Legal Action Against Us Distributors

[silverbackmrb]

The more I read about the US dive equipment Distributors the madder it get. If I wanted to file a law suit against say Aqua Lung, Apeks, Scuba Pro and all others who engage it the practice of restraint of trade of their equipment, what would be the proper procedure. What kind of lawyer would I need to get. I guess the first question that I should ask is, has a law suit or a compliant ever been made against their practice of setting prices, who can sale their equipment, restricting parts supply and who can or can not work on their equipment? If I buy equipment made by one of the above companies in England or Europe than why aren’t the warranties valid in the US.

I understand that the LDS has to make money. But when the LDS switches brands and no other dealers in town has that brand or can get part to make repairs who is SOL. It is not the LDS, all you get from them we do not work on that equipment any more.

I am just doing a little fishing here.

 

[Dryglove]

Check out this site and hook up with genesis.

http://diversunion.org/

 

[scubasean]

The more I read about the US dive equipment Distributors the madder it get. If I wanted to file a law suit against say Aqua Lung, Apeks, Scuba Pro and all others who engage it the practice of restraint of trade of their equipment, what would be the proper procedure. What kind of lawyer would I need to get. I guess the first question that I should ask is, has a law suit or a compliant ever been made against their practice of setting prices, who can sale their equipment, restricting parts supply and who can or can not work on their equipment? If I buy equipment made by one of the above companies in England or Europe than why aren’t the warranties valid in the US.

I understand that the LDS has to make money. But when the LDS switches brands and no other dealers in town has that brand or can get part to make repairs who is SOL. It is not the LDS, all you get from them we do not work on that equipment any more.

I am just doing a little fishing here.

Is this a troll?

I think the first question is...what is it worth to you personally?

Suppose you could file...Do you want to sustain the cost of the suit?

My guess would be an antitrust or trade regulation type of attorney would do just fine...It won't be cheap...

You want a worldwide warranty? Do you demand this with cars? computers? faucets?

You start off talking about manufacturers, and then turn to LDS's...Who are you mad at?

Just food for thought...

 

[Mo2vation]

The more I read about the US dive equipment Distributors the madder it get. If I wanted to file a law suit against say Aqua Lung, Apeks, Scuba Pro and all others who engage it the practice of restraint of trade of their equipment, what would be the proper procedure. What kind of lawyer would I need to get. I guess the first question that I should ask is, has a law suit or a compliant ever been made against their practice of setting prices, who can sale their equipment, restricting parts supply and who can or can not work on their equipment? If I buy equipment made by one of the above companies in England or Europe than why aren’t the warranties valid in the US.

I understand that the LDS has to make money. But when the LDS switches brands and no other dealers in town has that brand or can get part to make repairs who is SOL. It is not the LDS, all you get from them we do not work on that equipment any more.

I am just doing a little fishing here.

Where do you even start with this post...

Read up. Manufacturers have the right to protect their brand, and pricing perception is a contributor to brand image.

Most companies are in fact different entities in Europe and the US - so warranty responsibility, and all that goes with it (reserve, parts distribution, reimbursement, etc, etc, etc) are the responsibility of that entiry. Of course a warranty on a unit bought in Europe isn't "honored" here. Its like that with consumer electronics, housewares, photo and most everything.

Manufacturers can place branding requirements (including price parameters, service department / parts department parameters, display requirements, service levels, etc.) on their goods as a condition of carrying it. I don't get the hoopla.

Let me re-phrase: I don't get the hoopla if you're Joe Consumer. If you're a dealer / shop owner, a whole different set of issues to deal with. But for Joe Consumer, what's your beef? Stuff costs the same shop to shop? Someone who once carried something no longer has it? Please make your point clearer. And use crayon for us dummies.

K

 

[wrongkey]

The beef is that vertical price fixing is regarded a lot less tolerantly in Europe than it is in the US. Price competition among retailers is a good thing.

You want to complain?

Here's the e-mail address for the new complaints for the US Justice Department's Antitrust Division:

newcase.atr@usdoj.gov

Knock yourself out.

 

[Robert Phillips]

Is that you, Karl?

 

[wrongkey]

Is that you, Karl?

Nope.

 

[captain]

The hoopla to me is I can buy parts to repair just about anything I own myself but I can't by parts to repair my regulators and don't give me the life siupport speel. Brakes on my car are life support for both me and YOU and I can buy the parts and do the repairs myself no questions asked.

Captain

 

[MikeFerrara]

The whole thing is designed that way. The idea is to limit the sources for service on the brand sold so you MUST go to them for service. That way Aqualung, scubapro or whoever keeps you going into a shop that has their stuff on the wall and they can sell you more of it. Aqualung doesn't want you to be able to go to a scubapro dealer for service because if you buy anything there it will be scubapro. LOL

Yes ther are a few shops that can afford to carry more than one of the biggies but not many.

I just can't believe that divers are so slow to catch on.

 

[Nomaster]

Where do you even start with this post...

Read up. Manufacturers have the right to protect their brand, and pricing perception is a contributor to brand image.

Most companies are in fact different entities in Europe and the US - so warranty responsibility, and all that goes with it (reserve, parts distribution, reimbursement, etc, etc, etc) are the responsibility of that entiry. Of course a warranty on a unit bought in Europe isn't "honored" here. Its like that with consumer electronics, housewares, photo and most everything.

Manufacturers can place branding requirements (including price parameters, service department / parts department parameters, display requirements, service levels, etc.) on their goods as a condition of carrying it. I don't get the hoopla.

Let me re-phrase: I don't get the hoopla if you're Joe Consumer. If you're a dealer / shop owner, a whole different set of issues to deal with. But for Joe Consumer, what's your beef? Stuff costs the same shop to shop? Someone who once carried something no longer has it? Please make your point clearer. And use crayon for us dummies.

K

I'm from the US, I live in Korea. If I buy equipment here, it won't be worn out when I get back to the states. If I buy it in the states, it's not covered here, if I buy it here it's not covered in the states.
The trolling threads I've fished through have spent some energy talking about the cost of repair and maintenace on equipment not bought at a LDS, when moving from country to country it goes well beyond the concern of an LDS, it's about the warranty that's often used as part of an excuse for the high price of equipment; a warranty, a marketing ploy, that we're never really supposed to use.
But certainly pay for.
I don't usually haul refrigetrators around in my carry-on, not my British Ford either. But wherever I go for diving, I would like to have my own equipment and know that I wasn't get "surprised" every time I cross a border.
That's the part of Silverback's post that struck me as an important question.

Tom