LDS Rant

[ReefHound]

Same story here. "We can order it for you." Yea.... I can order it for myself, dude. I just don't get it. You can't sell what you don't have. One of my LDS's is very good on service so I took my reg over for an annual. Made the mistake of purusing the store while I was there.

He had maybe 8 BCs, 4 Regs, one computer, no lights. Not even a little 4-C cell light for sale. A few wetsuits and a fairly good selection of masks and fins. That was about it. Couldn't even get a weight belt there as far as I could tell. He had reels but no SMBs.

Makes you wonder how well stocked his service bench was, huh?

 

[Snappahead]

Be happy their inventory (or the inventory ordering ) is not outsourced to a foreign country....

 

[jviehe]

Okay, I have to get this out of my system. Over the last month I have been in about 6 different dive shops looking for various gadgets, equipment - nothing special. In every shop I'm told, "we don't have that, but we can order it for you". Here's my issue, I can order it myself and probably pay less than what I would pay the LDS. The only reasons I go to the LDS is to give them a little business so that they can make a living so that I can get tanks filled. I don't mind paying a little more for something with the LDS, knowing that I am supporting them to keep them in business again so I can get tanks filled. In addition, sometimes you want something now and not have to wait 3 days for it to get shipped to you - another reason to go to the LDS. But, are they missing the mark here? I understand inventory issues and inventory is $$$, but I hear all the time about the poor LDS who cannot compete with the internet. Do a search in this forum and it is filled (or was filled) with these kinds of posts. My only point is that I think we all want to support the LDS, but come on give us a little something here - like keeping a good inventory of things and we will buy from you.

Okay, I'm done...I feel better now (atleast until the next guy tells me, "I can order it for you".

S. Nagel

The real question is why wasnt it in stock? Did you want something unusual? A rare size? A specific brand they dont sell? Also, did they try to sell you an alternative at a discount?

 

[stevetim]

"We can order it for you.".

But can you ship it to my home?

That is the only reason, besides price, that I would divert online if I want to throw some business at the LDS. Fortunately I live in South Florida, and there is usually someone that has what I am looking for.

 

[stevetim]

The real question is why wasnt it in stock? Did you want something unusual? A rare size? A specific brand they dont sell? Also, did they try to sell you an alternative at a discount?

Some newer items are hard to get, even straight from the maker.

Example: Atomic Aquatics spring straps for their split fins. I called Atomic direct, and they were on backorder about a week. This is after I called 18 different dive shops to see if someone had a pair hiding somewhere.

And for the Atomic straps, there is no alternative to fit, that I know of.

 

[JKSteger]

Funny. I stopped by a dive shop one day and after looking around at the very few BCD's, regs and wetsuits I noticed the store had a very large inventory of masks and t-shirts. I commented on the odd ratio of masks & t-shirts vs other actuall dive equipment and the store owner said to me, believe it or not, that the masks and t-shirts is what pays for the rest of the store. He said he would have to close the doors if it wasn't for the t-shirt and mask sales! This surprised me!

The owner took about 15 minutes explaining that more people actually come in and buy 3 or 4 shirts (about $20.00 apiece) and buy a cheap mask / snorkel than anything else. About 6 to 1 over a diver buying anything dive related.

Of course this was in a beach/resort type area not a dive resort type area. So I guess that the store owner stocked what most buying customers wanted...t-shirts and cheap masks.

J:

 

[MichaelBaranows]

stevetim,
that is funny cause my LDS has 3 or 4 pairs hang on the wall right now.

And I also think that the spring straps from Inntavative w/o buckles will work. you have to use your existing buckles.

jksteger,
I have to agree with that shop owner. Seems like most of the time when I work in the shop that more people come in to get mask more than anything else. And no matter how many times a peson has looked thru the shirts hanging on the rack they will look at them just about everytime they come into the shop. And guys always look at knifes and spearguns.