vshearer
Contributor
I am seeing a few posts about online scuba dealers giving major breaks. Divers Direct closing Orlando, stores closing in Miami and doing closeout sales. Anybody got some great deals they know about?
Super Deals in the making?
- Thread starter vshearer
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NudeDiver
Contributor
driftwood
Contributor
'09 will be another major shake out year for the scuba industry. My LDS has dropped OWC from $199 last year to $139 in an effort to drum up business.
Best gear deal right now that I know of is at Leisure Pro, they are selling the Tusa Xpert Zoom fins for $65 with shipping. Not bad for a very decent pair of fins.
Best gear deal right now that I know of is at Leisure Pro, they are selling the Tusa Xpert Zoom fins for $65 with shipping. Not bad for a very decent pair of fins.
widget
Contributor
Pretty soon the manufacturers are going to start dumping excess stock, I recently ordered some gauges direct from the manufacturer,previously he wouldnt even talk on an order of less than 10k, now he takes orders of 3k, previously he had a 60-90 day lead time, now its 15-20 days and in some cases its ex stock.
I buy soft gear out of taiwan, I was offered 200 suits at a ridiculously low price just the other day because another customer had cancelled at the last minute due to "no demand", I buy fins from Italy, they have REDUCED their price by 15% and will take orders for 300 pairs, before they wanted 2000 pairs.............................................!!
One of my USA based equipment suppliers advised business is down 30% PLUS in the last quarter of 2008.!
The scuba gear industry is in severe distress, stick around and keep your bucks in the bank for now, the specials are still coming.!
I buy soft gear out of taiwan, I was offered 200 suits at a ridiculously low price just the other day because another customer had cancelled at the last minute due to "no demand", I buy fins from Italy, they have REDUCED their price by 15% and will take orders for 300 pairs, before they wanted 2000 pairs.............................................!!
One of my USA based equipment suppliers advised business is down 30% PLUS in the last quarter of 2008.!
The scuba gear industry is in severe distress, stick around and keep your bucks in the bank for now, the specials are still coming.!
CheddarChick
Contributor
ouch...Great for us, bad for them. Which in the end is bad for us as they go out of business...
Buoyant1
Contributor
Is there even a porn industry to bail out? (I just thought everyone went to X-tube and uploaded their own home made videos):shocked2:
Anyway...I coubt DD in Orlando would put much on sale since they have 4 stores down in the Keys that can pick up the merch. (and most of their stuff is already discounted)
But, I never pass up a link to an online store for potential bargains! Closeouts, sales on LAST years model whatever...you never know what your're going to pick up! (Heck..well I know it's not online...but I picked up a $400.+ retail first and second stage from the LDS last year that was an outdated model for less than half price, it's now on my pony rig!)
widget
Contributor
Do you think they'll be asking for a bailout package, too?
Haa,Haa, Classic, ............well if the porn industry can ask, I guess they can too, not sure it will be too successfull though.
............I dont want to sound negative, but its going to be torrid for the gear manufacturers and some of the smaller brands, those brands with deep pockets like Aqualung, Mares and Scuba Pro will "tough" it out, but the smaller brands...........................well, I dont think they will all make it.
All the manufacturers I speak to are down similar figures and its still early days, they are all hoping for a quick world economic upturn of course, but when the choice is groceries or a new reg set, guess where the money gos.
...to the new reg set of course. Then you can hunt your own food.
Seriously though, being new to the sport I see its a tough industry right now. LDS's have to decide between higher prices for profit and lowering prices to be competitive in a slow market. Eventually, smaller shops lose the battle and close, and we as divers lose a place for support.
I'd hate to see smaller manufacturers close down, because it would then bring the industry closer to a monopoly and potentially less competition on pricing/quality. I was too young to notice at the time, but wasn't the early 80's in a similar situation with a struggling economy?
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