What
about the Internet?
Many of our
students and customers ask about “deals” and promotions they see on the
internet in regards to diving equipment.
We want to take a moment to set the record straight, to be sure that you
understand EXACTLY what you’re getting, or not getting when shopping online.
For a number of reasons, reputable manufacturers
do not allow their equipment to be sold through the mail, or via the
internet. Firstly, they rely on their
authorized dealers to be sure that before equipment is used,
it’s been properly tuned, assembled, and tested in accordance with
manufacturer’s guidelines. Our staff has
been through extensive training from the manufacturer to ensure that your gear
is ready to go! In the case of equipment
arriving in the mail, this is not the case.
It simply arrives in a box and you’re left on your own. To have your equipment assembled by your
local dive store, expect to pay upwards of $100. If you buy from us – assembly and testing is
free!
Each year you should have your equipment
serviced by an authorized service center – just as you have the oil changed in
your car, and a tune-up. During this
service, parts replaced as per manufacturer’s guidelines are free! The only thing that you’ll pay for is labor
and things due to wear such as a new mouthpiece. With an online purchase, there is no
manufacturer’s warranty, and these parts will be charged to your service order. In just the first year or two, any savings
that you may have initially made on your purchase online is quickly
reduced! Additionally, upon purchasing
your gear from Annapolis SCUBA, you are automatically enrolled in our service
club for discounted labor rates. Some
manufacturers will replace these parts for the length of time that you own the
product! Should you experience any sort
of malfunction with your equipment, an authorized dealer can handle it for you
if it’s covered under warranty, but you may experience expensive repair costs
if it was purchased online.
We’ve seen situations where customers have
ordered equipment online, and what they’ve received is
that product, but one which was manufactured nearly 4 years ago! It’s been sitting on a shelf somewhere during
that time, and will need a complete service before it can even be used.
In some cases, one item is ordered, and what
arrives is something completely different than what the customer has believed
they’ve ordered.
This is one of the biggest problems of all. If you have any problem with your equipment –
it’s not what you ordered, doesn’t fit, doesn’t work, or you just plain changed
your mind, you might not be able to return it.
And if you can, you’re now paying expensive shipping and handling
charges for the second time!
Buyer Beware…sometimes
the deal isn’t as sweet as it seems on the surface.