First time shopping at the LDS. I didn't do well, lesson learned.

[Colliam7]

Well, I went back to the shop, this time less enthusiastic, to return fins and mask. This after two hours from the time of purchase. They offered store credit. I made a funny face. They gave me a full refund. I said thank you and apologized for the trouble. I kept the rest of the stuff. ... Lesson number one. I'll do my homework, read more scubaboard.com more, go to the shop prepared. Lesson number two. Try to win my enthusiasm and don't buy anything before you check other sources.

Thanks for sharing the lessons learned. A valuable experience for you, and it will hopefully help others in the future.

I still support my LDS because it's important to have a LDS nearby, I don't believe I was ripped-off; they simply cannot be competitive against an online store because of the higher overhead. I'm ready to pay a little extra for the time the salespeople take to explain and to make me try and answer to my questions.

Good for you. I think your analysis was correct in part. You weren't necessarily ripped off. Part of the 'value' added to the price was the ability to try the gear on, to 'touch' it before buying. The two behaviors that are a cause for concern - 1) adding the scrub without (at least, as I read your OP) telling you they were adding it to the sale price; 2) offering store credit instead of a refund. I don't think what you did was unethical. Your intent was to buy a wetsuit at your LDS. You did. Your were persuaded by the excitement of the moment to purchase some additional gear, and later thought twice about the value and changed your mind, before using it. Lots of people do that. If a store has the right (and they do) to expand their sale while they have you on site, you have the right (and you do) to rethink the purchase immediately after. I don't read an intention to use the LDS for fitting, then buy on line. Rather, you honestly thought twice about the value of a purchase (mask and fins) and quickly returned it. Don't worry about the on-line price of the suit, it is irrelevant. If you purchased a suit that fits, that you are comfortable with, then you received value. One possible action on your part. If you want to continue to use this LDS, go back in a week. Mention that you had previously purchased a mask and fins, then had second thoughts about the total amount of money you were spending, and returned them. Now, you are in a position to spend the extra money, and noticed that their price seemed not just a little, but quite a bit more, than some on-line prices you had seen. So much so that you were concerned about buying them there. Could they do any better than their original price? This gives the shop the chance to be more competitive, and they might. If they drop the price of the fins by $20, buy them. A $20 difference on a $190 purchase is not that big a deal. For the mask, if they drop the price to $50, buy it. On the other hand, if they react negatively, or in a somewhat hostile manner, you learn another lesson - you don't really want to trade with them in the future. If they respond with a lot of babble about how bad on-line vendors are, about lack of warranties, etc., thank them for their time and leave. You have made a good faith effort to support them and do business there, and they did not reciprocate.

 

[Bob]

I always look at it this way . . . If I buy items that require a fit on line, I save a bunch of money -- IF they fit. If not, I've bought myself the aggravation of having to return them for a different size or a refund. And the annoyance of repackaging them and paying to ship them back. It's like gambling.

Because I find sending things back annoying, I tend to buy the things that require proper fit from a local shop, and pay the premium I know I will pay by buying them there, so that I don't have to jump through the hoops of ordering something and discovering, once it's here, that it isn't right.

I have never done the "try it 'til it fits, then buy it on line" thing. It doesn't seem ethical to me.

Agreed. It's not ethical to use a local shop as a fitting room for a purchase online. almtree: Bob

 

[Bob]

If you use baby shampoo, the burn in your eyes goes away

Really? I've never used baby shampoo to clean a new mask. Does it work well? almtree: Bob

 

[GYANNI]

It was so absurd I didn't think it needed comment at first. Go back and see; I addressed it just for you.

As I said on my original post, I was an idiot and I paid the "fair" price for it. it wasn't even on the back of my head to go to the LDS with the intention to try stuff and then buy it online later. (By the way, I'll check again mask and fins with another LDS before buying online). I went there to buy my equipment and keep it. Did I return the wetsuit? I could, but I didn't. Boots? Bag? Defog? MASK SCRUB? I kept the mask scrub even if I returned the mask. (The mask scrub was the hottest item, I could not part from it. You should see my mask scrub how nice it is. I love my mask scrub. My mask scrub is my best friend. Whatever... )Again, I returned fins and mask within two hours from the purchase after realizing that "YES I'M A SUCKER". I had a guilt feeling was embarrassed and apologized. Never returned something before, seriously. I kept all the other items hoping that it'll pay for the hour that the LDS spent with me. Will I buy again from them? Yes, no problem. Price vary for a lot of different reason, overhead first and I believe in their good faith. Now, let me ask you something. Next time I go to a LDS to buy something for my hobby do I really have to be suspicious and continuously watch my back, bringing my laptop computer with wireless and check online and immediately every single price because if if it cost double (like the mask), I cannot return it? If it's like that, maybe I should start looking for another hobby, I really wouldn't enjoy that. But I don't think that this is the case.

 

[GYANNI]

One possible action on your part. If you want to continue to use this LDS, go back in a week. Mention that you had previously purchased a mask and fins, then had second thoughts about the total amount of money you were spending, and returned them. Now, you are in a position to spend the extra money, and noticed that their price seemed not just a little, but quite a bit more, than some on-line prices you had seen. So much so that you were concerned about buying them there. Could they do any better than their original price? This gives the shop the chance to be more competitive, and they might. If they drop the price of the fins by $20, buy them. A $20 difference on a $190 purchase is not that big a deal. For the mask, if they drop the price to $50, buy it. On the other hand, if they react negatively, or in a somewhat hostile manner, you learn another lesson - you don't really want to trade with them in the future. If they respond with a lot of babble about how bad on-line vendors are, about lack of warranties, etc., thank them for their time and leave. You have made a good faith effort to support them and do business there, and they did not reciprocate.

Very good advice, i didn't think about that. I'll go back in a week, and I'll keep you posted. Thanks

 

[GYANNI]

Agreed. It's not ethical to use a local shop as a fitting room for a purchase online. almtree: Bob

I agree on that and that's not what I did. I didn't use the shop as a fitting room. That's just not me.

 

[GYANNI]

By the way, I forgot to mention. I was told by the LDS that every single pair of split fins has to cost at least $189.00 due to some sort of patent royalties stuff to be paid to the original manufacturer/inventor. It could be true. Matter of fact, all the split fins had the same identical price. Only one model was higher in price. Ok, to me, this patent story was a sufficient reason to believe that the price could not be any higher than other places. The price is 'set' by contract, why bother checking around? I was wrong again.

 

[Capt Scotty]

I can't speak for all LDS's but I know that if you bring a copy of the price online some LDS will match that price. This way you get the best of both worlds. You can try things on and you get the service after the sale. I didn't realize how important that is untill I moved from Chicago to FL. Having my reg that I purchased at my old LDS only cost my a few bucks, having the same reg serviced in at a shop here in West Palm is about a $100 each time.

 

[Bob]

GYANNI,
Lots of people here being hard on you. Your story is the typical story of a new diver, you're full of enthusiam, ready to buy and trusting. I buy gear at my LDS and online. You're going to find that manafacturer sizing varies tremendously. As TSandM has already pointed out, sometimes it's better to buy from the local shop if the item requires a fit, like a wetsuit or mask. My advise to you is to try different gear, rent if you have to, but try different stuff. What works for one person, you might hate! Now, you've learned a hard lesson here, so put it to good use. Go educate yourself on scuba gear, try as many brands of stuff as you can, shop and purchase wisely. You'll do fine, you're going through what all us experts have already gone through! Good luck and safe diving. almtree: Bob

 

[Bob]

I agree on that and that's not what I did. I didn't use the shop as a fitting room. That's just not me.

That wasn't aimed at you, just agreeing in principal with the poster. almtree: Bob