Why would you get a free pool session from an LDS to test your stuff if you bought online?
I'm paying retail for equipment from LDS
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under water
Contributor
Hi Josh,Cheekymonkey:
I didn't really expect a free pool session. I was OK paying for it and use of tanks & weights, etc. I was just responding to the previous poster whose LDS wouldn't even let her pay for a pool session.
I thought my LDS was being fair.
Benthic
Contributor
Okay--then would you mind educating me a bit? Define price fixing please.joe rock:
Brian
plot
Contributor
Benthic:
Price fixing is when ALL vendors of a particular product do it. Like if ALL the cable tv and satalite tv companies got togethor and decided on a minimum price to charge their customers.
Aqualung and Scubapro can dictate prices for their own equipment, but if they got togethor ALL of the other major scuba manufacturers and set a minimum price, then it'd be price fixing.
As it stands now, Aqualung can force all their vendors to charge $10,000 for all their regulators, and people simply would buy a different brand.
When competing product lines set an agreement with each other to charge a certain price, then it's price fixing as competition has been effectively eliminated.
Plot,
You are absolutely correct. Aqualung and ScubaPro both use Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policies for their products in an attempt to standardize prices across locations. So, an Aqualung Titan reg should cost the same at Bob's Dive Shop as it does across the country at Tom's Dive shop. The manufacturers do this in an attempt to offer some price protection to small shops in competition against larger shops.
You are absolutely correct. Aqualung and ScubaPro both use Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policies for their products in an attempt to standardize prices across locations. So, an Aqualung Titan reg should cost the same at Bob's Dive Shop as it does across the country at Tom's Dive shop. The manufacturers do this in an attempt to offer some price protection to small shops in competition against larger shops.
I found a rather interesting site over the weekend called Diver's Union. The site describes itself as "a loose association of divers who are tired of the practices in the scuba industry that have restricted pricing freedom and service availability as policy by the manufacturers of scuba equipment." The believe that "such policies are an unacceptable business practice, and pledge to work together and lobby the manufacturers, as divers, shop owners and consumers, to change these practices."
Check their site out at: http://diversunion.org/index.htm
Check their site out at: http://diversunion.org/index.htm
plot:
Brian, what plot said. A good example is the oil cartel. They all agree to a single price on on a barrel of crude oil. Another example of Sherman antitrust violations would be giving favorable discounts to specific retailers while not making that discount available to all retailers that meet those conditions.
To the best of my knowledge, both manufacturers have a policy that requires authorized retailers to carry their entire product line as well. Again, perfectly legal.
I'm not saying it's a great pricing policy nor am I saying I agree with the policy. I'm just stating it's not illegal.
JR
Interesting link Swan havent seen that before.
Carribeandiver:
Isn't MAP == Minimum Advertised Price? IE they can sell at whatever they want, they just can't advertise it. According to:
http://saxforte.com/M_A_P__Price/m_a_p__price.html
d) Dealers are, by law, able to establish any actual retail selling price they choose, as long as prices lower than M.A.P. are not advertised in any media including the internet.
This explains why ScubaToys can match Leisure Pros prices and not risk pissing off their vendors. In a way, Leisure Pro is doing their advertising for them, ST really gets the best of both worlds.
A lot of people on this board seem really touchy about Leisure Pro and some even about online discount shopping vs. LDS. Personally, I don't mind paying a reasonable premium at a LDS if they are helpful, informative, and nice. But that doesn't seem to be too common (this goes well beyond just diving), often you go into stores and deal with an attitude, like they are doing you a favor by looking up a price, and they almost never volunteer alternative options if you're looking at something. I'm not paying a premium for that. Yah I understand they'd rather be diving then helping someone shop, but why should I pay extra to be treated like that? Is being in some *******s mere presence worth my cash? It's like they think they deserve my money and it's up to me to prove otherwise. Thanks, but I'll go to Leisurepro if those are the choices. I guess 10 years ago that wasn't an option, but like someone said previously, dive shops better start waking up because online shopping is getting more and more common.
I do computer work, and I go out of my way to try not to avoid that stereotypical "computer guy" attitude. When people have questions, I don't make them feel like an idiot for not knowing something, and I point out alternatives and explain why I personally like one particular solution over another, and why others may disagree with me. I find that I have more work than I have time for now (all repeat), so really, it's just good business for everyone that way.
And if I want to give money to a charity, theres some really good ones out there, for people who really /need/ it. LDS guy with attitude is not a worthwhile charity.
Rob
Diver Dennis
Contributor
joe rock:
The price of oil is set by the movements on the three major international petroleum exchanges, NYMEX,IPE and SIMEX. OPEC has not set prices since the mid 80's but can control production, which obviously affects prices.
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