Do instructors and employees get discount on scuba gear?
- Thread starter BeCool
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They usually get a discount from the LDS they are affiliated with. This gets them into the gear the store sells and their customers/students see it on their instructors and want it to. Also, this gets the instructors familiar and confident with the gear so that they can tell others about it.
As far a how much they get of a discount, it depends. It can be as much as "cost" (depending on the shop and the profit margins) - remember the LDS wants them to be walking talking demonstrating advertisements. I'm not being cynical, because there's nothing wrong or evil about this. Kinda like having your Chevrolet salesman drive a Chevrolet. It's good business.
As far a how much they get of a discount, it depends. It can be as much as "cost" (depending on the shop and the profit margins) - remember the LDS wants them to be walking talking demonstrating advertisements. I'm not being cynical, because there's nothing wrong or evil about this. Kinda like having your Chevrolet salesman drive a Chevrolet. It's good business.
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
I'm fairly certain that employees get a discount much like employees at any other non-dive store...likely at the discretion of the owner.
Instructors and DMs usually only have access to keyman discounts through the LDS with which they are affiliated. "Independent" dive professionals may be able to get steep discounts direct from the manufacturers if they ask the right person. Normally, this "keyman" discount is arranged with the manufacturer through the dive shop at a certain time of the year. Bear in mind that the instructor/DM can usually only get the discount if the LDS carries a particular brand.
So how much is the "keyman" discount? It varies according to manufacturer. I'm not a dive professional so I can't quote you hard numbers (and I'd be very surprised if any instructor would willingly post the numbers in an open Internet forum, lest the manufacturer get po'd and cancel access to the discount). However, I have it on good authority that the discounts can be substantial with certain brands. For Aqualung/Apeks/Suunto gear, for instance, the keyman price might be approx. 50% of MSRP. Yeah, 50%. Whites drysuits might be 50%-60% MSRP (with undergarments/accessories included at no extra cost). On the less generous end of the spectrum, Halcyon might only give a modest 10%-15% discount. You can use your imagination with other brands. On account of this practice, many instructors can afford to purchase the newest, greatest, top-of-the-line equipment (regs) every year. To offset their new purchases, they might sell off the gear they used in the previous year. Often they can sell their used gear for more than they initially paid. Eye-opening, huh?
This arrangement is beneficial to everyone involved. The dive professionals get to use the latest, greatest stuff. The manufacturers get free, effective advertising. When a student looks into buying scuba gear, he/she is going to look at what the cool instructors and DMs are using, right? There's an implied message being sent that if a person is serious about diving, then he/she will purchase the same top-of-the-line equipment that the instructors/DMs use.
Think of this the next time you're reading some of the posts about gear-buying on this board. The whole price:value ratio is completely skewed for dive professionals who get keyman pricing.
Instructors and DMs usually only have access to keyman discounts through the LDS with which they are affiliated. "Independent" dive professionals may be able to get steep discounts direct from the manufacturers if they ask the right person. Normally, this "keyman" discount is arranged with the manufacturer through the dive shop at a certain time of the year. Bear in mind that the instructor/DM can usually only get the discount if the LDS carries a particular brand.
So how much is the "keyman" discount? It varies according to manufacturer. I'm not a dive professional so I can't quote you hard numbers (and I'd be very surprised if any instructor would willingly post the numbers in an open Internet forum, lest the manufacturer get po'd and cancel access to the discount). However, I have it on good authority that the discounts can be substantial with certain brands. For Aqualung/Apeks/Suunto gear, for instance, the keyman price might be approx. 50% of MSRP. Yeah, 50%. Whites drysuits might be 50%-60% MSRP (with undergarments/accessories included at no extra cost). On the less generous end of the spectrum, Halcyon might only give a modest 10%-15% discount. You can use your imagination with other brands. On account of this practice, many instructors can afford to purchase the newest, greatest, top-of-the-line equipment (regs) every year. To offset their new purchases, they might sell off the gear they used in the previous year. Often they can sell their used gear for more than they initially paid. Eye-opening, huh?
This arrangement is beneficial to everyone involved. The dive professionals get to use the latest, greatest stuff. The manufacturers get free, effective advertising. When a student looks into buying scuba gear, he/she is going to look at what the cool instructors and DMs are using, right? There's an implied message being sent that if a person is serious about diving, then he/she will purchase the same top-of-the-line equipment that the instructors/DMs use.
Think of this the next time you're reading some of the posts about gear-buying on this board. The whole price:value ratio is completely skewed for dive professionals who get keyman pricing.
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
Some Keyman discounts are even more generous than regular wholesale cost when a complete set-up is bought.
50% is assuming a keystone markup. Which for hard goods is not the usual markup. IOW... Regulators sold for $600 aren't necessarily purchased for $300 by the dive shop. It's more like a 20-30% markup.
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paddler3d
Guest
I worked in outdoor retail for years. A 'cheap' manufacture would give us 50% off MSRP for a 'pro deal'. Most manufactures would give us 'cost +', meaning if they were cost +10 we'd get 10% off cost, what we'd buy it for. Keep in mind MSRP could be 200-210% of cost.
I've asked buddies that are instructors, DM's, so on so forth. They don't get to 'pro deal'. They had to go through the dive shop. A 'pro deal' was between manufacture and employee.
That is not to mention Special Purchases. We'd get some crazy deals sometimes!
Sometimes Cost plus 5% for carrying, sometimes Key Man which can be 20-30% below cost, no profit for anybody.
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