The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

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My OMS harness wasn't recalled, this was done as a service to me.

The bolt holes for a backplate and doubles were off by a 1/4 inch. I was notifed and I will have a new harness shortly.

Try that buying online
 
Got home last night to find a slip from DHL - they arrived already! Ordered Friday PM arrived Tuesday AM - impressed.

Like others have expressed I will still only use this for smaller ticket items - but then I have most I the big stuff I want for now.....

Good job

Jonathan
 
In the beginning I did shop online - I never really bouoght a whole lot of stuff though - a Dive Rite BC on Ebay - but that was about it.

I have the advantage that I have a large dealer for what I want - down the street and I feel that although I don't go and purchase everything at once - I like to support that LDS - since they are crucial to the type of diving I want to get into -

I am considering purchasing my next set of flat heads online though - but we'll see...

Big T
 
Hi,
I've been following these discussions on whether to buy online versus the LDS, and for the most part I think its better to support the LDS. But up here in Edmonton, AB, Canada, I just can't do it. I thought about ranting and raving about the incredible difference in price that there is, but thats not even the main issue. There is such a limited number of LDS's here that they can treat you like crap and get away with it.

It all started shortly after we got certified a couple of years ago. We dutifully went and bought our snorkle/masks/fins from the shop we were taking the course at. The pool/classroom section went fine. Then we go to Jasper for our 4 openwater dives - well they had so many students that weekend that their cascade system couldn't handle it, so they only filled tanks to 1800 psi. Thats a very very short dive when you're first starting.

So we got our ceritification in any case, and our instructor did a pretty good job. In fact, before we signed up he said 'we support our students after they're finished - anytime you want to refresh your skills just join us when we're teaching a class at the pool for free'.

We thought thats pretty good, it can't hurt to refresh your skills if you don't get out enough. So we find out they're going to be at a pool (nice deep olympic diving pool) and think about going. My fiancee calls up and they want $25 per person to join them plus pool fee ($9 I think). They say they never ever offered free pool diving. What a joke!!

So I'm still on they're mailing list, and I get an email saying they're going to go diving at West Edmonton Mall. (see http://www.westedmontonmall.com/entertainment/deepsea.shtml - you dive where the subs go) They want $75 per person for this. Well I think this is rather expensive and decline. Then I'm looking around at the wesites of Alberta dive shops, and see a shop from Calgary offering the same dive for
$50. And they're in another city over 200 miles away!!! What a scam!! There is no way I will ever spend a single dime at this place again.

So, would you support an LDS that acted like that? Its absolutely ridiculous.

Anyways, sorry for the long rant, but stuff like this frustrates me.

Darryl
 
Yeah i have a similar situation

I really didnt want to use this certain LDS, but they are the only ones i can get mix and argon fills from. So i bit the bullet and went back in there after a 4 yr break from diving. I just cant stand the LDS owner he is a total wacko. I figured i would let them know i was diving again and i wanted my 2 SP regs serviced. he is charging me $150 to service a MK10/G250 and a MK2 (i think)/R190. I didnt mind paying paying it because i i needed it done and i do has some loyalty to this shop.

I called the yesterday and i was told the service tech is gone for the next 9 days. meanwhile my stuff sits there and he hasnt even shipped it out. Now this really pisses me off because i told him i wanted it back soon as possible. So my stuff sits there for 11 days until he gets back to ship it.

let me make this clear, NO one in the shop was going to ship this, it was his job and he blew it off to go skiing. Theres no doute in my mind he wasnt shipping it until his return. Then give me some BS about SP being slow. And after seing his repair bench with piles of parts all over it i now realize this LDS can kiss my as*.

I will be picking my regs up Friday and taking them elsewhere.

I will just have to drive 30 min more to use a diff shop from this day forward. I will buy a slap strap or 2, a hose or 2, and Mix but my high dollar items are comming from EE or DiveINN.

Andy

wow i was mad when i wrote this, i even spelled my name wrong, thx for the edit button.:)
 
I have always said I will be as good to my lds as they are to me.
My lds hasn't given me any breaks even though I have dropped a quite few bucks, so I go where I can save a few bucks (competition or online) and give my lds the business when their price is the same or better then elsewhere.
 
I guess I am lucky to have three dive shops within ten minutes of each other but one shop in particular has forgotten what customer service is all about we used to take our regs. to them religiously every year in fact and the dive team i was on had ten of them all the same. One year for some unknown reason i decided to go to another shop for reg srvice i guess because the old shop i was using had very little gear he would whip out catalogs and order it for you. when i got the regs serviced the new shop called me and was in a panic because of the poor condition of the regs he asked if i ever had them serviced I said every year he said no way. there were several upgrades available so he did that when i got the bill i had a heart attack and went to the old shop to ask why. His reply was we flow test them and if they flow alright there is no need to take them apart. I was shocked because we were paying around 150.00 per reg for flow testing? i must be crazy thanks for letting me rant i needed it. I also have a good dry suit story too.... thanks Jeff
 
Originally posted by Rooster1
I have always said I will be as good to my lds as they are to me.
My lds hasn't given me any breaks even though I have dropped a quite few bucks, so I go where I can save a few bucks (competition or online) and give my lds the business when their price is the same or better then elsewhere.

Funny you should say that. For awhile I thought my LDS was great. Not so any more. I laid out the $$$$ and got most of my kit with them. Now I'm pick up the extras, and the toys.

Right now I'm looking at getting Nitrox tanks. My LDS is offering them for about $50 more (and just filled), while another is offering them with 20 fills. Guess where I'll be going?
 
dvleemin

That pool session that the LDS wanted to charge you $25.00 for happens every Saturday night at 8:00 pm. The dive tank is open to any scuba divers and costs $5.75 per person as long as you have all the gear. A group of us go at least once every two weeks during the winter.

As for the West Ed trips, I would book through the Calgary stores. Save yourself the $25.00. The west ed dive is not really that exciting. Every one gets in the pool and then a dive leader takes you around the boat twice. Eveyone has to follow along and when he is done your done. The water is cold as well. You will definitly have to wear a full wet suit. Not worth the money if you ask me.

Diverl
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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