WeldonDowd
Contributor
I wish Wal Mart carried scuba gear.
How much are you willing to pay your LDS over online?
- Thread starter Lenaxia
- Start date
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I recently took a tank to a dive shop to get serviced. I wanted it o2 cleaned, VIP'd, and filled with 32%. I asked how long and was told not until next monday or tuesday of next week, it was a monday I bought the tank in. I came back next wednesday and was told "aww sorry man, Ive been swamped and didnt get to it. I'll get it ready for this weekend. I went back on saturday. "Geez I've been busy doesnt look like Ill get to it till next week." So I stopped it one week later again on saturday. "Well I took a look at it but need to roll it and cant hear the phone ring when I roll a tank so I come in early and do it tuesday." Back again on thursday...
You get the drift..my tank sat there for almost 6 weeks, untouched. At this point I just went in and told them thanks anyhow Ill take it some where else. I was told no just leave it and we will get to it monday. I said politely again, thanks anyhow I'll take it elsewhere. We are getting to the end of the season here...thought they'd realize that.
I owned a retail store for some time. I know there were times when I got my vendor invoices and searched for the product online to see competitors prices and found people selling stuff for what I bought it for. I was a small store and couldn't compete with everyone. Fact is I knew people came in talked to my employees who I paid well, wrote prices down and bought on-line.
I also knew that when I treated them fairly, gave them great service, took care of any issue ASAP to the best of my ability, they would become regular customers. I always told my employees, we don't make money on one sale period. What makes us money is customer loyalty. If a customer comes in and spends $50 who cares. If they come it and spend $50 and leave feeling great and keep coming to us every time, over the lifetime of that customer we make thousands.
So what would I have done if I was that dive shop...for one I would have never let it get that far. Second if for some god awful reason I sucked that bad, I would have offered to clean the tank, VIP it, and fill it FREE! I would lose money yes, but the customer would have left thinking, not only did they make up for their error but they went beyond and helped. So I am going to keep shopping there.
FWIW I recently bought a BCD there, for $525, the same BCD on LP was $499 w/ free shipping and to me LP is one day ground shipping. If I order by 3pm I get it the next morning. I bought at the LDS b/c I know its important to support the LDS' but now because of the tank incident...all my loyalty is gone. And my money for fills and gear will go to the dive shop thats 30 min from me instead of 10.
Anyhow sorry for the rant. Just seems with the dismal outlook on many LDS, many are still to thick to realize customer service is the only substantial thing making them worth our time and money over online purchases.
This is something I would have to agree on. I wont mention the name of the shop out of respect but when I first started into diving I went to a shop to order tanks and did so. I went in and for like 2 weeks I was told he was busy and had not got around to it. I decided then and there not to go back to that shop. After a while I decided to give fate a second chance and went in to his shop and looked around. While the start was rocky with his shop I have grown to be quiet intrigued by it. The selection of merchandise he has is small in comparison to other shops I have been too but its enough to meet the immediate needs one may have such as a light or weights.
I do have to admit that while I sound harsh against price gouging I am a fan of great service and one that a dive shop owner is willing to work with me. As an example this same dive shop I went to just today because a regulator was hissing air as bad as an f16 on take off. He took one look at it and tightened the low pressure hose and tested it to find it was problem solved. He tested it right in front of me and showed me what he was doing.
Come to find out this was simply a case that the hose had worked loose from its threading and was leaking around the oring. He completely removed the hose in front of me inspected the ring and showed me what had happend. He returned the ring which was in great shape and tightened it back up and did not charge anything at all. The whole up front and honesty is a big plus for me!
again for respect of all involved I wont mention names on this either but there is a rivalry going between a group of divers and an LDS and it tends to obscure alot of opinions of both divers and the dive shop. I think its important to base ones opinion off of their own experiences and not what others say too as a lot of dive shops do get both a bum rep from disgruntled divers yet there are times when its an honest diver telling of his bad experiences with the shop.
I'm a newly certified diver. After a Try Scuba in July, I signed up for classes the same day and finished my certification dives a couple of weeks ago. I had no clue originally about the LDS vs on-line debate. By the time my classes started, I had already been doing equipment research on-line and knew the different brands, prices, reputations, consumer reviews, etc. Once classes began, I was surprised/shocked/disappointed at what I felt was a hard-sell by the LDS for equipment purchase, including practices I have long found distasteful as a consumer, like a package discount that vanishes as soon as class/pool work is finished. (Think: Used Car Dealer -- Today Only Special!!) Bottom line for me was their prices were way out of line and selection was extremely limited. In today's economy, it's tough for all of us -- not just the local LDS! There's a lot of competition for my money, like food, utilities, mortgage, etc. Like another poster said, I'm willing to support some charities, but my LDS isn't one of them.
I will, however pay extra for good service -- I answered 11 - 20% in the poll, but it's more complicated than that. I fully agree with ReeferBen's post above. The LDS needs to change their business model if they are to continue to survive. Internet competition is here to stay. What will distinguish a local business is the service they provide and an LDS that alienates new scuba divers with the hard sell equipment game is blowing it. I now have most of my gear, including BCD, regs, wetsuit, computer. Most of it I bought on-line...but not all of it. I bought my BCD and some other smaller items locally, but from a different LDS than the one I trained with. The difference? LDS #2 carried the brand I was interested in, but more importantly, their service was awesome. They assisted me with a custom fit of the BCD, including tryout time in their pool, no purchase obligation. One of their instructors was in the pool with me and I basically also got a free private lesson from him! So even though the BCD cost me 20% more than on-line, I purchased it there. Guess who's getting my future business? My husband and I are both planning to get additional training -- it will be with LDS #2. We are likely to go on trips with LDS #2 and to buy tanks and other future items from LDS #2. LDS #2 will be our new Scuba Home. All because of their attitude. If I have friends or family who get interested in Scuba after talking with me, guess where I'll be sending them?
As far as a business model, LDS #2 also has very creative ways to make money by thinking outside the box. Among other things, they host birthday parties for children in their pool, with either snorkeling or try scuba for the kids, depending on age. They are active in the community with charity and other functions. They will survive, the other LDS may not.
Just my 2 cents as a new diver.
I will, however pay extra for good service -- I answered 11 - 20% in the poll, but it's more complicated than that. I fully agree with ReeferBen's post above. The LDS needs to change their business model if they are to continue to survive. Internet competition is here to stay. What will distinguish a local business is the service they provide and an LDS that alienates new scuba divers with the hard sell equipment game is blowing it. I now have most of my gear, including BCD, regs, wetsuit, computer. Most of it I bought on-line...but not all of it. I bought my BCD and some other smaller items locally, but from a different LDS than the one I trained with. The difference? LDS #2 carried the brand I was interested in, but more importantly, their service was awesome. They assisted me with a custom fit of the BCD, including tryout time in their pool, no purchase obligation. One of their instructors was in the pool with me and I basically also got a free private lesson from him! So even though the BCD cost me 20% more than on-line, I purchased it there. Guess who's getting my future business? My husband and I are both planning to get additional training -- it will be with LDS #2. We are likely to go on trips with LDS #2 and to buy tanks and other future items from LDS #2. LDS #2 will be our new Scuba Home. All because of their attitude. If I have friends or family who get interested in Scuba after talking with me, guess where I'll be sending them?
As far as a business model, LDS #2 also has very creative ways to make money by thinking outside the box. Among other things, they host birthday parties for children in their pool, with either snorkeling or try scuba for the kids, depending on age. They are active in the community with charity and other functions. They will survive, the other LDS may not.
Just my 2 cents as a new diver.
Exactly...
I take into account the fact that the LDS has, in effect, instant shipping so that saves me time and/or money over anything online. And that I don't have to ship items back and forth for any required service.
If my LDS has an item in stock, I'll typically buy it there first. If they don't have it, I'll look online.
If my LDS has an item in stock, I'll typically buy it there first. If they don't have it, I'll look online.
abies
Registered
I think the opposite way I'm more likely to buy something small online then large because large tends to need more hands on. I'll be buying a dry suit in the next year or so and I know it will be from a LDS, 25% would suck and I would talk to them about it but, all the online research in the world won't tell me if the suit fits or not, only walking in and trying it on will The same thing for my Christmas BCD, spending time in their pool will ensure I buy from them regardless of the price (but I know they are competitive so I'm not too worried). This is what people, especially new to diving, need to realize, I am not just paying for a dry suit or BCD I am paying for their skills/knowledge, in fitting and helping determine what I want/need for the diving I plan to do.
Ben
Ben
Ok I just got another prospective today and one I can respect an LDS for. Even though I tend to not like many dive shop practices one pointed out a very serious issue today. He said alot of people buy things on line and never give a shop a second thought. They then come to the shop hoping to get free service on defect because its under warranty.
In short it made me think. If your going to order online its a decision thats a worthy one. But at least if your going to go to your dive shop to fix other peoples problems dont be cheap about it and offer something to get it fixed. Even if they dont accept it for being under warranty maybe give a tip. After all they have to pay some bills too and if they only fix other peoples problems for free they wont be around very long.
I just thought Id share my updated outlook
In short it made me think. If your going to order online its a decision thats a worthy one. But at least if your going to go to your dive shop to fix other peoples problems dont be cheap about it and offer something to get it fixed. Even if they dont accept it for being under warranty maybe give a tip. After all they have to pay some bills too and if they only fix other peoples problems for free they wont be around very long.
I just thought Id share my updated outlook
Truth in what you say kellis. My policy is that if I have a warranty claim, it goes to the people I purchased it from regardless of if they're online or not. I am taking my gloves back to my LDS today because the stitching is coming out. If it were online, I'd take pictures, give ST a call and ask them for an RMA.
I am very curious about the people who voted 31-40% markup though. For the 5 of you who marked that, do you pay that much because you have disposable income, because you have awesome LDS staff? Or is it a purely hypothetical number and you havent paid that mark up yet?
I am very curious about the people who voted 31-40% markup though. For the 5 of you who marked that, do you pay that much because you have disposable income, because you have awesome LDS staff? Or is it a purely hypothetical number and you havent paid that mark up yet?
