The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[Real-One]

I agree with the last 2 posts. I believe you don't get something for nothing. However, I feel there can be a happy
medium. I am more than willing to pay more for local and personal expertise. But there are many other specialty businesses out there who do very well but don't charge MSRP.
Maybe this is more the fault of the manufacturer and their "agreements" with the retailer. I would prefer to support my LDS, but I have to support my wallet 1st.

Rob

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by large_diver
Always a hot topic.....

I can get a Suunto Vyper with full warranty for about $270 from simplyscuba.com (a Suunto-approved retailer -- 100% legit warranty). My local retailers will give it to me for the bargain price of $450. Comments above about making sure the e-tailer you are dealing with is legitimate and has mfr. backing (i.e. your warranty is valid) are good advice. That being said -- there are legitimate mail-order/internet businesses out there who can sell you great equipment at great prices with the warranty 100% valid.

<snip>

I agree that I want my local dive shop to stay in business, but I won't pay double for everything I buy for diving just because they are facing thin margins.

Simply Scuba.com is actually a propper bricks and mortar shop in (Bristol - I think) the UK. As has been noted, the shops in the US are much heigher priced than the UK. This I would like to suggest is partly due to the US govt. imposed import duties etc.. on european goods.

If you buy from SimplyScuba.com, you might end up with a hefty costoms import duty bill if they open the package as it comes into the states, putting some 17 - 25% onto the cost price (bringing it up to $320 or so).

The other point is that in the UK there are usually 5 or 6 dive stores within a few miles of one another. Competition does wonders for prices. Even manufacturers approve of discounting. A good example is Buddy (BCD manufacturer) - at the london Dive show, opposite the Buddy manufacturer stand was a retailer selling their BCD's for a about 30% off - with their full approval - I paid £123 for a £169 redwing some while ago.

From a quick investigation, the major dive centres in the UK from a few years ago, are the ones now with the best internet prices. These prices are exactly what they were in the shops before the internet came along. - dive centres along the coast etc.. for air fills will always exist simply on the last minute things, boat trips, etc.. I can't think of a w/end away where I haven't spent FAR too much on un-necessary things whilst away (w/end away, decide I need a new torch - that's immediately £100 for a UK D4)!

I can see the internet changeing things in the US, where some people have said they travel 120 miles to go to a store - where is the competition there?

Jon T

 

[Crystal]

Hi turnerjd,

Are you sure you have to pay 17-25% import duty on imported scuba equipment?
I called UPS Import who told me that SCUBA equipment is
duty free, and that there is no importy duty etc etc if ordered from Europe. (To the US)

Crystal

 

[Rick Murchison]

"The various rates of duty for goods are listed in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), a book the size of an unabridged dictionary, containing thousands of entries. Whether or not your shipment requires the payment of duty depends on its classification as one of the categories of goods listed in the HTS. Determining a good's classification, and therefore its duty rate, is very complicated. The Customs inspectors who do this work have had extensive training. If you would like to get an idea of what the duty might be on a particular item, you can find a copy of the HTS in your local library, or you can go to our website at http://www.customs.gov and find a link to the HTS under the Importing Section. Please be aware that Customs makes the final determination about an item's classification, not you. If it is critical for you to know the exact rate of duty on an item you want to send to the U.S., please call your local port and ask to speak to an import specialist. Otherwise, keep in mind that textiles tend to have the highest rates of duty, and that approximately 65% of the items in the HTS have a zero rate of duty."
Rick

 

[turnerjd]

Originally posted by Crystal
Hi turnerjd,

Are you sure you have to pay 17-25% import duty on imported scuba equipment?
I called UPS Import who told me that SCUBA equipment is
duty free, and that there is no importy duty etc etc if ordered from Europe. (To the US)

Crystal

No, It was a case of YOU MIGHT get stuck with......... In science we call this a WAG (Wild Assed Guess). There are all sorts of news stories in europe at the moment about how the US is hiking import duties in order to yet the US citizens to buy US products to get your ecconomy going again..... I had vaguely thought that scuba gear was one of these things....

Jon T

 

[large_diver]

People I know who here in the states who have ordered from diveinn and simply scuba have paid something like $20-30 per order for a "logistics fee"...no big customs mark-up.

Regarding dive shop loyalty -- I've spent $1,500-2,000 during my first year of diving on gear, rentals, classes and charters. I will spend at least another $1,000-1,500 this spring on more gear. Should I go into my local shop and pay what they are asking....perhaps if their service was outstanding, I would. Service at my local shops is average, in my opinion.

 

[large_diver]

And regarding competition -- I have at least 6-7 shops within 20 miles of where I live. Prices are VERY similar at each....seems almost like collusion to me.

 

[devjr]

Turner, I watch BBC and other Euro broadcasts. The US import duties they are braying about were temporary and in retaliation for the Euro's illegal practices such as restrictions on US bananas. It's funny hearing the Germans talk about the "Banan" war. The WTO has spoken, thank goodness.

For those US citizens who may contemplate buying while in UK, the VAT tax applies. This is a pretty grim levy but you can submit a form to have it refunded....sometime.

 

[Real-One]

I have to agree with large_diver. In the metro Atlanta area, we have 10-15 shops within a 30 minute drive! All are at, or very near MSRP. I would think it might be the fault of the distributers making the retailers comply with their pricing.

Real-One

 

[large_diver]

Yes -- I know that at least certin mfrs. set a pricing floor for their authorized retailers.