Triple-L BC

[Bill M]

The internet is a great place to research products and compare products.  I live in northern Minnesota and do not have the multitude of local dive shop choices within a short driving distance that some people in the metro have.  Diving is a very equipment intensive sport and there is always new and exciting products coming out (some good others marginal).  I find that a relationship with a LDS is important for keeping up to date and the experienced and well established dive shop should be more than able to accomadate any dive equipment requirements for cold, warm or any other types of diving.  I do many ice dives every year and could easily find requlators at the dive shops I go to that would work (and do work great).  Price and value are often confused.  If one shops on price they may get the best price but a poor value.  If one shops for value you'll own something valuable.  I am willing to pay a little more for something and know I can meet the salesperson face to face if they sold me junk, than to give my business to the most knowledgeable person in the world that I will never meet.  That being said if the LDS throws you out and says they will never sell to you again, that is poor business and I would choose never to recommend them to anyone.

[tpscuba]

I know for us if a person has a problem with something they buy from us when they bring it in for fixing we send them out with another one so they don't have to stop diving till they get it back
We sell a camera we give them a class buy it from the internet and it cost to get a class on it

[claystaineddiver]

Just a thought before you buy over the internet. If this product is not sold locally, what are you going to do when some simple part fails, gets broken or lost? If there is local sales of the product, there is a good chance you can pick up the part you need in a hurry. The Triple-L BC you're considering may leave you standing on the waters edge while you wait for that part to be shipped across country.

I know there are some items I could get a bit cheaper by shopping on the net. But if my local dive store is no longer around, where am I going to get air to dive with? Who's going to be there when the I need a repair on something I'd prefer not to fix or just can't fix myself? Who's going to have that part that you just happened to loose the weekend before and discovered it was missing the day you're planning a dive trip? You might find your whole dive trip scrubbed because you need a part. But a good customer may just get his needed part off of new stock sitting on his LDS's sales floor, which could cost the LDS a sale. The internet shopper doesn't stand much chance of getting that treatment. A good local dive shop can be a tremendous asset to a diver. But the best of those assets most often go to the customers that support them.

Personally it would take a pretty damn big price break for me to purchase gear over the internet. And I wouldn't want something I couldn't get parts for locally when alternatives that do have parts locally are available. From what I've seen, the deals on the net have would not have saved me much over my LDS. And for that price, I much prefer my LDS remembering where I do buy my gear.  If money is tight, I know it often is for me, you can keep your eyes open for close outs or special sales.