How Much More Will You Spend at Your LDS?

Whats the most extra you'll pay and still buy at the LDS?

  • I won't pay a cent more than I can get it for online.

    Votes: 26 24.1%
  • 20% more

    Votes: 64 59.3%
  • 50% more

    Votes: 4 3.7%
  • I'll pay double to shop at the LDS

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • I love my LDS and I'll pay triple the online price

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I'll buy from the LDS no matter what it costs!

    Votes: 13 12.0%

  • Total voters
    108

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

ReefHound:
Everyone won't do that because everyone isn't smart. There will always be schmucks to pay the inflated LDS prices so the savvy shoppers can get cheap fills. The fools are the ones who "support" the LDS only to see it close anyway.

There should be a scuba park or charter who has a fill station to get fills. If your area is so devoid of local diving that this cannot be supported then maybe your area isn't suitable for diving. One wouldn't expect to be an avid snow skier living in Belize.

Air is easy.

Nitrox and helium and argon are the more difficult. And oxygen is dangerous. I doubt the C&Cs of your housing area would be permissive of oxygen tanks locally in storage. The neighbors might even run you out.

And I do not credit parasites as being particularly smart. Clever perhaps, but not smart.
 
letsgodiving:
Any business that doesn't compete deserves to go out of business. The LDS's have other income streams, like certifications courses and air refills etc. When it comes to retail sales they have to use their own judgment when it comes to loss leaders.

We have LDS's that are competitive, and others that aren't. One LDS marks their scubapro up by about 40% above MRSP, and then discount it down as if they are doing you a favor. The end up charging people around 10% above MRSP, and try and act like they are doing you a favor.

Some LDS deserve business and others don't, it is simple market forces. The same market forces that keeps the costs of all products down.

Gear sales are the primary profit factor, to cover the other overhead costs of the dive shop.

Air fills and instruction normally barely breaks even. You need to understand that if you want to benefit from the convenience of a local dive shop.
 
jsado:
If I've learned one thing from this board it's that scuba isn't a poor mans sport. And some of you, find curious little ways to point that out and basically belittle those who NEED to find the best deals around.

JSADO I am sorry about that, if that is the way it seems to you.

Even so, I still think you are better off buying from a reputable dive shop.

If you get the know the owner well, he will give you discounts, if you need them. At least, he will, if he is a good owner.

We all want everyone to be able to dive.

Buying from the internet is often unsafe, because often the gear you get is unsatisfactory. Not always, just often.

I buy on the internet too, but only after I have checked my dive shop first. And several times, when the shop has seen what I have bought on the internet, they have begun to stock it as well. My purchases are never cheap however. So far, these items cost more than those available at a store, because I look for extremely high end products.
 
nereas:
Buying from the internet is often unsafe, because often the gear you get is unsatisfactory. Not always, just often.

Not often, just sometimes.
 
do it easy:
I generally buy from my LDS- their prices are competative with online sales, plus I get free hair :D I get a discount because I am a DM/AI for the shop, but I think they would give most people a discount for larger packages.

Dude, if those lakes up there are so shallow that you can get away with air safely, then you are a lucky and happy man. I am fine with air to about 30 to 40 ffw. Deeper than that and I want nitrox. And nobody gives away nitrox free. :eyebrow:
 
nereas:
Dude, if those lakes up there are so shallow that you can get away with air safely, then you are a lucky and happy man. I am fine with air to about 30 to 40 ffw. Deeper than that and I want nitrox. And nobody gives away nitrox free. :eyebrow:

Nereas,

You strike me as a person with an agenda. I personally don't give a damn where people shop or buy things. I choose who, what and where for myself and my preferred vendors aren't likely to go out any time soon. You can shop wherever you like and if includes paying more at a local shop - more power to you.

The one local shop in my town closed its doors a couple years ago. (its owner lurks on here as a nice disenfrachised pundit of all things diving). When I was a new diver, I bought into the 'save the shops' mentality. Where did it get me, just poorer.

Until very recently (last month or so), the closest air/nitrox for me was an hour. Trimix - well, best case 1.5 hours if they have He or 2+. I lived. I built a whip to handle argon. I still dive and it hasn't limited that.

Now, simple fact of life, for a buisness to survive it must:

1) Bring in more than it spends and provide profit to the owner
2) Have a sustainable need in a niche for which it's sevices fill
3) Have a sustainable revenue stream from its client base

To do this, they compete with EVERY other venue/vendor out there who seeks to fill the same niche and provides similar sevices/products. To do anything else is nothing short of stupid.

Again, I have no agenda. Go and do what your want. Spend money where you want - GUILT FREE.
 
I don't buy much from my local dive shop, I just take my gear to be serviced there. The last two months:
4 aluminum tanks O2 Cleaned]
1 Aluminum Hydro
2 Steel Vips
3 Regs serviced
2-3 air fills a week
3-4 Nitrox fills a month.
It adds up
 
nereas:
Gear sales are the primary profit factor, to cover the other overhead costs of the dive shop.

Air fills and instruction normally barely breaks even. You need to understand that if you want to benefit from the convenience of a local dive shop.

I don't need the convenience of a LDS, so it isn't a problem.

If gear sales are so profitable, maybe the LDS should get a little more competitive and match the on-line dealers, who have the same suppliers as the LDS in many cases. Take Divers Direct for example, they have a very strong retail side selling the same stuff as the LDS with the same overheads, go figure.

I do actually buy most of our stuff locally because we have an LDS that is also a competitive and as well as having a thriving on-line business, they also match other on-line dealers. All the Internet does is allow people to shop anywhere and take advantage of retailers that are competitive.
 

Back
Top Bottom