In Reply to: Re: Re: Why????? posted by Jeff on June 17, 2016 at 22:21:51:

Sadly (for me), can't let this one pass:

1. GREEDY STORES - There's this great myth that dive shops are ripping everyone off. Show me some dive shops where the owners live in big houses and are driving Bentleys. The sad (business) fact is that most dive shops are barely profitable, if that.

2. CATALINA PRICING - You've heard of fuel, overhead, etc.? From the diver's perspective, everyone wants limited loads and faster boats but think the trips should still only cost $50 . . . with food and airfills. Trip prices have risen over the years like everything else in life.

3. I'M STILL IN BUSINESS - You seem to confuse losing our lease with going out of business. Reef Seekers is actually in better financial shape now than when we had a brick-and-mortar store. We were so "greedy" that we lost money (significant money) our last two years. But without $250,000/yearly in fixed overhead and converting to a foreign-trips plan, we're in much better shape.

Most shop owners I know truly love the sport and certainly aren't getting rich from it. What's really sad is that there's a small but very vocal group (as evidenced at least by the two posts above) who have this horribly negative view of us and simply feel we're out to rip everyone off and will laugh all the way to the bank while doing, while our chauffeur waits outside. Very puzzling.

- Ken

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Why????? george_austin 07:48:19 07/08/16 (0)