Beware of Leisure Pro - bad experience buying a regulator

[vladimir]

I am curious about something, Why do you even bother with a LDS when you are going to purchase on line? What does the LDS do for you? I stock the most current up to date inventory that my manufactures sell. I let you touch it and in some cases even test dive it. So, with the economy as crappy as it is, I am looking for answers. What does your local dive shop have to do to EARN your business?

A lot of LDS vs LeisurePro discussions start with the premise that the LDS gives better service and then haggle over how much that is worth. For me (before I left the states), LeisurePro gives superior service. The website has a logical, easily navigated and searched display of huge inventory (which is why they usually get the nod over ScubaToys), I point and click and the stuff is on my doorstep a day or two later. Even when I lived in NYC, that was easier than going to one of the three (including LP) local dive shops within a few miles of me. I don't do any price comparison because I know they have the best price--and price is not my primary motivator anyway. So, for customers like me, it's hard to see how you can compete.

 

[Crush]

I want a shop that listens to me, not one that tries to tell me what I want to buy. It is OK to engage me in a conversation and point out things I had not considered but if you are talking when I think you should be listening then I am going out the door.

+1

If you lie, or tell me something that you should know is not true then I am going to get discouraged and probably go elsewhere. In other words; know (not guess) what you are talking about and shoot straight.

+1

"I don't know, but I will look into it and get back to you" is a perfectly acceptable, professional answer.

Don't try and sell me stuff I don't need. I don't like that. Do try and tell me when there is something I should be buying that I had not thought about. In other words, I am buying fines, I probably need booties. I don't need a special bottle of 'Fin wash'.

YES! Also, don't try to push me on the last of your old stock so as to clear it out if that is clearly not what my diving needs are.

If you have a web-site maybe I'll buy something from you.

+1, again. An up-to-date listing of what you have and your pricing might encourage me to shop at your place on-line. Do you think I really care if it is shipped from NY, TX, or TN? DON'T have a web link to your "on-line store," the only contents of which are links to Aqualung, US Diver, Zeagle, etc. - I can find these manufacturers just fine using google. If maintaining a site is too tough, send out a pdf flyer with real prices on it once a while. Finally, if you sigh, roll your eyes and shrug your shoulders if I ask you to price-match someone else (or at least come close) - you have lost me as a customer, forever. Giving you the chance to come close to an on-line price is not something that I do for my benefit - the on-line price will be better. I am trying to get you to come close so that I can support you while not getting totally ripped off. I am throwing you a bone. Don't shrug and walk away.

 

[rcoreytaylor]

Purchasing locally = paying marginally more to insure you receive after sales service

It's that simple.

 

[Crush]

Purchasing locally = paying marginally more to insure you receive after sales service

It's that simple.

I wish that were so.

 

[AquaNSun]

I work at a retail store and I deal with customers with returns and exchanges everyday. Every retail store has some kind of return policy that they have to follow so LP wasn't picking on a specific customer or situation. At our store, we have a return policy of 90 days for most items if you're not satisfied. But after 90 days, you have to contact the manufacturer yourself for any warranty issues. That is based on date on your receipt/invoice not on how many days you actually get to try it. LP had to follow their policy, over 30 days, and so they had you contacted Aeris. This return policy is pretty standard in most retail stores.

It's unfortunate that a new item would fail so quickly. In our electronics department, I have seen the same item, brand new, came back the next day because of malfunction parts while other customers didn't have any complaints. That is QC of the product and in this case happened to be Aeris. You just happened to receive a bad product unfortunately. It's an inconvenience and we do feel for your frustration.

To be fair from a third person's point of view, I think LP didn't do anything wrong and sometimes customers misunderstood and expected the dealers to take full responsibility. But that again was because they didn't understand the rules. There is a line between what dealers and manufacturers can and can't do.

As to how LP interacted with OP, rude or not, that would be a different story depending on who you talked to and how experienced he/she was. That could make a difference in an already disappointed customer.

Good luck to you and hope things turn out fine.

 

[nwdiver2]

Hey, if I pay ½ of the price a shop would charge me I don’t expect the same level of service as a shop, buy cheap pay for service at a shop.

 

[Wildbill]

I'm not trying to hyjack RaginCajun's post but I too have bought items from LP and have had no problems until my last order. I ordered a 3mm Drysuit hood for a FFM. they offered free shipping but I paid for faster delivery because I needed it ASAP for an upcoming dive class. I was sent a different item, when I called LP I was told I would have to buy another one and when I returned the other hood I'd get credit back and they would send it 2nd business day so I would have it ASAP, Great so far. This was on a Thursday afternoon. Friday Afternoon I check my emails and I'm told that my order is now backordered with an unk ship date. I call LP customer service and was on hold for 20 mins until someone picked up the phone then hung up. I called back and got a recording that Customer Service had closed for the day @ 3pm (about 15 mins prior). It was like they just took everyone on hold and hung up on them. So I was forced to wait until monday morning. I called back and spoke the person I spoke to on Thursday and told him about the backorder, he didn't know about it. Apparently, according to him the online store and the brick store share the same inventory and there was only one and it went to the other guy.(first come first serve) I told that if I had been sent the right hood to begin with we wouldn't be in this predictament. He agreed and asked, What I wanted to do about it?. I told hem that is not what I wanted to hear, he should be telling ME what LP is going to do to correct the problem and keep me happy. I thought that's what Customer Service meant. But, as long as he is asking. I told him to cancel everything and to not bother sending me any email survey because they won't like what I put in it. He just simply said OK...... No nothing about letting him try and correct the problem or anything. Just OK order cancelled have a good day. With the hang up on Friday and his demeanor on the phone, it was like LP doesn't care if I ever buy anythiing from them again. Whrere is the CUSTOMER SERVICE in that statement.

 

[Marek K]

Whrere is the CUSTOMER SERVICE in that statement.

I've heard several times that LP's customer service reps over the phone are... um... terse? Abrupt? Rude? Businesslike? (I've never run into that myself, either on the phone or e-mail.)

Same question as for the OP, and the same question the LP rep asked you... What were you expecting them to do about it at that point? They screwed up, but they didn't have the item to send you. In your place, I might fantasize that they'd send me the item for free when they got it in -- but that probably wouldn't be realistic.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

A couple of things about LP.

Its a NY company, they tend to be rather short and to the point verbally. If you have hung around the NY types (or worse the NJ types) enough you get used to it (or immune to it). The opposite end of the spectrum are the guys at Scubatoys in Texas who have the Southern Hospitality thing down. Both can and do screw up orders, both generally fix the orders, but the demeanor of the customer service person is very different.

LP is a Jewish company. They shut down Friday afternoon through Saturday for religious reasons. Also for week long feast in the fall. It is hard for us gentiles to remember that and get frustrated at the lack of service at these times.

You can save a lot of money purchasing on-line (LP and others), but you are really putting yourself at risk when you order something last minute. It simply takes too long to get issues resolved and fast shipping is very expensive.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What many of you simply do not understand with regards to Leisure Pro is that you may likely be talking to a Hasidic Jew from New York. Personally I love them to death after having spent years as a kosher butcher and before that dealing with Adorama and B&H photo in New York. That is just the way they are. Business is business. It is not time to be nicey nice and hold someone's hand.

When they asked the one poster "He agreed and asked, What I wanted to do about it?. " You got damn lucky. He opened the door and you slammed it shut on your own foot. Had you said "I'd like to get the right hood as soon as it comes in with free shipping." That is most likely what would have happened! Instead they were expected to bend over and bow down with much apologizing. That is just not the way it works.

I get a kick out of getting one of their gruff guys on the phone cause I know how to talk to them! Like a man who knows what he wants and appreciates time not being wasted with platitudes and bull caca. I would love to work with those guys. It;d be like going back into the kosher market. Dealing with people who were intelligent, knew what they wanted, and when you were fair to them they were great to you. LP's return policy is more than fair and the only thing I see wrong is that they sell to people who think the world revolves around them and that the customer is always right.

Those of us who really spent time in the retail industry know that the slogan is just that, a slogan. The customer is not always right. Many times they are dead wrong but you can't tell em that to their face cause they might get upset to find out that they are at times- full of it.