Local Dive Shops

Surprisingly, considering we're in the desert, we have a bunch of dive shops here in Las Vegas.  What's even more surprising, is that some of these are actually surviving considering their crappy customer service, high prices, and the increasing competition and aggressive pricing offered by Internet store fronts.

I have no problem paying more for something that I buy locally for a couple of reasons.  First, the shops needs to survive.  They've just got to mark products up to a certain point to keep the bills paid.  That's completely understandable.   Second, buying locally usually means you're getting exactly what you need.  If you try on a mask, fins or wetsuit at a local shop, you know it fits right, and it's the color you want, etc.  That's not always the case with an Internet sale. 

What I find unacceptable, however, is a shop not standing behind something they sell me.  Especially if it was per their recommendation that I purchase that particular model.  I expect them to handle warranty issues and not hassle me with double talk or BS about manufacturer nuances. A certain amount of "loss" is built in to any shop's pricing, so even in the event a manufacturer drops that ball with honoring a warranty, I expect the shop to eat it and replace or fix my item, to a point of course.  For example, a shop sells a customer a dive light, and it floods after 9 months, ruining the insides, even though the customer has never opened it or changed the batteries.   The shop knows this because they "know" this customer and "know" this customer has only gone on trips that they sponsored.  Replace or fix the darn light!  Man, keep the customer happy.  Keep their business.  Do the right thing.  Take it up with the dive light sales rep next time they're in.  (No, this didn't happen to me - just trying to come up with an example)

I've only been into a couple of shops here in town, and there's only one I call "my" dive shop, but I will make it a point to visit some of the other shops to check them out and see how they treat their customers.  Remember, charging more than the internet is perfectly OK, but gouging people is another story.