What are you looking for in a dive shop?

[I Dive]

RE: the whole online versus LDS debate, why does there seem to be this underlying assumption they must be mutually exclusive?

 

[RJP]

They are my dive shop for life. And now when I need something, they get first crack, or at least the opportunity to come close.

Hmm...

Sounds like you're saying "They are my dive shop for life...as long as they're willing to sell me stuff cheap."

or - not sure which.

This is exactly why catering to people who shop nothing but price is a fool's errand. There's really no chance to make it up on the back end, and ultimately price sensitive customers tend to be the highest-maintenance, lowest-volume, and least loyal folks around. And continuing to meet their price expectations simply further ingrains this pattern. I'm not knocking the poster, or even speaking about dive customers specifically. There's a ton of academic research that suggests this is the case.

Retailers will keep chasing them at their own peril. Sure, you can support some of these folks for the incremental sales volume they might bring in on top of lots of other people that are closer to full-margin, but you cannot base a business on this customer segment. (Unless you've got LP/Wal-Mart type volume.)

 

[DiveMom1]

Ok.. here is my oppinion:
I've been a LOYAL and EXCLUSIVE customer of a LDS [and drive 2 1/2 hours to them] for over 16 yrs. The owner trys to get to know all customers and is very warm and friendly. They were the only shop I used for anything other than air fill at dive locations until this past summer.

This summer I had them certify two of my step kids [well ok, they are certified but training is questionable] We spent OVER 10k in that shop in 3 months getting new gear/training for myself, hubby, and 3 of the kids. I willingly paid double plus on some items to purchase through them. I expect some level of loyalty in return.

When I decided to upgrade my new wetsuit [Aqualung 7mm] to the new Aqualung semi-dry SolAflex they agreed to order it and give it to me at cost. I was elated. Then doing a bit more homework on the suit before I had them order it for a COST price of $499.99 I discovered it online for $249.00. Needless to say I ordered it online. Not liking the BCD I bought in July, I began looking for another in August. I did buy the second also from the LDS... but next time I probably won't. A LDS need to listen to what I want instead of trying to sell me their "hottest" [overstocked/overpriced] item only to have me come back 2 weeks later for yet another replacment purchase.

I have a walk in closet full of gear that we didn't like for whatever reason... now it just sits. From now on... I want to try equipment before I buy in the future. I will not settle for "if you get it wet it's yours" anymore.

I am currently looking for another LDS for equipment... one that pays more than lip service to my checkbook. I've already found a better LDS for classes...and joined their club. They are very small but serious divers that just love to share the passion. If they carried the brands I like they'd have all my business and they are only 40 min away.

I want friendly personel that listen to what I want and what MY diving interests are. I want a clean, warm and inviting shop that screams DIVING not just piles of equipment. I want competitive prices and good quality "reliable" services.

 

[CJ Waid]

I am looking for idea's to help my local dive shop in these tough economic times. The owner is a close friend and she looks to me for advice. We plan trips, set up charters, teach many classes, and hold a meeting once a month to bring people in and we speak about a different topic each week. We are also in the process of setting up an online store. One current problem is we have many customers who come in ask many questions and then show up a week later and show us the gear they bought online, per our advice. Its kind of frustrating, so not sure how to prevent this or at least lessen it. So what I am asking is what are you looking for in a dive shop?

1) Coolness - Atmosphere...

Everyone knows you can buy gear cheaper on the internet, but the problem is that (my understanding, might be wrong) the dive shop can't compete, even if they wanted to... So the only solution I see is get people drunk at a tiki bar behind your shop and get them to agree to buy things, then get a downpayment (even if it's just $10) before they sober up.

The other option is hire the absolute hottest 21 year old girl you can find, pay her well and have her read some sales books (It doesn't matter if she is a good sales person, she just has to think she is and she will sell everything in the store)...

These are both HONEST suggestions...

 

[vladimir]

1) The other option is hire the absolute hottest 21 year old girl you can find, pay her well and have her read some sales books (It doesn't matter if she is a good sales person, she just has to think she is and she will sell everything in the store)...

Yeah, and maybe put her in a really short skirt or, better yet, a g-string. And put a pole on the sales counter for her to grip while she demonstrates products; yeah, that'd work. And maybe instead of calling it Family Dive Shop, call it Flash-a-Go-Go and charge $7.00 for a beer. Great idea...uh, what were we selling again?