Let me start by saying I was pleased with LDC assisting friends and myself with filling our avalanche tanks.
Long but worth the read.
After trying to negotiate buying new gear and trading some in, how this has all changed. I called the shop to ask about their trade in service and get a ballpark number on my equipment since they are 30 min away. I was told they don't give prices as they need to look over the equipment and it can take 2 weeks. I decided I wasn't that interested and if I have time may stop in, but keeping my equipment for 2 weeks just to give me a price is ridiculous now matter how you look at it. Two days later I receive a call from Harry (Owner I assume) letting me know he received a note about my call and wanted further information. I explained what I was trying to do and gave him a list of the exact equipment I was looking to trade in and condition. He said they don't give prices over the phone because people can think more about their items condition than others so on and so on. Kinda like what a car dealership does, but it's not a car it's a BCD, wetsuit, etc. So after talking with Harry I told him I would bring down my stuff and we can go from there. Thanked him for the call back and said I would see him later. After getting off work I loaded all the equipment up and drove to the shop.
Now's where things start to get shady and just unethical in their business practice. I enter into the shop and ask to speak with Harry. I was advised he was busy in the back, but Campbell one of the floor workers can assist me. I started to explain why I was there when he stated "oh I heard you were going to be bringing down some equipment to trade in". I started to take out what I had talked about with Harry and the first thing he starts in with is "yeah we really don't like that brand wetsuit so we wouldn't want those" remember I already told them what I had. So I stated ok no problem here are the two Hollis Elite Systems 2 ($650 a piece new even now before tax and shipping) I mentioned. Once again I am told how they aren't that good and not their favorite to have, ok so why have me bring them in? So I asked well how much are you thinking seeing the condition being just as I stated? Campbell then says "well let's look at some other BCD's and we can go from there. Now I know this tactic as its used in the auto industry all to common. I went along with it and during this time Campbell brought me to the $915 top of the line Scuba Pro unit. To speed up this review we spent 30-45 minutes looking over BCD's and never getting an idea what I was going to get for trade in. I had made up my mind for two BCD's one for my wife and was in between the top of the line Scuba Pro $915 and the model a step down $595. FINALLY Campbell goes to do the math on what they can give me for my trade in equipment (Remember they don't want the wetsuits at all and the BCD's cost $1300 retail even today) and let me preface I completely understand the difference between retail, 2nd hand market, and wholesale. Campbell then comes back and lets me know they can offer me 10% off the BCD's I'm looking at, so $91.50 off and $35.00 off the second (which was used)and by their math paid about $35.00. I had to ask to confirm I wasn't making a mistake, but they were offering me $126.50 for both my BCD's and Campbell instead he had to stick to the number as they don't like Hollis or most of their products for many reasons.
So after wasting time to drive to the location & time in the shop looking around. They have no problem offering you less than 10% of your items retail cost, but looking over their existing used equipment sell it 15-20% less than retail. Great business practice for trying to take advantage of or just waste peoples time. Bottom line its a shady way to do business and great way to lose a customer and future customers. Will they care probably not, will they reply to my review with some standard "We are sorry and always take feedback for the future" probably. As a scuba shop maybe they are good, but for used equipment sell it yourself. read more