The Bends
New
While I vehemently agree that we should try to support the local dive shops, I've also seen dive shops that seem like they're gouging the customers. -Especially in touristy areas. When I worked at a dive shop on Guam about thirteen years ago, we standardly marked up 70-85 percent over retail. We bought BCs for $300 and sold them for $550.00 -600.00.
Dive shop owners have a resposibility as retailers -the customer does not bear a responsibility -except to shop. Good will is reciprocal. If I've got to spend two thousand dollars to get a free tank refill or a couple of free O-rings...However, if a dive shop is courteous FIRST, I'm more likely to think of them on my next purchase. If a dive shop owner thinks the customer OWES him, then he's missed the basic premise of customer service. A local tire shop fixed a flat tire for me six months ago for free -and I returned to buy four new tires three months later (I didn't shop around or browse the internet for tires). If my local dive shop owner would even acknowledge my existence when I enter or converse every now and then, I'd probably buy more big-ticket items from his shop. He can rant and rave about the internet sellers all he wants, but if I can get the same cold impersonal service via the internet -at 50 percent savings, I'll take the internet. I was just recently in there looking at a BC for $380.00. He wouldn't deal at all. So I bought the same BC on-line for $175.00.
-BTW The on-line retailer gave me a free box of O-rings too.
Dive shop owners have a resposibility as retailers -the customer does not bear a responsibility -except to shop. Good will is reciprocal. If I've got to spend two thousand dollars to get a free tank refill or a couple of free O-rings...However, if a dive shop is courteous FIRST, I'm more likely to think of them on my next purchase. If a dive shop owner thinks the customer OWES him, then he's missed the basic premise of customer service. A local tire shop fixed a flat tire for me six months ago for free -and I returned to buy four new tires three months later (I didn't shop around or browse the internet for tires). If my local dive shop owner would even acknowledge my existence when I enter or converse every now and then, I'd probably buy more big-ticket items from his shop. He can rant and rave about the internet sellers all he wants, but if I can get the same cold impersonal service via the internet -at 50 percent savings, I'll take the internet. I was just recently in there looking at a BC for $380.00. He wouldn't deal at all. So I bought the same BC on-line for $175.00.
-BTW The on-line retailer gave me a free box of O-rings too.