the established Internet players. The single most important objective for our industry should be to get more people into professional dive stores. Offering or promoting on-line equipment sales will not do that.

This just goes to show how little Aqua Lung knows of online retailing... The fact that there are established players in the market is not going to change...and by using that as an excuse not to get into the online market in my opinion is ignorant of the concept of competition. We're past the ability to halt Internet sales. More and more manufacturers are embracing it.

The internet is not a new concept... all industries have had to adapt to the changes involved, and the scuba industry is no different. I applaud Aqualung for utilizing B2B portals and their various tracking systems. However, to exclude the most obvious use (at least to consumers) of the Internet is just a bad business decision.
 
My 2 psi on this.

I actually find myself in agreement with quite a bit of what they wrote.

There is no question that the established internet retailers have staked out their location very well. They enjoy an established cust. base and have attained the revenue needed to continue to defend their turf (internet search rankings).

I fear that the LDS that has not been involved or invested in the internet will find themself in a very expensive proposition to suddenly change course and try to compete online. In fact doing so by itself could be the final straw. That being said it's time to compete in ways the internet fall short at, like superb in person service, competetive pricing, having products in stock, extensive expertise and course offerings, exceptional and well done equipment servicing, etc...

I think they somehow missed the fact that Scubaboard (and other places like this that are nowhere as large) are in fact the biggest "social scene", much larger than what any dive store can manage!

They speak about industry stake holders coming together, this letter is further proof that the industry is more divided than ever. (see the conflicting statements late last year by PADI and SSI). In fact this is amazing that AL, the largest Scuba Manuf., has sent out a public statement that disagees with PADI, the largest certification agency.

Strangely enough there are ways for the LDS to prosper and thrive without e commerce, I promise however that unless the LDS is aware of consumer expectations as they are shaped by the interactive nature of consumers today they will fail.
 
I don't necessarily disagree with their entire premise. We certainly don't need EVERY shop trying to utilize the internet, and maybe this is one way for Aqualung to set themselves apart from the others.

But as Time Magazine so eloquently pointed out in their "Man of the Year" edition, the information age is here and now. The consumers are more in control than ever, and companies who are reluctant to embrace this new spirit of consumerism will lose out on significant revenues. Print media is all but dead and broadcast media is on the decline. Interactive media is THE force to reckon with now, and you will see more and more Fortune 500 companies convert their advertising budget to online opportunities.

The sales can still be local, but the information stage of any purchase is largely to be an online experience. ScubaBoard stands as the internet's 800 pound Scuba Diving Media Gorilla. I would suggest that more buying decisions are made here than just about any place else. We don't even sell any equipment. But our advertisers do.

BTW, I read Time's article on line. Print is dying a slow agonising death.
 
NetDoc:
For starters, one would hope that they would invest some effort, time and money here on the LARGEST Media Publication for Scuba Diving. Our monthly unique visitors eclipses the sum of every National/International Scuba Diving related magazine's circulation out there.

Many of our services such as the Private Manufacturers' Forum are absolutely FREE. What a great way to bridge the gap between diver and manufacturer.

Doc,

Why don't you just go ahead and open Aqualung and Scubapro sub-forums. Even if they chose not to use them, at least we can.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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