New dive shop in lakeville

[newbiediver]

Just to throw this out, sorry if its off topic! As a new diver and recent customer of A Divers World (Pat and Nick) Have greatly exceeded my expectations of what service entails! I don't think Gander can compete with the local dive shop feel and experience!
-Friendly, courteous,and very KNOWLEDGABLE about all products not just what they sell! and not pushy in the least bit!! Thanks again guys!

[treeguy]

I believe competition is a great thing.  By having two dive shops in the area it will give A Divers World more exposure.  People will be more willing to drive to that area if they know they have two choices to shop at.  Then it is up to A Divers World to prove why they are better than a huge chain conglomerate. 

[wtdrm]

To answer Jason's question. It is the new diver and sales of new equipment that keep a LDS going.
We all know there are lots of price shoppers out there. To some extent we all are. However if the 1st purchase of gear by a new diver is taken away from the shops by a mass merchandiser, the independent shop will expire.
There isn't a shop yet that has survived on air fills.

And I am that "hardcore diver" Jason talked about. I have all of my gear and most of my training. What I spend at a shop wouldn't keep it alive. Even if there were 10,000 of me.

Plus given the fact that they are dealing with Divers Direct which is in essence an internet store I have even less respect for Gander.

I am all for competion. However let the small shops compete against each other.

Most of us have either been on or heard about the cattle boats in the Carribean. That is what Gander will be. A cattle boat for gear.

As far as instruction. We all also know it is the quality of the instructor that matters. Not the agency or the shop. Given Gander's current pay schedules. (I have several friends that work at Gander) What kind of instructors are they going to get.

OK I guess I'm done. My heart goes out to Pat and Nick. I dont know you guys and may never meet you. However if I can help fight Gander, let me know.
CJ

[MAXFACTOR]

Jason and Treeguy   make very good points.  I too think that it may introduce diving to a new segment of the population that hasn't been properly exposed to diving, and I do believe that competion is very healthy for all. .....

I also believe that all of the local dive shops could be doing a better job to recruit new clients..    but when it gets right down to it,  I wouldn't go to a dive shop looking to get fitted for cross country ski's or looking to buy an artic sleeping bag,  but I would expect that someone in the shop is going to be able to answer my specific questions about certain regulators.

MY ENTIRE POINT IS......one of the things I Expect from a dive shop pro...... is that when I have a question that I don't know the answer to,      that someone in a dive shop is going to be get me the answer.   I can tell you all from my experience with certain large home stores, and other retailers, that the employees are generalists, not experts.  

My life is worth going to the pro's, the experts and so ask your spouse or at least your kids.....where they want you to shop.     Except for wtrm.....  lol....

maxfactor

[MAXFACTOR]

Wtrm....... actually while D..direct does a really good job selling over the internet they also do have 4 or 5 locations.   Which i contend that all of the local dive shops should be doing anyway.  Why not try to sell a good set of fins to a guy 1000 miles away from your shop.  LDS  should wake up on that issue.

I agree with Wtrm... about the new diver and the very impact losing gear sales to a mass retailer.

D.direct does have real locations.
2 in florida, 1 in georgia and 1 i think in n.c.    I stopped at the 1 in the southern most part of the mainland in FL, before you get to the key's....   i asked 2 questions..... the guy did not know there answers.  the first clerk I asked was about suunto computers...... the guy did not even know about the best computer on the market.  The reason he did not know about the best computer on the market is that Suunto will not sell to them..,

The guy was fairly frustrated with me when I was done with him.   They literally gave me a free 10.00 hat.  Which out of sheer aggravation, I refuse to wear.  BUT I WILL Sell it to someone cheap. 

THEY DO HOWEVER... have lots of fun shirts.  and very cheap 2 and 3 mm wetsuits that you could rip very easily.

maxfactor

[summer]

That is a great point!  I know when I was originally certified and the instructor was talking about advanced training, I remember thinking "I'm never going to do that." ...well, never say never....  For those who are truly enamoured by the sport, they will probably seek out a LDS that they respect and trust for their advanced dive training and specialty equipment.

One other quick point - I think you will always have the group of people to whom the bottom line is THE most important thing, despite the fact that we are dealing with life saving equipment.  There are other people, like myself, who the bottom line may be the reason they initially check out several different dive shops to purchase their diving equipment.  But, at the end of the day, if I don't receive the standard of service to which I have become accustomed, I walk out...even if that means I pay 5% more (I have come to view it along the lines of an included gratuity ).

[wtdrm]

Well said Summer:
We vote with our feet.

[MAXFACTOR]

wtrm and summer,  as a dancer,  and a diver,  a brief clairfication..... you dance with your feet, you vote with your wallet.  lol,.....  just have to keep given you some crap wtrm.

say your sorry to deep wreck.... 

lol

max

[wtdrm]

GeeeeZe Joe at least spell my name right

wt-D-rm not wtrm

I may rethink my post to WD I still mad about the gazing ball.

[eric myers]

Okay, Gander Mountain is flirting with bankruptcy again and some marketing genius at GM came up with the “let’s sell dive equipment” idea?

You know who they are trying to “cash in on” right?

Those baby-boomers who are staring retirement in the face (within 5 years) who promised themselves they would, “travel more, live better, and return to more all-about-me-attitude after the kids go off to college. They swore to themselves that they weren’t going to let retirement slow them down like it did their parents but they just haven’t put their game plan together just yet.

So they find themselves wandering the aisles of their favorite toy store for grown ups and SCUBA jumps out at them. They remember that they have a C-Card from 1960 or 1970’s and causally ask the sales associate (yeah they are hiring, see their website) if their card is still good. Empowered by the smiling associate that reassures them that it never expires they drop $500-$3000 on new equipment and next thing you know they are on a plane to AnywhereWarmerThenHereNearWater or are showing up at local dive events without a single dive in say 30 years or more. Rest assured they will at least be “that diver,” if not worse.

Not a bad game plan for GM, baby-boomers have all the money and they are largest in population of all available generations. GM doesn’t have to worry about the repeat customer in this scenario, they are just big and their business depends on a larger volume of customers rather a smaller more motivated consumer base, like those shopping at local shops. Of course, if it doesn’t work out or show profits they can scrap it easily because it looks like the are only piloting the program at specific stores in key markets.

My advice to divers everywhere…check you new buddy’s log book don’t just trust their word. Be cautious when you see a diver show up with all brand new gear yet they still seem to fumble.

My advice to small dive shop owners…take care of your existing customers and take care of the customer that brings something in from GM for service, repair, or otherwise.  Showing a GM equipment owner that you are available and can service their equipment efficiently may just be enough to gain yourself a customer who is willing to convert. It would be a mistake to swear off anyone who walked in with GM gear, even though it definitely sticks in your craw. Of course with that said, there will always be the bargain shopper.

Hey, did anyone complain about the Internet Dive Industry lately?