OnlineScuba.com announces our new Online Scuba Lessons starting with an Online Nitrox Diver Course that does not require dives. That means you can take the course online and after you are finished you will get your card in the mail. that simple. “This performance based adventure program is designed to lead you step-by-step in your future exploration of the underwater world”, said Bill Gornet Director of Marketing and Training and Education.
You get the book work done from home, complete each quiz and the final exam, we send a Nitrox Scuba Diver Card to you. That is all you need to begin your adventure today!! This Nitrox Scuba Diving home study course allows you to learn at your own pace. Everything is done online, so there is nothing to download. Simply add the course to your shopping cart and we will send you a Username and Password so you can log on to the course right away. Students can complete the course entirely from home or office at any time of the day or night. Don’t spend valuable vacation time in the classroom! Get the book work done from home! This Nitrox scuba course is designed to teach you the Physics and Physiology of Nitrox Scuba Diving. Graduates receive a Certificate of Completion and Nitrox Scuba Certification Card that is recognized anywhere in the world.After completing each section, you will be given a quiz. You must receive a 100% score on each quiz before proceeding to the next section. Don’t worry, our staff of Certified Instructors will help you, FREE of charge, if you get stuck!After you have completed all the quizzes, you will be given a Final Exam. Click Here to sign up for a Online Scuba Class now.
Tags: lesson online scuba, online nitrox lessons, scuba lessons
We came across this useful article while searching for a way to talk about how important “Full Manufacturer Warranties” are and how gray market products do in fact affect the Scuba Industry as well as any other industry. Now, don’t get us wrong, if you can buy something for a better price and that price is significantly lower then why wouldn’t you buy it from a gray market dealer? After all, this is America and last we checked “Price Fixing” was illegal.
Well, we think that Mrs. Herndon from Scuba.com makes a great point. Leave a comment if you want good or bad. This is definitely a controversial topic.
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By: Melinda Herndon
GM, Scuba.com
The gray market refers to new goods sold through channels other than those authorized by manufacturers. Gray market scuba gear sales are damaging to the industry by removing profit from manufacturers, reducing brand equity, increasing the risk to consumers and posing a threat to their well being.
Presently, warranty cards filled out at the point of purchase are the means of contact between manufacturers and consumers. It is common practice for a gray market dealer to have another shop purchase the items for inventory. Most often, the warranty card is removed from the manufacturer’s original packaging to make it more difficult for Manufacturers to trace the sold item back to the original dealer who purchased it on behalf of a gray market seller. This virtually eliminates the chance of alerting diving consumers to the dangers of using a product before it can be tested, replaced or retrofitted or in the rare case of a recall.
Manufacturers lose profit when gray market sellers force their products to compete with items which are similar and can be purchased by customers from a gray market provider.
Brand Equity is the biggest concern any Manufacturer should have, as it determines the prices that the market will bear for its products, the image that the product has with its distributors, and the value perceived by customers. It is the most important component to determining the value of the company at the point of sale. Reduced brand equity means less revenue and lower product value.
Internet search engines like Yahoo and Google provide higher ranking to products with the lowest price. When gray market dealers fail to abide by manufacturers’ precepts and offer the same product for much less than the minimum advertised price, the manufacturers and the authorized dealers lose Internet presence. In retaliation, retailers may cease to promote these products to avoid perceptions of overpricing.Manufacturers are not entirely without defense…
There are three levels of recourse for Manufacturers.
Section #1 relates to immediately shutting down all use of your copyrighted images and text by gray market sellers.
Section #2 will assist in legal recourse for continued copyright and trademark violations.
Section #3 is a new and powerful level of protection available to Manufacturers who hold U.S. Patents for the items that they sell.#1) Search portals are willing to aid in the removal of unauthorized use of copyrighted material from the Internet. Use the links below to take advantage of these services.
#2) Copyright service companies can also be rendered to assist in registration of your copyright and enforcement thereof:
Do it yourself with this government resource:
Copyrighting your text and images is automatic at the point of producing new information, but unless it is registered, there is no course for legal action. Getting a registered copyright is as easy as sending your product catalog to the address below with the required form and a check for $45.00.
U.S. Copyright Office
101 Independence Ave. S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
#3) If you have already taken all of the above actions to protect your brand equity… congratulations to you. The benefit that you are already seeing is that your images and text cannot be used by gray market sellers. This is useful to protecting your brand, but there is another step left to take.
If you hold a U.S. Patent for the items that you sell, you can shut down gray market sales through the use of a powerful new program available exclusively through Net Enforcers.
Here is how it works: You will be issuing a license to sell your patented products to certain retailers. If these retailers resell to unauthorized third parties, this would be considered an infringement of the patent license and be actionable by you, the patent holder.
This partnership with Net Enforcers allows Manufacturers the highest level of brand equity control possible, and the scope of the control far exceeds that available to copyright and trademark holders.
Complete details are available through direct discussion with the company: http://www.netenforcers.com/pages/contactus.cfm
Gray market sales pose an onerous threat to the scuba industry. Following the above steps can result in protection of your hard-earned brand equity and more importantly, increased safety to the diving public.
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At the time of this article being written, it has come to our attention that many of the Gray Market Dealers are actually being legitimized by several of the manufactuers. While this is a discussion for another time, do you think this is fair?
Those legititmate shops just like ourselves at onlinescuba.com who have clawed and scraped our way following the rules now find that a gray market dealer can be rewarded with Authorized Dealer status when they spent so many years breaking the rules? Greed comes to mind. We will address this with a future post.
Tags: gray market, Scuba Gear FAQ, warranty
While the Scuba Industry seems to be stuck on MAP pricing, OnlineScuba has decided to answer this with an updated Low Price / Best Price Guarantee:
Since we are Authorized Dealers for the gear we sell, we have to in some cases advertise our products at MAP (Minimum Advertised Pricing). This is required by the Manufactuters to keep our dealer status and it means that everything you buy is covered under this warranty. If you find any product we sell from another authorized dealer for less email us or call 1-866-SCUBA-YES and we will meet or beat it.
We offer the following Low Price Guarantee to all of our Customers:1.) Within 30 days of your purchase, if you find the same identical item advertised by an authorized SCUBA dealer for less, show us and we will give you the difference as a credit towards your next purchase of scuba diving equipment. This does not apply to special order products, clearance items.2.) If you find an identical in-stock product we are selling for less, we will match the price with no local pick up. Excluding Closeout, Clearance, Specials and Special Order products.
Bill Gornet, Manager of Marketing said, “We intend to earn the support of new and old Customer’s alike by adding value to the whole OnlineScuba experience.” Jackie Zwieg, Customer Service Manager at OnlineScuba.com added, “We work really hard to meet or exceed our Customer’s needs and price is always a concern.” So, now you can shop for your scuba gear and dive equipment with confidence as we back it up with our low price guarantee.
OnlineScuba.com, established in 1996, sells name brand scuba gear from Masks and Fins to Dive Computers and BCD’s. Known for offering thousands of products with Full Manufacturer Warranties and an industry first, Free Service on life support equipment. Scuba Instructor owned an operated allows knowledgeable service and enthusiasm needed to make a sensible gear investment.
Tags: Scuba Gear Best Price Guarantee at Online Scuba
OK, so you have purchased that wetsuit for scuba diving, water sports or surfing. Now you are ready to go and use it. WooHoo, you are definately in your element. Doing your thing like catching a tasty wave or scuba diving at your favorite dive spot.
You finish your fun and most often you throw the suit in your trunk or dive bag and then a few days later get around to pulling it out but guess what? It stinks and is smell? Why, well you should have done the following immediately after you were done for the day:
Rinse your suit - Rinse your suit in fresh water as soon as you are finished diving for the day or surfing. Salt water can cause neoprene to lose its flexibility. Not to mention the nasty smell an unrinsed wet suit can have after even just a few hours.
Soak it - When you get back home, or better yet, back to the hotel, soak your wetsuit for about 15 minutes in 
warm water. You can also use a special wet suit shampoo at this stage (sink the stink scuba gear). You should shampoo your suit every once in a while for best results.
Hang to dry - They make hangers just for wetsuits. These are the best to use if you have one. However, a basic plastic hanger will work also. Whatever you do, do not use the thin wire hangers as these can rust and start to degrade the neoprene in the shoulders. You want to thoroughly dry your wetsuit before storing it. Otherwise, nasty things will start appearing and smelling. Avoid that at all costs.
Inspect for Damage - Before you store your scuba diving wet suit, check for any rips or tears. They are much easier to fix while small.
Store your Investment Properly - Ideally, your wetsuit should be stored flat or hung on a special wetsuit hanger or a sturdy hanger. Do not crumple it up and shove it in a drawer. This can cause the wetsuit to crease and lose some of its insulation effectiveness.
That is it, now all you need to do is buy a new one!!!! Click Here to Buy Scuba Wetsuits
Tags: care, how to care for a wetsuit, wetsuit care, wetsuits
OnlineScuba recently launched OnlineScuba.mobi for our cell phone customers who don’t have an I-Phone or want the convenience of the .mobi platform, layout and less clutter.
Say you are at a dive shop or sporting goods store and the sales person says “this is the best price you can get for a BodyGlove wetsuit anywhere.” Hmmm, so you say “Let me think about it” and type in www.oscuba.mobi (short for www.onlinescuba.mobi ) in your phone. A simple screen appears with our logo and categories. You click search for “bodyglove 7mm” and guess what? It is less expensive at our store.
Now all you have to do is click “buy” and in 3 minutes you have made the purchase and once again you have saved enough money to buy lunch!!
So simple and convenient. The mobile cell phone shopping platform is a great tool that does not require a desktop computer or latptop to shop. The layout is made to fit on your cell phone screen and the pictures are clear and crisp. That is why over 200 million cell phone users are taking advantage of this new technology. Give it a try as you will be glad you did.
Tags: cell phone shopping, oscuba.mobi, Scuba Gear FAQ, shop on your cell
OnlineScuba.com will be ending the Free Shipping Offer soon. Now is the time to take a bite out of the “R” word and receive free shipping with any order over $75. Simply go shopping on our site for Scuba Gear . Free Shipping cannot be in conjunction with other offers and oversized or heavy items are not included. We will email you with specifics before shipping. More Free Shipping Information
How about our killer deal on the Oceanic GEO Dive Computer Watch: Upgrade yourself from an Air computer or use this as a back up to your existing computer. Great for Free Divers or Skin Divers as well. The Oceanic GEO Dive Wrist Watch is priced quite nicely and it looks good on your writst. Tell the world: I am a Scuba Diver!!!
Tags: dive equipment shipping specials, free shipping, Scuba Gear FAQ
OnlineScuba’s new affiliate program geared toward Scuba Clubs, University Organizations, Dive Clubs, Independant Instructors and Small Dive Shops. The plan will allow for either 10% off all scuba gear purchases for club members, or build a credit of 10% of purchases, or a combination of both!! All you need to do is sign up using our simple form Scuba Affiliate Program Click Here, provide the required information and start saving in as little as a few hours!!!
“This is a a huge benefit for Scuba Organizations looking to offer instant benefits to members or the Organization as a whole”, said Bill Gornet, OnlineScuba Director of Marketing and PADI Master Instructor. “With two ways to save, this should be an easy sell to club board members as well.”
So, we encourage everyone to join and send a link to the the website so that they can take advantage of all the Scuba Gear that OnlineScuba offers. With 5000 Name Brand Products with Full Manufacturer Warrany, this is the place. With specials such as Free Shipping, Free Service and more among others. Click Here
Tags: , earn cash for scuba club, scuba club affiliate program
In an earlier post I was bragging about how good the Alpha 8 regulator from Oceanic is. For those who want to make the move beyond entry level regs, Oceanic has something for you, too: the Delta 4. Like the Alpha, the Delta 4 has also had the distinction of being named a Best Buy in its class by Rodales Scuba Diving Magazine in 2005 (read the Rodale’s article here).
The Delta 4 is the latest incarnation of the original Delta regulator, which impressed me with its tiny second stage when it was first introduced. This is one instance where size definitely matters, because a smaller, lighter second stage translates into less mouth fatigue and therefore a more enjoyable dive for the diver using it. This is especially true when making multiple dives over several days. To go even a step further with regard to comfort, Oceanic has fitted the Delta 4 with an orthodontic mouthpiece and an inline swivel.
The Delta 4 also features a dive/pre-dive venturi switch to make inhalation smoother and reduce surface freeflows , as well as a diver-adjustable breathing effort control knob. While diver-adjustable inhalation often requires the diver to do just that - adjust it, repeatedly - as depth and workload changes, the Delta 4 incorporates a novel Dynamic Adjustment feature that allows you to set the regulator for optimum breathing effort once and then forget about it. The regulator will then self-adjust as you change depths to maintain that same inhalation effort unless you change the setting again.
Oceanic pairs the Delta 4 with its FDX-10 balanced diaphragm first stage for optimal performance. This sturdy, solid brass first stage features Oceanic’s patented dry valve technology, which prevents water and debris from entering the body of the regulator if the dust cap is left off. The whole setup is Nitrox compatible up to 40% O2.
At a retail price of between $500-$600, the Delta 4 is about twice as expensive as the entry-level Alpha, but it boasts many higher-end features that make it worth the money in terms of comfort and ease of use. Right now I have a different set of regs that I am very happy with (more on them later), but if I had to get rid of them today the Delta 4 would definitely be on my very short list of possible replacements.
Click here for more about the Delta 4.
Tags: balanced diaphragm, delta, diving, Oceanic, regulator, scuba
We’ve all had it happen. You’re standing in the gate, getting ready to giant-stride into the clear blue waters of paradise, and as you pull that second fin on…catastrophe! The fin strap snaps cleanly in two. You can almost hear Mr. Murphy laughing as you start sullenly taking off your gear.
This, my friend, is why you need some form of save-a-dive kit. At its most basic, this can consist of a couple of basic items such as fin straps and O-rings. At the other extreme, I’ve seen guys who actually take spare high- and low-pressure hoses on trips with them. While this may be just a little bit hardcore for most recreational divers, the fact remains that we’d all rather be blowing bubbles than trying to scrounge spare gear from everyone on the boat because ours broke.
There are a number of pre-packaged save-a-dive kits out there from different scuba accessory manufacturers such as Trident and XS Scuba, and I consider these to be good basic kits. The items in them can vary, but they generally include spare mask and fin straps, a regulator mouthpiece, a snorkel keeper, and a couple of zip ties and O-rings. I usually add a couple of things to this, including a multi-tool for making basic repairs, a knife strap, and an extra weight belt buckle and keeper. A tube of wetsuit repair cement is handy, too, and it’s good for a lot of things besides just torn wetsuits. I once saved an entire liveaboard trip with this stuff when the rubber cover on my BCD power inflator button got torn and started leaking air. A little judiciously applied wetsuit cement not only closed the hole, it lasted for eight more dives.
If you use masks or fins which have non-standard straps (the ScubaPro Twin Jet fin comes to mind), make sure you have spare straps for these items as well. And Nitrox divers, don’t forget some extra Viton O-rings.
Also, most scuba certification agencies offer some form of equipment repair specialty course. These classes teach you how a regulator works, and show you what you can do in the field to minimize the impact of some common gear issues such as persistent free-flows, leaky BCD dump valves, etc. Plus you get another C-card to stick in your wallet, which is always kinda cool.
Bottom line, the Boy Scouts were right when they came up with their maxim “Be Prepared.” Carry a spare parts kit whenever you go diving. The dive you save may well be your own.
Tags: diving, repair, save-a-dive kit, scuba, spare parts
I have a special affinity for Oceanic gear. You see, back when I was a brand new diver and made that big decision to buy my own equipment, my first regulator was an Oceanic Alpha. It served me well for years, and when I finally upgraded to a newer and more expensive set of regs, I gave my old Alpha to a friend who dives. He’s still using it.
The venerable, time-tested Alpha is still around in Oceanic’s product line, too. Now it’s the Alpha 8, and it looks a little different on the outside, but inside it still has all the stuff to give you the performance I would expect from such a legendary workhorse. Oceanic bills it as “The Alpha Standard by which all other entry-level regulators are judged,” and even allowing for advertising hype I’d say that’s not too far from the truth. The Alpha second stage pairs up with Oceanic’s SP-5 piston first stage to give you easy, inexpensive maintenance and the highest price-to-performance ratio in its class. The Alpha 8 performs to U.S. Navy Class A standards at 198 FSW, and was named a Best Buy by Rodale’s Scuba Diving Magazine in 2005 (read the Rodale’s article here).
And the best part is, the Alpha 8 retails for well under $300. The bottom line? If you’re looking for an inexpensive, high-quality regulator that will give you performance well beyond its price range, Oceanic’s Alpha 8 is for you.
Tags: Alpha, best buy, diving, inexpensive, Oceanic, regulator, scuba
