Local shopping experience (fail)

[JR8]

I am looking at buying a new SCUBA regulator. If I get one, I need it within the week. So:

Product chosen:
Mares Abyss 22. Primary into single secondary stage.
Sounds like a hard-core beast and a workhorse.

I can simply flip over my octopus, SPG and transponder from the old set, and we're good to go with a 'full set' of new regs.

Local price, the best I found, S$903.
They don't have it in stock, they order it in. Useless and $$$

From the US. US$360, S$456. +Freight on top.
But, they (a *major* US dive retailer) have so many checks and holds on processing the order that I gave up on it. Really, it became pathetic just trying to finalise the order. [I ordered it for 2-day delivery, and 2 days later wondered what was happening, only to find they <shock> needed me to confirm some security info on the original order. I.e. they hadn't even accepted the order.... AND hadn't told me]

UK. A retailer I've used for years. Perhaps the best for price and reliability in the UK (but maybe (?) not in a global context, re: price) S$573, all in w/courier.

Fingers crossed.

[the lynx]

If you can wait, ADEX (Asia Dive Expo) is coming to Singapore next year.

https://www.facebook.com/AsiaDiveExpo/info

That's where my dive buddies get their gear in bulk for good prices.

[JR8]

Cheers Lynx.
Yes I will probably go to ADEX just to browse and hang-out (amazing what long-lost dive buddies you tend to bump into at these events).

My experience was more of an example of an everyday 'need it within say 2 weeks' purchase, and how the various potential sources, were equipped to meet that requirement...

Look, if I'm going to boil it down.
- Don't order from SG. They won't have it in stock (despite appearances), and will sell it to you for double-price anyway.
- US. Most sites won't know what or where Asia is. Good headline price, but good luck finalising an order.
- UK. Not the cheapest, but they do what it says on the tin. Don't underestimate it, diving is big in the UK... in fact didn't Brits invent SCUBA lol ...

[bgd]

... in fact didn't Brits invent SCUBA lol ...

Indeed that well known British chap, Jacques-Yves Cousteau

[the lynx]

... in fact didn't Brits invent SCUBA lol ...

Indeed that well known British chap, Jacques-Yves Cousteau

[JR8]

... in fact didn't Brits invent SCUBA lol ...

Indeed that well known British chap, Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Nice try. I was considering late WW2 Navy 'frogmen' (i.e. pre recreational SCUBA diving, and years before what JYC was inspired by), but it seems it was a Yank... ho hum, well we can't lead the world in everything I suppose, including running your otherwise incapable countries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_J._Lambertsen

[zzm9980]

- US. Most sites won't know what or where Asia is. Good headline price, but good luck finalising an order.

[JR8]

- US. Most sites won't know what or where Asia is. Good headline price, but good luck finalising an order.

Well that's my experience, and it's happened several times. It is not a criticism, simply an observation. You go online (where borders are invisible), and then when completing an order you find 'Can only be shipped within the United States'.

There seems to be a divide amongst US retailers. Those who recognise the rest of the world exists and can cater to it, and those who don't. There are plenty of US sites that won't process an order without a US ZIP code, and others that cannot compute postage on 'foreign' orders.

Case in point today. I have paid US$120 more for an item, to be shipped from the UK, rather than the US, simply because the latter can't process my 'foreign/non-standard' order. And the latter, www.scuba.com are probably one of the world largest dive gear retailers. Disappointing eh?

That's my 2c, and experience today.

[zzm9980]

Roll-eyes was for the first part of the sentence. I'm rather certain most people in the US knows where and what Asia is. Just because they choose to not ship there is completely separate.

How do they have such lower prices? One of those factors is controlling fraud and inventory loss. The easiest way to do that? Only ship domestically. Or, a lot of online merchants already have exclusive partnerships with various entities to handle their retail sales. The US based merchant shifts the risk to the overseas partner, and that partner makes profit off the difference. The loser is the consumer, at least until that consumers home market is big enough to justify competitive pricing.

[sundaymorningstaple]

For your information, the reason most don't ship to a lot of Asian countries is the same reason they don't ship to a lot of Eastern European countries. Too many times they have been ripped off by buyers who claim they never received the goods therefore demand their money back even though they received the good promptly and in good order. Fully 3/4s of the US sellers on eBay don't sell outside of the US for the same reason. The small number of sales that they do get isn't worth the hassle involved with trying to keep their money or get their goods back when the credit card bounces. With over 500 eBay purchases in the past 4 years, I can attest to that fact.

[x9200]

I believe a distinctively banned destination for Asian E-bay sellers is Italy.

[JR8]

Well dunno. But I bow to your direct experience.

I'd have thought you wouldn't ship prior to cleared payment.

Anyway. As I wrote, I'm paying about a 10-15% premium to get the goods from a UK dealer, as 'for what ever reasons' the worlds biggest SCUBA retailer in the US aren't up to it.

p.s. I sit here with two dive shop tab/windows open, both needing just one-click to complete. One US, one UK. If you think I pay an additional US$100+ through choice.... you are kidding... it's necessity.

[JR8]

I don't get the concept of claiming goods are received or not. If something does not arrive, does it matter if I'm in Arkansas or Singapore?

And then you have to consider all the protection a credit card sale affords a retailer.

Ah well, I ordered it how I did, and that was the best deal at the time. Draw what ever conclusions you might wish ....

[x9200]

I don't get the concept of claiming goods are received or not. If something does not arrive, does it matter if I'm in Arkansas or Singapore?

And then you have to consider all the protection a credit card sale affords a retailer.

Ah well, I ordered it how I did, and that was the best deal at the time. Draw what ever conclusions you might wish ....

This must be notorious for the payments made via PayPal. There is no technical problem of any sort to receive the goods, claim the non-receipt or damage or whatever and get full or partial refund via PayPal. PayPal is extremely pro-buyer and checks hardly anything.

[JR8]

This must be notorious for the payments made via PayPal. There is no technical problem of any sort to receive the goods, claim the non-receipt or damage or whatever and get full or partial refund via PayPal. PayPal is extremely pro-buyer and checks hardly anything.

If I'm buying something on-line I'll use my CC.

I have no interest in PayPal. If I get bogged down in PP-land due to vendor inflexibility, then I'll just abandon the transaction is needs be.

PayPal is like having to learn a new language, in order to go and shop for a few bits and pieces every couple of years.

No thanks.