Buy gear online in Canada or purchase locally ?

[Barry_Calgary]

Hi All,
I am looking at purchasing a dive computer. I realize dive shops must add a premium to what they pay for products so I wanted to check out some prices to compare online preferably with shipping in Canada. Does anyone have any experience buying scuba products in Canada ? If you can point me in the right direction that would be great.
I was also considering that if I do purchase from my local dive shop that I would probably have better support and advice than going it alone, plus supporting our local dive shops is a plus.
Thanks Barry

 

[markmantei]

Barry, I will typically pricecheck online. I'm sure you will see with a bit of searching that there is a an ongoing debate on this board regarding brick and mortor shops vs online. Yes there is a cost to stocking product and maintaining a physical storefront, so you can expect to pay more, but you also need to calculate in shipping and duties for online purchases (I haven't found any Canadian websites with great pricing). I have never needed to actually buy online, when I have been bent over so to speak, it is usually on the small stuff that I just pop in for, not the large purchases like computers and regs. That said if the price you have been quoted is too high, bargain a little, I have needed to do this in the past. Figure out what you are willing to pay for the convience of buying locally and what you consider fair to pay over online, and you'll get the ability to see, feel, and play with the product before you actually buy it, not to mention post-sales support if there is a problem down the road. I see your from Calgary so I'll plug Aquasport. Charlene has always been great, and I will always try to use her shop first. If you are looking for websites out of the US, there are lots: scuba.com and leisurepro.com have large selections, divegearexpress.com has excellent pricing but is tech oriented (they also have free shipping if you buy over a certain $ value), diverightinscuba.com is on this board often as well.

 

[koozemani]

Drive south of the border and open up a PO Box. With the strength of the CDN dollar it would be cheaper to buy from the US and drive your new toys north.

 

[Hawkwood]

Barry_Calgary,

You have a choice of four shops in Calgary and another close by in Airdrie. With those choices, there is just about everything available right in Calgary and area. I will go so far as to say that from all of the shops you will not get significant benefits on cost by buying online.

 

[Dive IDC]

This shop sells a large variety of scuba gear online in canada. There if often free shipping on purchases over $100. Buying in Canada and shipping to US I think there is no tax as well. To purchase locally usually means you need to try the item on.

 

[t-mac]

I like to support my LDS when I can, but there are also limits. With a reg, I would open my wallet a little wider to the get the LDS service and they often discount it if you purchase there. With a computer, I wouldn't bother on the basis of service. If it breaks most of the manufacturers provide good support -- but it's not really likely to break. Between my wife and I we have 6 and they don't break. Only service you MAY need is a battery and if its a manufacturer replacement I doubt the LDS gets you much; it's not like they are going to do the service. Support you LDS by buying other stuff from them and training with them and get them to service your reg and BCD.

 

[Dive the World]

I always plan my purchases to conside with my trip to the US - if you can do that, GREAT!

Once, I purchased online (US) and mailed it to my parents (Canada) ended up with 20% import tax.

Since i reside in the middle east, I have just organized myself to shop either when I am heading to the US or someone is coming over from the US.

Just can't beat the US market.

 

[dmcmillan]

Hi All,
I am looking at purchasing a dive computer. I realize dive shops must add a premium to what they pay for products so I wanted to check out some prices to compare online preferably with shipping in Canada. Does anyone have any experience buying scuba products in Canada ? If you can point me in the right direction that would be great.
I was also considering that if I do purchase from my local dive shop that I would probably have better support and advice than going it alone, plus supporting our local dive shops is a plus.
Thanks Barry

I know you have probably already bought your dive computer, I am new to diving, but am an IT geek, so I have been doing a lot of research into purchasing my gear. Some gear makes sense to buy online, like a dive computer, others like the BCD can be found cheaper online, but the cost of shipping is often prohibitive and duties eat up your savings. I recently purchased my dive computer (a Suunto D4i with air transmitter) from mareshop.eu and saved over $200 including shipping, duty & GST ($540 CAD total). The next best prices in our region of the world that I found are at IDC in Vancouver (diveidc.com), which is better priced than scuba.com on pretty much everything. The LDSs in Calgary are pretty reasonable and will often work with you on packages, but the hot deals board here seems to have deals if you can catch them at the right time.

Hope that helps someone out...

 

[chillyinCanada]

Hawkwood, it was my understanding that the Airdrie shop recently closed?

I'll second Charlene at AquaSport (Marda Loop). I haven't bothered to go to another shop in years. She's da bomb. Also, if you are jonesin' for local dives, she can take care of you and/or get you connected.

Amongst my recent purchases was an Oceanic Veo 3 and it was less than list online. How can I beat that even if it is the same price? I walk in, lust over it, think about it, return later with my other computer, compare them, satisfied, I slap down the credit card and walk out smiling with my new toy. Plus got to talk to Charlene which makes most anyone's day. You can't do that online.

Tell her "chilly" sent you. Should get a chuckle out of her.

 

[Locus]

This shop sells a large variety of scuba gear online in canada. There if often free shipping on purchases over $100. Buying in Canada and shipping to US I think there is no tax as well. To purchase locally usually means you need to try the item on.

How do you justify charging $70 more for yellow-tipped hollis f1 fins vs all black?