Do you pay double just to support LDS?

[ColdH2O]

I have been pricing out gear at the LDS with places like leisure pro & have found some stuff to be twice the price at the LDS. For instance a Sherwood Wisdom 2 @ LDS was $1200, online store $600. Other stuff I have priced is the same way, I know service and warranty is easier if you buy local but at what cost. I feel bad not supporting the LDS but when you can buy twice as much gear somewhere else for the same cost, it is justifiable is it not?

 

[Petert71]

I've gone with a mixture of both. Critical items like regs, BC & tanks I buy local because I do want the back end support for these items. I've also bought my wetsuit & mask locally as I know it fits.

Knife, lights and a bunch of other stuff I've bought online.

 

[vladimir]

I have been pricing out gear at the LDS with places like leisure pro & have found some stuff to be twice the price at the LDS. For instance a Sherwood Wisdom 2 @ LDS was $1200, online store $600.

That is an absurd price difference. I thought the difference was narrowing, as you would expect.

Other stuff I have priced is the same way, I know service and warranty is easier if you buy local but at what cost.

Most of my gear was bought from local dive shops, and I have been through a few of sets of gear. I have never used a warranty. My Suunto D9 was recalled, but the manufacturer repaired my gray-market model along with the rest of them, as you would expect in a recall.

I feel bad not supporting the LDS but when you can buy twice as much gear somewhere else for the same cost, it is justifiable is it not?

This I just don't understand; is he your cousin? Brother-in-law?

 

[pjones]

I always ask them to match the price. They usually tell me their best possible price that they can sell it for while still making a reasonable profit. If they stretch than I stretch. We meet at a fair price. Often they will match it if it's not a grey market item.

 

[ColdH2O]

This I just don't understand; is he your cousin? Brother-in-law?

Not sure why I feel bad, I like to support the locals but I don't understand why people pay double. I mean obviously people are paying their prices or they would be out of business.

 

[CuNanoTube]

I got quotes from 6 different dive shops in my area for a Mk. 17 / A700 combo. The difference between the highest and lowest quotes was over $500 Cad. I ended up going for the shop with the lowest price and have been buying my gear there.

I have also ordered smaller items online like an octo or things like valve covers.

 

[vladimir]

Perhaps it's the Hong Kong influence, but these days my attitude is, "everything is negotiable." If you want to support your local shop, consider his price the opening offer in a negotiation, show him a bid around the LeisurePro price, and don't meet in the middle: that's still too high! But maybe there's a price that makes you both happy. Personally, I find LeisurePro more convenient, so it would be hard for me to pay much of a premium elsewhere.

 

[CuNanoTube]

Bartering is totally acceptable in my mind. Any good salesman will drop the price a bit to keep business. Sure they lose a mark-up, but at least they get some of it.

 

[Kiwi303]

I'd pay double if the saleswoman is young, cute, sexy and willing to head off to the bedroom with me to make the sale... How many nights would also influence the eventual price


But then again, I'm, a dirty old man, just not so much the old, since I'm only 30

 

[k ellis]

I swear I am going to start making copies of my LDS versus Internet threads I post in and just place them in these forums.

I usually buy sensitive items in LDS such as regulators and computers since they are more likely to have failure then wet suits, bcds, fins, boots etc.......