LDS Disparaging Other Shops and Brands of Scuba Shops

[Bigbella]

I am far more comfortable telling people why my particular course is GOOD. I seldom say it is somehow 'BETTER THAN' another specific course, although that is tempting. I have no problem saying, 'We think what we offer is very good, because . . .'. Note, I do not say 'better than '. . . .', only that what we offer is very good, because . . .

Judging from your avatar, do you make them an offer that they can't refuse?

 

[yle]

3. I would never use Mares, it is no better than some of the internet only brands.

Obviously an uncultured heathen. Mares fins are superb, in both style and quality. The style is obvious, of course, to anyone not an uncultured heathen. The quality... I've been using them exclusively since 2008 and my three pairs barely look different than when they were new.

 

[pauldw]

Obviously an uncultured heathen. Mares fins are superb, in both style and quality. The style is obvious, of course, to anyone not an uncultured heathen. The quality... I've been using them exclusively since 2008 and my three pairs barely look different than when they were new.

My Power Planas from the early 1980's were state of the art then, and still work.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I I have had people tell me things like:

1. Those guys drink and dive.
2. That guy is a criminal and ripped someone off.
3. I would never use Mares, it is no better than some of the internet only brands.

I glossed over #3 previous. Yeah, that's pretty funny. It reminds me of all the FUD about Deep 6 offerings which supports the niche in which I reside (as well as others). A lot of LDSs are threatened by the direct to consumer model. My first fins were Mares, and they are decent fins. Lots of people love them.

 

[lowviz]

A lot of LDSs are threatened by the direct to consumer model.

Wow.

LDS's aside, what does the 'elephant in the room' have to say about this model?

 

[telemonster]

Wow.

LDS's aside, what does the 'elephant in the room' have to say about this model?

It's the future and here to stay.

 

[lowviz]

Well yeah, IKR.

But how is SCUBAPRO going to adapt???

Edit:
I should clarify. I watched two corporate 'heavies' lean on my tech dive shop long ago. (Blue Planet Divers) Blue Planet just couldn't make the required sales of skins and shorties and all the high profit stuff that is useless to local divers...

So BP folded, main man now sets up motorcycle (THE MC manufacturer) distributors.

Progress...

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

This is second hand, so I don't know if this is true as it occurred before my time.

Years ago, a number of shops tried to organize to cooperate to promote diving, as (guess here) they realized that slagging each other just drove people to other sports. While the weather sucks in Seattle, there are a lot of outdoor activities to do. Diving is year round of course, but winter there is skiing/snowboarding/cross country/snow shoeing. Year round: biking, hiking, backpacking (if year round, road & trails. Spring/summer/fall: swimming, waterskiing/wakeboarding, hiking, backpacking.

There is always something to do outdoors if you are dressed for it to deal with inclement weather.

It is these other sports/activities that is the biggest competition/threat to diving.

Sadly, a shop chain allegedly complained (to the state AG?) about anti trust or something, which killed it.

I hope that when I open my dive operation in Greece, I'm able to earn a bit of goodwill from my fellow dive op owners, helping them fix their boat engines/air compressors/filling their cylinders in emergencies. Dive guiding is the hospitality industry. Do hotels slag on each other? ("they've got bedbugs and cockroaches!"). Promote the fun of diving in a safe way, and everyone wins. Or at least, no one loses. If someone does slag me and I find out that they can't run their business due to one of the problems above, hopefully they'll stop after I help them out.

 

[rjack321]

This is second hand, so I don't know if this is true as it occurred before my time.

Years ago, a number of shops tried to organize to cooperate to promote diving, as (guess here) they realized that slagging each other just drove people to other sports. While the weather sucks in Seattle, there are a lot of outdoor activities to do. Diving is year round of course, but winter there is skiing/snowboarding/cross country/snow shoeing. Year round: biking, hiking, backpacking (if year round, road & trails. Spring/summer/fall: swimming, waterskiing/wakeboarding, hiking, backpacking.

There is always something to do outdoors if you are dressed for it to deal with inclement weather.

It is these other sports/activities that is the biggest competition/threat to diving.

Sadly, a shop chain allegedly complained (to the state AG?) about anti trust or something, which killed it.

I never heard this story but I wouldn't be surprised. The big chain here is historically one of the worst at bad mouthing other smaller shops. It's not a top down thing though the owners are pretty politically savvy. But they hire low wage staff who are very tribal and the slagging of anything else they don't know about begins at the bottom.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

the owners are pretty politically savvy.

Quite savvy as allegedly they can sell gear for a profit for less than what other stores can buy due to their volume (allegedly, as this is from a couple knowledgeable people that used to work there, not personal knowledge of their purchase price). Seeing one of the owners at DEMA is a bit comical as it is like a puppy swarm of equipment manufacturers trying to make deals. And he knows how to make deals. Its a business, and he is successful.