Using LDS for a fitting room

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide, traveling internationally from Dallas,Texas,when I come home,I just to go to the 'big toy store' down the street to just to look around but a couple of years ago they screwed up my annual service on my (3) SP reqs so now they are a bad memory. The last little LDS that fix my reqs had a great owner who would give me free stuff & sell the rest at cost....but he went out of business for some reason.(?) Now I got all the dive stuff I need for the job but if something gets lost/stolen or breaks, I usually go on-line to order. The only time the LDS gets my business is when I'm somewhere with no UPS/FEDEX & held hostage.

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[Jaydubya]

I buy from my LDS, buy online, and buy used. Whatever works best for me. Personally, I don't try things on at the LDS and then order online but I don't cast stones at other people for doing it. It's (still) a free country, at least in theory.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

The last little LDS that fix my reqs had a great owner who would give me free stuff & sell the rest at cost....but he went out of business for some reason.(?)
KT

Oddly, the same thing happened to a store I used to be affiliated with. The owner was a great guy ... really emphasized excellent customer service. Didn't seem to help much.

As an aside ... do you realize you've started every post you've ever made on ScubaBoard with the same four words? Are you a dive guide or something ???



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ReefHound]

As an aside ... do you realize you've started every post you've ever made on ScubaBoard with the same four words? Are you a dive guide or something ???

now that is hilarious... I thought you were exaggerating or he was new and only had 3 or 4 posts... but I did see one that started "as a dive dive"...

 

[clay357]

As I stated in the other thread, we have one LDS that is almost always less expensive than most internet sites to start with. If they are more expensive, they will match the internet price just to get the business. Personally, I will buy from them even if they are more expensive just to support the shop. I always prefer to buy locally whenever possible.

On another note, if one shop can do this and stay in business, why can't others?

 

[k ellis]

I consistently hear people use the arguement that the Local Dive shop has over head and rent to pay as well as utilities. What ever happend to the consumer who had those same expenses? Sure I dont try to use the dive shop but when you figure a person makes say 50 thousand a year and spends an extra 2 grand at the local dive shop that takes 2 thousand dollars out of the families budget that they could have easily put forth on a vacation or something useful.

Yes I feel sorry for the dive shops not making as much as they used to but I dont appreciate them in some cases (not all) marking things up with the mentality that if you want it bad enough youll pay it and if you dont well some one will. I love diving as much as any one does so why should a LDS try to price it to where I cant afford to go and have to miss out?

 

[DavidInNH]

I wouldn't use my LDS as a fitting room. I generally know about what I should be paying for an item before I go in for it. I expect to pay more at the local shop. If I feel their price is too high, I let them know what I've seen the item going for. If it's grossly higher, they can explain why. On many items, the reasons make sense - shipping (for heavy items like tanks), quantity, internet-based suppliers with black/grey market items. On more than one occasion, the LDS has provided a lower price, possibly because I'm a loyal customer. They know that I'll be back and don't have to make a killing on a single purchase. Smaller margins on recurring purchases works better.

On the other hand, I've gone to another local shop (that's been around for a LONG time) and gotten poor advice. Even without a large markup, I'd not likely use that shop again.

 

[koozemani]

If my intention is to purchase online, then I will simply order a couple different sizes and styles and then return what I don't need. I don't think I would ever insult my Lds that way, especially since they'll notice my new gear on a future dive trip. My biggest problem is that I'm an impulse buyer and the Internet and my iPhone facilitate my weakness.

 

[Seraphimx]

As a dive guide, traveling internationally from Dallas,Texas,when I come home,I just to go to the 'big toy store' down the street to just to look around but a couple of years ago they screwed up my annual service on my (3) SP reqs so now they are a bad memory. The last little LDS that fix my reqs had a great owner who would give me free stuff & sell the rest at cost....but he went out of business for some reason.(?) Now I got all the dive stuff I need for the job but if something gets lost/stolen or breaks, I usually go on-line to order. The only time the LDS gets my business is when I'm somewhere with no UPS/FEDEX & held hostage.

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

Not all dive shops that use that technique fail.

There is a nice dive shop here in Montreal if anyone wants to know I can send them the address.
The owner prices things 10% over the online price, it's not so bad (others tend to be more the 200% type) and he gives you great service, great knowledge and he doesn't try to push gear unto you because he's mainly a tech diver shop. You won't buy him a reg setup, so what, the next diver will buy 4 regs for his stages. The dive shop makes some good money. What did he do? He took the same technique that Apple does.

Apple sells their stuff a bit more expensive. (really) but people like the service, the simplicity and the multitude of classes.
People buy the apple computer, the apple warranty and the apple classes. They want the service.
He sells a bit more expensive but it's the whole deal, you don't like the fins, he'll replace them. You bring in used gear, he'll happily fix it for you. He'll try his best to make you happy, whatever the situation. You call him for some info or so tips, he'll talk to you for hours to give you pointers.

I'm the geeky nerd but I prefer to buy from them then from the net.
If you try gear there and buy somewhere else, your not "unfaithful". I bought 80% of my gear there, will it seriously damage his business if I try something at his shop once in a while? I don't think so.

 

[mathauck0814]

I'm a huge fan of supporting the local businesses and making sure that my fill station stays in business so I can get air where and when I want it.

BUT

We have two LDS in Southern New Hampshire. One has an absolutely flawed and completely corrupt business model, the other has figured it out. LDS(a) attempts to make its living on retail, discounts things like training and runs day trips to the beach for shore diving (guided, unnecessarily) for a song. LDS(b) has no retail, gives away fills on a regular basis and makes a killing selling training and diver services.

If the excuse for charging an inflated margin on an identical product is in response to higher costs - get out of that business. There's no reason that a dive shop needs to stock anything other than a glorified save-a-dive kit (and they should charge handsomely for those o-rings when you're on a weekend away and doing some diving). But the argument that these guys choose not to compete and then victimize the customer is BS. It's not the customers' fault that LDS(a) hasn't evolved with the times and frankly nothing brings me more pleasure than pointing out to them the thousands of dollars I spend with DRIS and other "brick and mortar" stores that understand competitive pricing and diver services.

No sympathy for the LDS - none at all. Just like any other business, those with excuses will end up talking about how they "used to run a dive shop". The rest will evolve and thrive.