The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[oceancrest67]

"Online sales are not killing local dive shops.
Crappy local dive shop operators are killing local dive shops, with lots of help from gear makers."

I have to agree with this remark...then again, it gets complicated by the region and local market of divers and dive locations etc. I admit that I have never run a shop...and I understand that there are many factors to contend with...training, selling gear, keeping things afloat. One thing that sticks out always is quality of service at an LDS...I WILL pay extra and I WILL support my LDS if I know they provide quality / top notch service and support. I will go elsewhere (just like any other smart consumer) if I find service, training and the LDS environment to be lacking. I always come from a QUALITY standard over a QUANTITY standard.

 

[tinman694]

The only problem with some of the premises presented here is that they assume that the shop monkey’s can actually provide informed opinions and information, are competent and helpful.

I travel 130 miles one way to go to a dive shop when I need items that I can not get over the internet or just to talk shop. This is when the local shop is only 7 miles away and I have to drive by it when headed to the other one.

The local shop has “instructors” who have marginal skills, little to no intelligence and are generally rude. The service “technicians” are just parts swappers and have limited insight in to the how’s and why of gear. I have found that this is the case with the majority of dive shops.

When I do find a competent, knowledgeable and helpful shop/owner I love to do business with them. I use this criteria for all of my business and personal dealings. I am glad to see the growth of internet retailing, it provides a level of competitiveness that will force a change in current business practices which will hopefully weed out the marginal shops.

Brad

I do the same thing here...The shop is a good drive away--but the service they provide is so much better I will not do anything more from the local ones. Guess when I found out the "service" from the local shop was being sent to the one I now go to, that sealed the deal. I formerly co owned a small business and know how difficult it can be acquiring and keeping customers happy with products that are not as cheap as in the box stores (or internet for that matter--the business was power equipment (i.e.. Lawnmowers, chainsaws and the like)) But when you do anything to get a dollar out of a customer, and then lie to them on top of it, It makes one not want to do any business with them.

Guess the cool part is the good shop is on the way to the beach!

Bidness is Bidness....

 

[voop]

There's probably a lot of regional cultural issues here. Let me give a perspective from our side of the big pond,,,

I've bought stuff online, and I have bought stuff in the LDS'es around here. Both have their place to me. I am fortunate enough to live in a city with the first 10 dive shops, probably more (and it's not even a costal city or near any diveable waters atall!), most quite well stocked and with competent staff . That much local competition actually means that the prices are relatively fair, and so price isn't the incitament to buy online when factoring in the shipping etc.

Also, from what I understand, the local dive-shops which offer training too actually offer the training "at cost". 400 Eur for pool + confined water for an OW-training. I.e. training isn't a loss-leader for gear-sales. As a matter of fact, some shops operate as two seperate incorporated entities: a "dive school" and a "gear shop", with no financial link between them. Much more healthy, IMHO, than the "5 USD OW-course" offers you guys over there have to content with....

Anyways, back to the LDS vs. online topic.

If I want to go look for a new gizmo that fits me, I go to my LDS of choise and shop around. They let me play with things, try them on (if they're to be worn) and typically have good experiences to share. They also understand that the phrase "I'm just looking, I'll let you know if I need you" really means "I want to make up my mind on my own, and when I have you will probably get the sale if you have what I need" -- and thus avoid hard sales-tactics. If I see something I like and need, I buy it there, knowing that the price will probably be just a few % off from what I could have gotten on-line.

Stuff which is in risk of being damaged in transport, I also always pick up in the LDS -- I may pay them a little extra compared to on-line, perhaps, but then they deal with getting goods which were damaged in shipping returned etc. Fair deal, I think, since I pay for the "not having to worry" part.

But sometimes, I do just not have the time to go browse a shop for a gizmo, or the LDS doesn't have what I'm interrested in. Enter the on-line shop. Accessible from my work in the lunch-break, it's an easy and convenient way to get the stuff. They even send it to me at the office, so I do not have to be at home when the mailman comes by. Double-time-saver! My DSMB was getting worn out and needed replacement, so I ordered one, along with a few spools of line. I wanted a new pair of booties before a trip, same model as those I had, but didn't have time to go browsing LDS'es -- you get the picture, right? The on-line store fills an important spot too.

To me, it's not really an "either or". The LDS is there for instant gratification (face it, the "here and now" factor is important when you've set your heart on that new reg...right?), for helping with the tuff choises, for buffering the troubles (warranty, dealing with shipment troubles) etc., and I appreciate them for that. I gladly pay a tad more for that service -- and over the years, I have given a good deal of Eur to my favourite LDS. The online-shops are there for when I do not have time to go to the LDS, and when ordering and having delivered suffices. I am fortunate that I do not have to let "price" be determinal in the choise of online vs. local, and therefore can pick and chose based on what's convenient in a given situation.

The LDS and the online shops even compliment each other to the point that when I was trying out drysuits at the LDS and the model I had wasn't available in the size I needed, the shop-owner said "Try to get it from OnlineScubaStoreName, if you need it right away. If it doesn't fit, I'll just exchange it for you". Needless to say, I waited to have the LDS get the size I needed....

 

[nwdiver2]

Out of curiosity has anyone actually read all 145 pages of this thread??

 

[DORSETBOY]

Out of curiosity has anyone actually read all 145 pages of this thread??

If we did that then we wouldn't all be reiterating the same points on and on and on and on...

 

[PhotoTJ]

This horse is dead, has been buried, fossilized, has been dug up, it's fossils beaten, the bones reduced to powder, crushed down to the sub-atomic level.

Talk about desecrating a grave!

 

[The Kraken]

One would think that a moderator would take out her/his cyber pistol, put it to the head of this poor beast and mercifully put it out of its, and our, misery . . . .

 

[roakey]

One would think that a moderator would take out her/his cyber pistol, put it to the head of this poor beast and mercifully put it out of its, and our, misery . . . .

Why? I can guarentee that within a week or two someone who didn't use the search function will start the whole thing over again, and this way I can dump their discussion right here yet along with all the other discussions I've combined so it doesn't clutter up the board.

Just ignore the note like I normally do.

Roak

 

[The Kraken]

Roakey-Man Kenobe, you are so wise . . . . I am but a mere mortal fool!!!
Good idea . . .

 

[dive odyssea]

can you also get your tanks filled online ? seems to me its worth the wait for your gear unless you feel your just being ignored.