The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[ScubyDoo]

I love my LDS to death. But thier prices are just too high. Im loyal to my LDS, but not loyal enough to pay a 150 to 200% markup. They wanted $850 for a Suunto Cobra dive computer with compass.....I got it at DiveInn for $440 plus customs charges of $16.

Im an architect and work with contractors on building sites all the time. Some times we make mistakes and sometimes the contractor makes mistakes. Something a contractor told me once really stuck with me, and it somewhat applies to dive shops as well. He said:

"Im in the business of building buildings.....not paying for them!"

I feel the same way about dive shops. I love my dive shop and wish to support them with my business, but I dont want to pay thier mortgage for them! If they really really want my business, they should try harder to compete for it. They know online retailers are eating them up, but they dont do anything about it.......except try to make the consumer feel guilty. The owner of my dive shop went so far as to run the serial number on the aforementioned Cobra computer to determine where I got it. He then told me "His typical clientale doesnt shop online", implying that I wasnt like the rest of his customers. He said if all his customers were like me, he would go out of business. So its the customers fault if he goes out of business??????

This is the guilt trip the LDS tries to put customers on in order to twist thier arm into buying from them and pay twice as much. Won't work on me! I just told him straight out.....I love you to death, but I have to look out for MY best interests....not yours. If you want me to buy big ticket items from you....then offer competitive prices.

 

[Butch103]

too some extent anyway.........You (we) all work (ed) for one reason....to make money....To make money for various reasons, but we all wrked to make money. Wether you worked for someone or yourself. LDS have to pay their mtgs, rent, bills etc...how do you think they make their money....profits....where do profits come from........selling merchandise for more than they paid................. ........I understand that some don't know how to operate a business and forget that the customer is necessary for their business to survive.......I don't mind paying more for the gear at the LDS ....It means I have someone to complain to in person if it is not right, someplace to exchange or try on new gear..................and the most important thing............I have someplace to go to get air/nitrox fills........very very important to me.....................can't dive without it.........Yes some LDS charge to high ....but don't all stores at some point in time.....don't you shop around for furnature....and see the same peice at two different stores at two different prices............Volume buying counts for a lot also...........consider everything folks...........

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by Butch103
I don't mind paying more for the gear at the LDS ....

Really? How much more? 50%? USD$1000.00?

Originally posted by Butch103
and the most important thing............I have someplace to go to get air/nitrox fills

Important only if you dive locally and have only one available shop. If you don't dive locally, or live in an area with several shops, this is irrelevant.

Originally posted by Butch103 Yes some LDS charge to high ....but don't all stores at some point in time.....

Not for long....

As for me, I tend to deal with physical shops that have a strong online presence.

I think the day is coming when equipment sales are no longer sufficient to subsidize classes and air fills, and shops begin charging for them on a cost-plus basis. I also think that's A Good Thing.

 

[earl]

Am I the only one in here who had a good experience at the LDS? I bought a full set of gear after getting recertified and got a great deal. The store owner spent 30 min w/ me helping pick out the gear. I paid about 15% less than retail, and got a free BC ($400) in the deal! $1900 for everything -- computer, too. He also tossed in a half price gear bag and 20 free fills.

For anybody in the WI, USA area, I highly recommend 3 little devils in Baraboo.

-earl-

 

[trymixdiver]

he spent a whole 30 min with you!

if you knew in advance what you wanted and it took him 30 min to get it all together for you thats one thing.

but theres no way it takes just 30 min to pick all your gear, i would spend 30 min on one or two items alone.

i will say i have had some good experiences with LDS but, some times these stores forget about a shops loyalty to its good customers.

Andy

 

[trymixdiver]

HOW ABOUT THIS TOO

If you read my post on page one heres what happend about my regs.

I went into the shop on saturday to get my stuff back and the tech told (lied) to me that scubapro wouldnt fix the cracked 2nd stage body. Now he doesnt know that i found out he went on a skiing trip and never shipped it out. He was basically blowing smoke up my ass. Not to mention he also went ahead and serviced my regs anyway and is expecting me to pay him for this. I will pay for the service, but i feel ripped off, i wanted to find out from SP if they would replace the 2nd stage body before i wanted them serviced. I wanted the body replaced, or i would pay for a new one. I wasnt even cunsulted by the LDS tech, he just servied my regs without telling me SP decsion ( which was BS because he never sent it in). Lier lier pants on fire.

Andy

 

[budgy]

Hi trimix,
The body on my scuba pro reg also cracked I claimed a replacement under the service guarantee, though the dive shop charged me £4 to replace it. It seems most of us have a love hate relationship with our dive shop; love diving, hate your prices.
Regards,
budgy

 

[ninja]

Hey guys I know you often don't care about getting nothing but the best price......But I'm very

disturbed especially since i've been working in a shop for 1yr. These prices you see on the web sites for gear are abou 5-10% above the cost of wholesale!! Good deal for you but let's face it diving isn't the largest market in the world it has become super saturated with people and manufactures to much price chopping and competition for a limited market I don't know of any shop that can survive on a 10 % mark up and provide service or keep their doors open.

Just something to think about next time you make an online purchace.. Also most of this stuff comes from Europe you can have warranty problems etc

Disturbed NINJA

 

[Bottom Feeder]

Well now, this is interesting, My first kit purchase was online, y'know one of those introductory offers, and yes it was reasonably priced and delivery was not too painfull. However I recently moved house and discovered a LDS right on my doorstep.

I have never met three more helpful, open, talented guys. There is nothing they don't know, nothing they are'nt qualified to fix, and no price they won't undercut by a few £££'s.

I recently purchesed a DAN 02 kit minus bottle and headed off to my LDS for an o2 clean bottle, it took me two hours and even then they convinced me to go home get one of my old satge bottles which they proceeded to clean, test, fill, convert & 'mark up' - all I had to do was keep the coffee coming and buy some snacks.

Is it me or am I one lucky guy??

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by ninja
Hey guys I know you often don't care about getting nothing but the best price......

It's not about lowest cost for me; I'm looking for economic efficiency ("bang-for-the-buck"), which doesn't always translate to lowest cost. If a shop costs a bit more, but adds value to the purchase in whatever manner, I factor that in.

I'd LOVE to have a great LDS that carries the gear I need, offers the classes I want, is extremely knowledgable, and treats me with respect and friendliness. I'd be loyal to such a shop, as long as I feel whatever premium they charge is worth it. So far I've found three, but none within five hours drive or flight time.

Originally posted by ninja
But I'm very disturbed especially since i've been working in a shop for 1yr. These prices you see on the web sites for gear are abou 5-10% above the cost of wholesale!!

What's your opinion of LDSs that sell online? Or manufacturers like Halcyon that encourage online and in-store sales?

Originally posted by ninja
Also most of this stuff comes from Europe you can have warranty problems etc

True. On the other hand, if it's an item that sells for half or less of what you'd pay in an LDS, you're still ahead by buying online. And that's IF something goes wrong and you have NO warranty at all.