Why I'm not impressed with LDS

[SKBRDVR1]

Thanks Vlad...

 

[cyklon_300]

going to remind us that we can't get fills online...remember, it's not an 'official' LDS vs Internet thread without this profound comment.

 

[dherbman]

So, where do you get your tanks filled?

SNaslund, sounds like you found a couple of pretty crappy dive shops.

 

[Brandon]

I believe that most consumer/divers will benefit from the loss of shops. In most areas, surviving shops will enjoy both more consumers and more manufacturers seeking to do business with them. Mfgrs will be forced to reevaluate their policies on pricing, service, and warrenties. They will not have the shops over a barrel. Trainers will still be plentiful but some may have to go independent of shops - another good thing in my book. We may have to drive a bit more for gas but there should be less shops who claim to lose $$ on their compressor. If the loss of shops is total in some areas, clubs should be able to facilitate gas, service, and training.

Hopefully the surviving shops will be the better ones. If not, the the more open competetive retail market should contribute to the ultimate failure of those that can't or won't satisfy their customers.

Exactly...

I want to know how many of the 400 something shops closed because their owners were incompetent.

I imagine that number is far greater than the amount of shops that closed because the internet threatened their sales.

I don't see the industry offering any educational oppurtunities for shop owners to improve their business model and customer service, or how to tackle bringing internet customers back into their shop. I don't articles in dive magazines on bad customer service experiences, or finding out from divers why they pick a particular shop over another, or ones that truthfully address the internet vs lds arguments.

With the level of business sense some of these shop owners have, it's a wonder they've survived this long.

-Brandon.

 

[Kat]

This is an age old topic here on SB

Very well put!

I am not proposing that the internet is a better place to buy, just trying to debunk the idea that the internet is driving the LDS out of business. The internet is just giving people options. This is no different than if a better LDS opens next door. If the LDS is lousy then they will lose some business to the new competitor. I don't believe that most people are really pinching pennies here, they just want selection and service at a fair price.

I love this statement, it's a classic.

going to remind us that we can't get fills online...remember, it's not an 'official' LDS vs Internet thread without this profound comment.

Piling on is the most frequent infraction on the ScubaBoard. I'll walk off 15 yards

Yes, it appears to be. I can't walk off the 15 yards...I am at the bottom of the pile, on top of SKBRDVR1. SKBRDVR1: While I didn't agree with the 2 statements I quoted you on, I didn't mean to chop-block you either.
(see girls can talk football too) eyebrow

 

[M_Bipartitus]

I think it is important that the industry is acting like many others have. Change is bad. If the consumer tries to make things change, the industry wants to resist. It is easier to tell somone that they risked their life by buying online than it is to try to adapt one's business.

 

[ppatrick]

Hi SNaslund,

I'm a noob in Chicago area and will finish the class soon. Can you tell me the names of the bad LDS that you experienced? So I won't waste my time/money on them.



Thank you in advance,
Patrick

 

[pescador775]

Why??? It doesn't seem to work that way with anything else. Try buying a good lawn mower on line and see how much money you save. Try to save some bucks on a chain saw, a car or a TV. My experience has been that most of the time the shipping cancels out any advantage you get on line. There are exceptions of course. Some I have found include boat motor parts, pressure washer stuff and unfortunately sometimes scuba stuff.

I expect any retailer to be price competitive and in the end, I suspect they will have to be in order to keep the doors open. The INTERNET is here to stay.

Don't forget to pay your sales tax. Oh, wait, the local retailer will take care of that.

 

[cyklon_300]

So, where do you get your tanks filled?

I get mine in my friends' garages, most of the people I dive with have Rix/Haskel setups...

I do use one LDS for the occassional air top, tho.

 

[scubatoys]

You know I get such a kick out of the "where will you get your tanks filled" retort. We are the largest square foot store within 12 states... we certify more students than any other LDS.. yes we are also an LDS... and I doubt I fill more than 10 tanks a week other than our training tanks. And most the ones we do fill are for guys doing pool work or chasing golf balls.

While we do have an indoor heated pool... the diving there gets kinda boring - It's only 40 feet long. When people in the Dallas area decide to dive they go to Clear Springs Scuba Park... and they have a compressor and do fills... Or they go to Athens Scuba park... yes... they do fills, or they go to Possum Kingdom lake, and yup - they've got a compressor out there, or the go to Lake Travis... and again, you can buy air there.

So where will they get the fills?? Where they dive. It's simple economics and supply and demand. If people are going to a place to dive, a guy can make money filling their tanks.

So please don't ask that question any more... pretty please!