online dive purchases

One of the biggest things to watch out for is the shipping. If the company
ships UPS or FedEx then they charge a brokerage fee to bring the item into
Canada. These fees can be very large. I ordered some t-shirts and a ball cap
from a store in the U.S. just before Christmas and they were shipped by
FedEx. The order came to $91.00 and the GST, Brokerage fees, and something
called a disbursement fee came to $41.00 over and above the order. UPS uses
the same type of system. And of course these charges are over what the
online company charges for shipping. If they ship by U.S. postal service
then there is only a customs fee that Canada Customs charges and the GST.


Hope this helps

Wayne


"J Galvin" <madmariner87@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:112a716b7o493c2@corp.supernews.com...
>I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The local
>dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been looking online
>and have found a number of US online equipment outlets that are
>considerably cheaper than I can get here at home (central Ontario).
> Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay away from, or
> a recomended online Dive store.
> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
> I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are talking
> hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
> Comments welcome
>

J Galvin wrote:
> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The
> local dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been
> looking online and have found a number of US online equipment outlets
> that are considerably cheaper than I can get here at home (central
> Ontario). Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay
> away
> from, or a recomended online Dive store.
> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
> I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are
> talking hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
> Comments welcome

I'd ask the store if they would do anything for you. Most will bend a lot
rather than loose a sale if you are a regular.
It sounds like they are charging full retail.

In some cases there are things they will not be able to match at all, but
most shops pay about the same for stuff.

As pointed out watch the shipping. On our side my bank just told me that
there will be a 3% charge on foreign currency now.

"Mike Painter" <mddotpainter@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:ApbVd.1963$C47.1256@newssvr14.news.prodigy.co m...
>J Galvin wrote:
>> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The
>> local dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been
>> looking online and have found a number of US online equipment outlets
>> that are considerably cheaper than I can get here at home (central
>> Ontario). Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay away
>> from, or a recomended online Dive store.
>> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
>> I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are
>> talking hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
>> Comments welcome
>
> I'd ask the store if they would do anything for you. Most will bend a lot rather
> than loose a sale if you are a regular.
> It sounds like they are charging full retail.
>
> In some cases there are things they will not be able to match at all, but most
> shops pay about the same for stuff.
>
> As pointed out watch the shipping. On our side my bank just told me that there will
> be a 3% charge on foreign currency now.

There is no extra charge if you pay by credit card. You can just buy one item as a
test and see what kind of customs charges are involved.

Adam

J Galvin wrote:
> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The local dive
> shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been looking online and
> have found a number of US online equipment outlets that are considerably
> cheaper than I can get here at home (central Ontario).
> Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay away from, or a
> recomended online Dive store.
> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
> I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are talking
> hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
> Comments welcome
>
>

I guess it would depend on what I am buying. If it is something that
may require periodic service, such as a regulator, I would definetly buy
local. Also, some manufacturers WILL NOT honor any type of warranty
when the purchase is made in anyway other than a storefront location.
That includes mailorder as well as the internet.

I recently had a computer crap out. The local shop owner contacted the
manufacturer and I actually got a brand new computer for about 66% off
using the old computer as trade. I bought the old computer USED (on
Ebay) about 4-5 years ago.


--
I have never met a liberal street cop.

Adam Helberg wrote:
> "Mike Painter" <mddotpainter@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
> news:ApbVd.1963$C47.1256@newssvr14.news.prodigy.co m...
>> J Galvin wrote:
>>> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The
>>> local dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been
>>> looking online and have found a number of US online equipment
>>> outlets that are considerably cheaper than I can get here at home
>>> (central
>>> Ontario). Is there anything in particular I should watch out for,
>>> stay away from, or a recomended online Dive store.
>>> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure
>>> Pro". I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are
>>> talking hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
>>> Comments welcome
>>
>> I'd ask the store if they would do anything for you. Most will bend
>> a lot rather than loose a sale if you are a regular.
>> It sounds like they are charging full retail.
>>
>> In some cases there are things they will not be able to match at
>> all, but most shops pay about the same for stuff.
>>
>> As pointed out watch the shipping. On our side my bank just told me
>> that there will be a 3% charge on foreign currency now.
>
> There is no extra charge if you pay by credit card. You can just buy
> one item as a test and see what kind of customs charges are involved.

I'm not talking about custom charges. At least one of the US banks I have
credit cards with just sent me a notice saying that there would be a 3%
surcharge on transactions involving foreign currency.

J Galvin wrote:
> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The local dive
> shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been looking online and
> have found a number of US online equipment outlets that are considerably
> cheaper than I can get here at home (central Ontario).
> Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay away from, or a
> recomended online Dive store.
> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
> I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are talking
> hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
> Comments welcome
>
>

I buy everything online.

"Mike Painter" <mddotpainter@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:HnnVd.10720$Pz7.1832@newssvr13.news.prodigy.c om...
> Adam Helberg wrote:
>> "Mike Painter" <mddotpainter@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
>> news:ApbVd.1963$C47.1256@newssvr14.news.prodigy.co m...
>>> J Galvin wrote:
>>>> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The
>>>> local dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been
>>>> looking online and have found a number of US online equipment
>>>> outlets that are considerably cheaper than I can get here at home (central
>>>> Ontario). Is there anything in particular I should watch out for,
>>>> stay away from, or a recomended online Dive store.
>>>> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure
>>>> Pro". I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are
>>>> talking hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
>>>> Comments welcome
>>>
>>> I'd ask the store if they would do anything for you. Most will bend
>>> a lot rather than loose a sale if you are a regular.
>>> It sounds like they are charging full retail.
>>>
>>> In some cases there are things they will not be able to match at
>>> all, but most shops pay about the same for stuff.
>>>
>>> As pointed out watch the shipping. On our side my bank just told me
>>> that there will be a 3% charge on foreign currency now.
>>
>> There is no extra charge if you pay by credit card. You can just buy
>> one item as a test and see what kind of customs charges are involved.
>
> I'm not talking about custom charges. At least one of the US banks I have credit
> cards with just sent me a notice saying that there would be a 3% surcharge on
> transactions involving foreign currency.

This must be something new. I've used my US credit cards many times abroad and have
not had a surcharge, besides the usual currency exchange

Adam

I will definitely look into the warranty aspect as well as the customs and
brokerage. I do have an import license but I haven't used it in years and
found it to be a pain in the backside.
Has anyone dealt with "Leisure Pro."
"Jon C" <news@jonnythan.com> wrote in message
news:WVsVd.35142$vK5.8615@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
>J Galvin wrote:
>> I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The local
>> dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been looking
>> online and have found a number of US online equipment outlets that are
>> considerably cheaper than I can get here at home (central Ontario).
>> Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay away from,
>> or a recomended online Dive store.
>> The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
>> I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are talking
>> hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
>> Comments welcome
>
> I buy everything online.

The way you phrase it suggests you're in Canada, so all your local
charges would be "foreign currency" to a US bank. Or am I missing
something?

Mike Painter wrote:

> Adam Helberg wrote:
>
>>"Mike Painter" <mddotpainter@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
>>news:ApbVd.1963$C47.1256@newssvr14.news.prodigy. com...
>>
>>>J Galvin wrote:
>>>
>>>>I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The
>>>>local dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been
>>>>looking online and have found a number of US online equipment
>>>>outlets that are considerably cheaper than I can get here at home
>>>>(central
>>>>Ontario). Is there anything in particular I should watch out for,
>>>>stay away from, or a recomended online Dive store.
>>>>The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure
>>>>Pro". I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are
>>>>talking hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
>>>>Comments welcome
>>>
>>>I'd ask the store if they would do anything for you. Most will bend
>>>a lot rather than loose a sale if you are a regular.
>>>It sounds like they are charging full retail.
>>>
>>>In some cases there are things they will not be able to match at
>>>all, but most shops pay about the same for stuff.
>>>
>>>As pointed out watch the shipping. On our side my bank just told me
>>>that there will be a 3% charge on foreign currency now.
>>
>>There is no extra charge if you pay by credit card. You can just buy
>>one item as a test and see what kind of customs charges are involved.
>
>
> I'm not talking about custom charges. At least one of the US banks I have
> credit cards with just sent me a notice saying that there would be a 3%
> surcharge on transactions involving foreign currency.
>
>

J Galvin wrote:
> I will definitely look into the warranty aspect as well as the customs and
> brokerage. I do have an import license but I haven't used it in years and
> found it to be a pain in the backside.
> Has anyone dealt with "Leisure Pro."
> "Jon C" <news@jonnythan.com> wrote in message
> news:WVsVd.35142$vK5.8615@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
>
>>J Galvin wrote:
>>
>>>I am considering making a few purchases over the coming year. The local
>>>dive shop while a great resource, is very pricy. I have been looking
>>>online and have found a number of US online equipment outlets that are
>>>considerably cheaper than I can get here at home (central Ontario).
>>>Is there anything in particular I should watch out for, stay away from,
>>>or a recomended online Dive store.
>>>The one I have seen that has the best prices so far is "Liesure Pro".
>>>I hesitate to bypass the local shop for a few dollars but we are talking
>>>hundreds. and in some cases almost half price.
>>>Comments welcome
>>
>>I buy everything online.
>
>
>

I've bought several things from LeisurePro and have visited their store.
Fine place.

You might want to check out www.scubatoys.com too. They're actually
authorized retailers for all of their gear, they match LeisurePro's
pricing, and the staff actually dives. I'd rather deal with them.. I
have dealt with both companies to my satisfaction.