And another sale gone, another one down... another one bites the dust!

[Genesis]

Here again we have a shining example of how NOT to make a sale.

Just stopped by one of the LDSs here in town to have a tank filled for tomorrow.

While there, I inquired about a Vytec transmitter. See, I just got the wrist unit, sans transmitter, from another source.

Asked if that line was price controlled. He said "yes, 10% off max" and proceeded to look up his "best price."

Gave me the price. I explained that I've already done my shopping, and can get them for about $100 less. Heh, $100 is $100. For $25 or $50, I would have payed the difference to support the local shop. But not at $100.

The response was, predictably, that they wouldn't risk their dealership over a sale.

Ok.

But you know what? They didn't have to lose either the sale or risk their dealership.

I was never offered anything else to try to "make up the difference."

And they could have too. A 10 fill Nitrox card would have done it. It would have been close to dollar-neutral on the whole transaction for me, cost them less than that by a good margin, and made them a profit on the transmitter.

Instead, they let me walk out with a full bottle of Nitrox, but no transmitter, and I kept a big wad of money in my wallet too.

Most unfortunate - for them.

See, I'm going to buy the transmitter. A sale at some amount of profit is better than no sale at all, is it not? Bundled or whatever, it still a better deal for them to make the sale than to let me walk out the door, if the alternative is that they make nothing.

Never mind that the fill card keeps me in your store, where I might buy more stuff. Kinda hard to do if I'm not there, isn't it?

If the people from this shop are reading this forum, you know who I am. You have my phone number too. I'm going to buy the transmitter - the only question that remains is "from who?"

'Tis up to you...

(Here's another question to go along with it. As this shop knows, I will be buying at least two E-series PST tanks when they are available - because I've told them so. Would they like THAT business? There's a decent amount of money involved in that one! I already have a LOCAL shop price that is close to LP's for them.... but its an hour drive away. Me oh my, who do I give many hundreds of dollars to.... such a tough decision I have to make! )

 

[o2scuba]

. "Me oh my, who do I give many hundreds of dollars to.... such a tough decision I have to make! "


__________________

Let me save you the trouble, just send it to me!

 

[DiverBuoy]

They deserve to lose your money. Although if they are holding to their guns about Seaquest's (Suunto's USA representative) dealer limitation of 10% discounting they wouldn't be able to take more off that item. However, as you suggested, they should have bargain in some other area of business with you.

Let me ask something I didn't see in your story. Sometimes as a consumer you have to fight harder for a good deal. You know be a bit more manipulative and clear. Did you propose the nitrox card, a store credit, or other option that wouldn't show up on the sales receipts or get audited by SeaQuest. From what you said in your story they didn't want to work hard for your business so they don't deserve the sale. But sometimes they need a little push to bargain. Clearly they are in it for the money - and the largest amount they can get. They could have been testing you to see just how serious you were about taking the deal with your other source for $100.00 less. They may have figured, even if I bargain with this guy for 25% or 50% of the difference will he still walk? In other words, if the difference was smaller to start with there may have been more bargaining power, but if another dealer is violating the SeaQuest rules by that much, they figure let the other guy get in trouble, I'm going to stand on principle.

Did you show proof of the 100 dollar difference, or just talk a good story? Perhaps after hearing about the SeaQuest limitation on dealer discounts, you were thinking it might get your first source in trouble? If it turned out legitimate, the store may have been able to contact SeaQuest and offer the same thing. Thus giving them some leverage with the mfg.

In the end, given the information we have, IMO you did the right thing with your money. But without more details, if I had been in your fins, I would have bargained a bit more forcefully. And offered some alternative options for them to win my business.

By the way I want that Vytec myself, any chance you can PM me your source?

 

[Genesis]

In a word....

See, my view is that the business is theirs to lose, not mine to let them "win".

I was in there to buy something for certain, and possibly to buy something else - if they had it at a reasonable price.

I made my inquiry. I told them what my "best price" was elsewhere. I gave them more than I should have, rather than just saying "take your best shot - one bid - take your best shot".

Instead, I told them what number they had to hit. Whether they believed me is not relavent, really. If they don't believe the price is real, then that's fine - its their choice.

See, I have nothing to prove. They have everything to prove. I have the other sources already - they can't "deprive" me of the unit by not selling at a price I'm willing to pay, since I've already established that I can get it at a given price.

Hell, I could probably get the unit from LeisurePro (they DO sell most of the Suunto stuff - haven't even looked there for this particular item though)

I don't believe in the cat-and-mouse games that some sellers want to play. I do my homework, do my shopping, know what the price is in the marketplace and know what I'll pay for an item before I go into the store, 9 times out of 10.

It is my money they're after - therefore, if they know they're handicapped ahead of time, its their job to come up with ways to close the deal.

Or not, as they choose.

But every time you choose "not" as a seller, you run the risk that you may not get another shot - for this, or for anything else. I may not come back and give you the shot at the next item I need. Why would I, if we've established that its a waste of my time?

 

[norcaldiver]

So what's your time and gas and wear and tear on your car to drive an hour to save the $100?

Now keep that wad of money you saved today and the store will go out of biz, now you get to drive 1 hour each way to get a $4 air fill. Wow, that sounds like a real bargain.

Also, why would you buy the vytec w/o the transmitter, seems to me that defeats the purpose.

AND, $535, minus 10% that's the best I can do. (no, I'm not the guy from the story, just another guy that works and another shop that does have SQ stuff)

If you find it cheaper anywhere else, you let me know where, so I can call Seaquest and have their dealership revoked, so then you have to some to me and then the price might just be $635.

But then you could find it on the internet and put all the LDSs out of biz, then the only people selling gear are 1 or 2 top companies and the price might be $700....

Again, $481.50

Let me know where I come in against the other 2 guys

 

[Scuba]

Sounds like this shop does'nt want to compete with others price wise. Its probably time to scratch them from your product purchases options, and just use them for airfills.

I've done this.

Having the convenience of having many shops around gives me the option of using different shops for different things based on their offerings - to get what I want. I would prefer it if my closest shop could satisfy all my needs, but such is not the case. I consider myself fortunate for the options available to me, and feel for those without them. Throw in online shopping, and now we all have more options.

 

[Genesis]

So what's your time and gas and wear and tear on your car to drive an hour to save the $100?

I won't drive an hour. I'll order it online. There are two authorized dealers who will ship to my door for roughly $375, give or take a few bucks.

Now keep that wad of money you saved today and the store will go out of biz, now you get to drive 1 hour each way to get a $4 air fill. Wow, that sounds like a real bargain.

$4 huh? You wish. More like $10 for nitrox. And oh, I may just buy a compressor. See, I go through some 100-150 tanks a year, and that's just me. Add my primary buddy and you can double that, add a couple more friends and my, what a big gas bill you have.

Considering that the real cost per fill is about a buck for power and filter media in the compressor, and another $0.50 for the Oxygen to mix up some 30%, it seems to me that at $10 there's quite a bit of savings to be had....

Also, why would you buy the vytec w/o the transmitter, seems to me that defeats the purpose.

Not really. Its a very nice wrist computer. And at $365 - heh, a good deal too.

AND, $535, minus 10% that's the best I can do. (no, I'm not the guy from the story, just another guy that works and another shop that does have SQ stuff)

If you find it cheaper anywhere else, you let me know where, so I can call Seaquest and have their dealership revoked, so then you have to some to me and then the price might just be $635.

Really?

Over in the EU the price-fixing you're committing is illegal and people go to JAIL for it. The statement you made here would get you investigated by the competition folks over there.

It ought to be that way here, but that's ok. Even after I pay import duty and shipping - from Spain or GB, no less - I can have the unit AT MY DOOR by DHL in 2-3 days for about $375.

I haven't bothered asking LP yet what THEY sell it for (they also sell Suunto gear)

Oh, the stuff from overseas? It is sold by an authorized dealer and carries a full warranty. Don't even bother playing that card.

But then you could find it on the internet and put all the LDSs out of biz, then the only people selling gear are 1 or 2 top companies and the price might be $700....

Gee, LP will sell me darn near the entire unit (wrist + transmitter) for that. You must be smoking something funny over there on the Left Coast.

Again, $481.50

Let me know where I come in against the other 2 guys

$100 too expensive. And unlike them, a Nitrox fill card from you is worthless.

They at least have (well, ok, in a few days it will be HAD!) the opportunity to get the biz - without breaking their unholy "agreements".

Then again, maybe they think like you and I should avoid them - with your kind of attitude your shop should be empty.

One can only hope.... :bonk: :bonk: :bonk:

 

[divemistress]

all provided extensive lines of scuba equipment and services at 25-33% off the prices charged by our LDS, at a convenient nearby location, how many of us would continue to patronize the LDS?

just ask any retired/bankrupt/gave-up local pharmacist, clothier, jeweler, electronics vendor, etc. etc. etc. as a nation, we vote with our wallet.

 

[joens]

there are 2 shops that I am very familiar with and in both of those there is one person [ the owner at one and the manager at the other ]who can make deals .anyone else can only look in the dealer book and read the price . I have asked for a price from a clerk and been given a price then a day later asked a price on the same item and got a 2-300 $ cheaper price .
joens

 

[raxafarian]

you seem to constantly have this problem.

Why do you continue to try and get a mail order prices from your LDS? Just buy your crap online. And go buy your own compressor already.

Buy from LP and deal with them on warranty issues (they are not an authorized dealer).

Buy from DiveInn/Simply Scuba and send your gear back to them for warranty work. Your LDS won't touch it for warranty work because it was distributed by whoever handles Suunto in Europe, which is NOT the same as the US distributor.

Everyone knows the LDS can't match (or usually come close) to the online prices. You know this, because you keep stating as much. It's too bad the LDS didn't want to give you any freebies. Some people get 'em, some don't. Some people paid more for the same new car I have, some probably paid less. I was happy with my car deal, and I'm happy with my LDS. I'm afraid you will never find a LDS that will make you happy.