What do you think the gear a shop carries says about them ?

[landonnin1]

What would you think of a Shop that has just opened if the only gear they had in stock to start with was Scuba Max? I don't have much experience with Scuba Max gear but when I look it up it seems low end. The owner seems nice and very helpful, He says they are going to be adding other brands with in the year.I don't mean to sound conceited but would this keep you from going there for anything?

I mean no disrespect to anyone just wondering what others think
I know in business customer service is kings
Thank you

 

[wedivebc]

When a shop opens in an established market they find existing shops have secured many of the high end brands. It is not the shops fault it is the archaic way manufacturers attempt to protect shops from undercutting and price wars.
That system was all well and good before the internet came along. Now if your LDS doesn't have the Aqualung or Scubapro reg you want you just go buy it online.
The struggling LDS will, if they maintain a presence in the dive business pick up other lines as they develop their market but usually a startup dive shop can be a bottom feeder for a while until they get established. If they provide honest and fair service to their customers they will eventually rise to the top and carry all your favorite product lines.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Also, their startup capital for investing in inventory could be really tight - and they wanted to offer as much bang for the buck as they had. As they gain capital, they may be able to add brands. Some brands have a minimum initial order that can cripple a startup.

 

[JamesK]

I would have no problem visiting them. You never know what you will learn, and even if all you buy is a spool or slate, you are building a relationship.

 

[mathauck0814]

A lot. We have pretty poor LDS here in San Diego, but the "best of the worst" are the ones that carry quality gear (not big name brand gear). So far as I can tell shops stock gear so they can sell it to people in their classes. If they're teaching run of the mill, bottom of the rung classes, the gear they sell tends to match. The opposite seems to also be true.

 

[Sabanist]

Have you tried any scubamax gear? I haven't but I probably would. I don't put much stock in brand names

 

[dgreenh]

I wouldn't avoid that shop simply because of gear selection unless I was actually shopping for gear and the brand they carry wasn't on my shopping list. Even then I wouldn't write them off completely. Most every shop sells Trident and XS Scuba accessories. I buy accessories from a LDS simply on impulse or because shipping negates any real on-line savings. I tend to judge a shop on it's people and attitude rather than on what lines of gear they carry.

As far as the Scubamax brand, that is what I use for my training gear right now. I don't sell gear. Side by side, I can't tell enough difference to say that I prefer my Apeks over my Scubamax regulators. There just isn't THAT much difference in regulator performance these days to justify the prices of some brands. Their BCD's are as rugged as any that I have owned (basically student proof). You say low end, I say realistically priced and cost effective. A status symbol brand? Not at all, but I won't pay extra for status. I loathe the term "Top of the Line".

 

[spectrum]

To some extent the shop makes the gear. If they sell the right stuff to the right people that's 1/2 the battle.

+1 to all the comments about start-up capital and previously established dealerships.

pete

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've used some Scubamax gear and was very happy with it. I would have no problem doing business with a shop that sells one gear line.

 

[tom041959]

I bought scuba max bcd's for my kids and they have over 75 dives on them and they are holding up just as good as my zeagle ranger.They seem to me to be pretty good entry level bcd's. :cool2: