Intro Scuba packages

> > Yep - when I bought my computer a few months ago (a Suunto Vyper) I
wandered
> > why all the shops had it at eactly the same price - £228 I think.
Anyway, I
> > eventually found that Suunto had specified that as a minimum price they
were
> > allowed to sell it at, any less and they wouldn't get their supplies
> > anymore. The once shop I talked to about this called Suunto, had to ask
>
> I don't suppose they've got that in writing? If so, the Competition
> Commission might be very interested.

Doubt it somehow. Don't suppose the shops would like to make a fuss about
it, since they'd likely lose their supply, and Suunto certainly won't. Its
the sort of thing that people know about, but can't really do all that much
about. Looking at the prices the fixing is fairly clear (like when *all*
shops have the same price, and its not even a nice round number!), but
impossible to prove unfortunately.

David

wbsdavenews@hotmail.com stopped playing nethack just long enough to say:
>
>when I bought my computer a few months ago (a Suunto Vyper) I wandered
>why all the shops had it at eactly the same price - £228 I think. Anyway, I
>eventually found that Suunto had specified that as a minimum price they were
>allowed to sell it at, any less and they wouldn't get their supplies
>anymore.

That is a fairly standard arrangement between manufacturers/distributors
and shops. I'm actually kind of surprised that it happens in Europe,
(given the presence of the EU) but I guess the SCUBA "price police" have
ways around that just like they circumvent the law here in the US.

>If shops are having to play by the rules of all these
>manufacturers, its no wonder prices are held artificially high.

That's exactly why "prices are held artificially high" and why Internet
sales are scaring the crap out of most dive retailers. What they don't
seem to understand is that it's not the Internet sales that are
screwing them - it is their own suppliers who are (a) not giving them
the flexibility to let the market dictate the selling prices, and (b)
selling the same gear hand over fist to Internet retailers who offer
deep discounts.

The retail side of the SCUBA industry is about the most screwed up
thing I have ever seen. They are trying to operate with a sales model
that is about 30 years out of date, and it is going to kill them.

-JimG

--
Jim Greenlee (jkg@cc.gatech.edu) (x-six) is one? no! x is one? no!
College of Computing o, now (t-six) is two? no!! one?
Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA 30332 no!! (six-one)? no!! six..is..x!

> You know as well as anybody that I have no great love for dive shops,
> but this statement is ludicrous. A dive shop owner has as much right as
> anybody to run their business and cover their expenses, with enough
> money left over to live off of (which includes sending their kid to
> college if that's what they want).

I shoulda fixed this--No reason to pay over priced prices and send your
LDS's kids to Tech when you can pay less money and send him to UGA.

> I agree that the dive industry as a whole has some serious issues with
> its overall pricing strategies and structure, which is part of why
> things are in such bad financial straits right now. But to imply that
> dive shop owners don't have the same right to make a living as you or I
> do is ridiculous.

You are right--they have a right. As do I not to pay more than is reasonable
for gear. Some shop owners are cool--I guess I included all in my
statement.