How Much Mark Up Really On Scuba Gear???

[D_B]

I haven't read the whole thread, but I would like to comment on the statement about needing to know what a retailer payed for something in order to know how much to haggle with him or what a good deal is ...

... you do not need that info to know if it's a good deal or not .. just shop around on the Internet and you can get an idea if it is or not

 

[tyesai]

What amuses me is how divers in general look at the cost of equipment. I don't ever remember anyone at the RC model flying field bitching about the markup on their $800 helicopter that probably cost $50 to make. I don't remember my motocross buddies talking about how they got screwed over on the cost of their $20 bottle of Bel-Ray 2 stroke premix. ( twenty bucks would get me a liter ) No one ever said, screw Glock, I bet it only cost $35 to make this gun. Actually thinking about it, you think divers complain about LDS go listen to gun guys flame gun shops, divers got nothing on those guys, but I digress.............

There is nothing wrong with wanting to pay less or pay a fair price, and there is nothing wrong with people charging whatever they want to for goods and services. But it isn't hard to figure out if your getting ripped off in this information age. And if some guy just randomly decides one afternoon to take up diving and buy $2000 worth of crap then it just proves a fool and his money are soon parted.

I just find it interesting that so much comes down to price in a hobby or sport that is naturally expensive, but it isn't like this stuff is life support equipment so I don't see why it isn't dirt cheap.

If you look at it diving isn't really marketed to the regular Joe. I haven't seen many adds that show 3 fat guys drinking Pabst jumping into a quarry. What I see is young hot girls, with tight bottoms, and guys with little body fat and body hair, on white sand beaches, with big white boats in the background smiling in places like Fiji, or Thailand, Austraila, ect; ect;

I'm not convinced that the target market for scuba destinations and equipment is a guy like me who is married with 2 kids and makes $60ish grand a year with dual income. I don't know I could be on the bottom end of it. Watcha think?

 

[knowone]

I wonder what the mark up on spark plugs is?

 

[topcatz]

Work for half price and then wait for six months to get paid , you get the tidal drift about what I'm saying . We have a expensive sport but the quality has improved through the years and it seems to me that I payed about the same price for gear over 40 years ago . Get what you want or take what you can afford . Just make sure you have the right tools for the job .

 

[ti325v]

I buy all my accessories direct from Taiwan, where all most all this stuff comes from...and a compass that retails for about $60 costs me $12. HID torch that retails in USA for $330 costs me $110.Small plastic slate is $2 with pencil and baby compass, masks start at $5, wetsuits at $20. (3mm cheapies and go up to $40 with Ykk zips on wrists and ankles. Titanium mini knife retails in retails in USA for $60 costs me $12.nice aluminum 5 watt led torches cost me $25.aluminum backplates are $35. Stainless are about $39. Finger spools are $4, boots average $12-15 a pair. Simple smb $7. oil fillled tank pressure guage is $26. sub alert $15. Air horn $17
Name brand regs without the name....I have been to the factory and SEEN them come off the line and go in different boxes.....simple unbalanced piston first stage, second stage, octopus and SPG....$140.
THATS WHAT THE STUFF REALLY COSTS...Now....is your LDS entitled to make money ? YES..he has to buy it, import it, stock it, put up with all the window shoppers wasting his time who buy by internet...give him a break okay ?
That is with a minimum order of $5000.