I'm paying retail for equipment from LDS

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Yes its all listed on a variety of website....but then it comes down to warranty.....Im not saying they wont, but a recall issue is a form of a warranty problem.....You dont have that......

This is why this thread started....are these issues worth it to you to save some money??

You give up these things buying from an unathorized dealer.......but you save money......

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

You're not going to train me in repair? Back in post number 142 you listed "training in repairs" as one of the benefits of buying from an authorized dealer. I took that ot mean that you could train me in how to take care of the product I bought from you. Of course, we all know that regulators aren't rocket science and that they're pretty easy to work on. After doing a little research anyone with a modicum of mechanical ability can service their own regulators.


I might not have been clear either...I meant my staff has gone thru the training on repairs...not that we would train you how to repair it...

Your right its not rocket science to fix them...if you want fix it......if you put something in upside down or forget something....will you be around to say oooops, I should have had the authorized guy fix it?? Again we might be looking more into this than needed and Im not saying you would forget something are that even a dealer hasnt forgetton.....this is just a response....there are alot of things we can continually debate back and forth.......

I have to watch what I say because I dont want anything misinterpreted....and me made out as a bad guy.....which can and does happen on these forums...

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Nope no secret knowledge.....I dont make the rules, I just follow them and I have the fun job of debating with you guys.....Oh and by the way, I did say job.....my bill will be arriving in your PMs shortly

M

 

[ReefHound]

What warranty card are you going to send in? Are you going to print one off the internet? If you send in the one that comes in the box...all your doing is wasting postage....you dont get a warranty buying from an unathorized dealer...they check serial numbers.....I thought we have been talking about this

So unless they sold the reg directly to LP the serial number is going to show they sold it to one of their authorized dealers.

And even if you don't get the warranty, that wasn't the point of the previous statement. It was about your mention of recall notices as a benefit of buying authorized. So you think that if one buys from LP and sends in the warranty card, thereby notifying SP that they are diving one of their regs and providing contact information, that if there is a recall SP is going to deliberately not notify them? If that is the case and something were to happen to the owner, the lawyers would be lining up.

 

[Benthic]

<snip>

You give up these things buying from an unathorized dealer.......but you save money......

Yes, you give up those things by buying from an unauthorized dealer. My point is that you shouldn't HAVE to. If we got rid of all this authorized v. unauthorized mumbo-jumbo then we'd get the same type of support no matter who we bought from. Market forces would control pricing and the consumer would be free to choose a retailer based on the combination of price and service that met their needs.

Things like 'authorized dealers' and 'minimum price policies' have made the playing field decided un-level and are a disservice to the consumer (not to mention illegal).

Brian

 

[Benthic]

I might not have been clear either...I meant my staff has gone thru the training on repairs...not that we would train you how to repair it...

Ah--gotcha.

Your right its not rocket science to fix them...if you want fix it......if you put something in upside down or forget something....will you be around to say oooops, I should have had the authorized guy fix it?? Again we might be looking more into this than needed and Im not saying you would forget something are that even a dealer hasnt forgetton

Exactly. But the decision about whether or not I feel comfortable servicing my own regulators should be left up to me. If I'm not confident in what I'm doing I can always seek out a knowledgable service center. If, on the other hand, I AM comfortable servicing them I should be able to seek out the same knowledgable service center to purchase parts, service manuals, etc.

Again, without the restrictive policies of the manufacturers these decisions would be up to the consumer and I'd be free to make my choice about which dive shop to do business with based on the combination of price and service that met my needs.

Brian

 

[ReefHound]

I might not have been clear either...I meant my staff has gone thru the training on repairs...not that we would train you how to repair it...

We're mixing issues. I don't think anyone rejected the idea of an "authorized repair" center but what does being qualified to repair an item have to do with being qualified to sell it? The vast majority of retail stores out there are selling products for which they are not authorized repair centers. If you buy a microwave from Target do you expect there is a repair booth in the back of the store or are you happy with Samsung or whoever designating a few repair centers around town? There is no inherent connection between sales and repair.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Wow, I cant keep up......I dont know what SP does, Im not speaking for any company...Im just trying to sort things out a bit.....but there is authorize and unathorized right now whether we like it or not......and thats with almost every product....I agree you should be able to fix your reg, but alot of people that probably shouldnt be fixing them might try to...then the lawyers would be lined up for letting just anyone repair the items and more people could be injured or dead....this is probably better for the majority......

You might feel its an unlevel playin field with MAP pricing, i see it the other way around....I think it levels out the playing field for the smaller guys(like me) that would normally be killed by the bigger companies(you know who)....I dont make up the pricing....

sorry about jumping around

If your authorized to sell it, wouldnt you want to just take it there and have it fixed right away? And what does Target or Best Buy do? THey offer their own extended warranty and/ or they can fix it if in warranty.....( not target, but thats only one chain) If you do buy from target and it breaks, what do you do? Go back and get a new one?? Send it to get it fixed and deal with the Manuf.?? Big difference....You buy from me, I Fix it, or I replace it.....right there.......No need to wait months or anything else.....I think this is great.....How often before a trip do you start messing with your gear to find out maybe something doesnt work? Most people dont plan ahead....if you had to send it in to get fixed? You wouldnt have it for your trip.....I think its great that LDS repair equipment and are authorized repair centers.....

And I have never seen a Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, or anything else repair center....If you want something fixed you go somewhere and pay the guy to fix it(local repair place)....and that you have to pay for......Its not often if ever that a dealer sets up a store for you to go get stuff fixed at....at least I have never seen one....but I spend alot of time in my store and underwater

Damn I probably missed something and Im sorry....OVERLOAD

 

[joe rock]

You're right--ScubaPro is not the only company (in the Scuba Industry) doing it. However I believe it is illegal. It's a violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Under the act, the US Supreme court has deemed three types of conduct to be so lacking in economic justification that they are per se, or intrinsically, illegal. One of those is price fixing (the other two are not relevant here).

It's my opinion that ScubaPro (and others like them) knows that they are on shaky ground legally and that's why they don't print policies like 'minimum retail prices' for all to see. Talk to a dive shop owner who has had his dealership yanked for a minimum price violation and see if the manufacturer in question actually stated that in writing. I'd be willing to bet that they did not.

Brian

The pricing practices of which you speak aren't price fixing and aren't a violation of the Sherman Anti Trust Act.

There are many manufacturers that do not share Scubapro's policy. If people find it annoying they have the option of not buying Scubapro.

 

[ReefHound]

I agree you should be able to fix your reg, but alot of people that probably shouldnt be fixing them might try to...then the lawyers would be lined up for letting just anyone repair the items and more people could be injured or dead....this is probably better for the majority......

So why isn't this happening in the auto industry? A lot of shade tree mechanics have no clue what they are doing as they change their brake pads or replace their starter, they go buy the parts at Autozone (or even the "authorized dealer") and follow the steps in their Chilton book. I don't see lawyers lining up when somebody fixes their own car and then crashes it.

If your authorized to sell it, wouldnt you want to just take it there and have it fixed right away? And what does Target or Best Buy do? THey offer their own extended warranty and/ or they can fix it if in warranty.....( not target, but thats only one chain) If you do buy from target and it breaks, what do you do? Go back and get a new one?? Send it to get it fixed and deal with the Manuf.?? Big difference....You buy from me, I Fix it, or I replace it.....right there.......No need to wait months or anything else.....I think this is great.....

Target, Walmart, Penneys, just about any major retail store does not maintain repair centers. The sales distribution channel is separated from the warranty and repair channel. The stores will often act as a point of contact but that's only because their suppliers do not have onerous dive manufacturer policies.

How often before a trip do you start messing with your gear to find out maybe something doesnt work? Most people dont plan ahead....if you had to send it in to get fixed? You wouldnt have it for your trip.....I think its great that LDS repair equipment and are authorized repair centers.....

Never, but that's just me. Besides, a spare reg is a better guarantee than a warranty card. How often do people start messing with their gear on the morning of a dive outing while already on their trip? You can't help them then. You can't always save people from themselves. Why punish the competent people because some fools will screw up their stuff?

And I have never seen a Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, or anything else repair center....If you want something fixed you go somewhere and pay the guy to fix it(local repair place)....and that you have to pay for

Look in the phonebook or website. They all do. They don't have big buildings with "Samsung Repair Center" on it, they contract with those local repair facilities to provide warranty repairs. Took me 60 seconds to go to samsung.com, nav to repair centers, enter microwaves and zip code 56044 and get a list of repair facilities.