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View Full Version : Scuba.com...a total EMBARRASSMENT!



heelsfaninpa
01-29-2008, 12:46 AM
I’ve never been one to complain about a company that I have done business with. If I don’t like their service, then I refuse to use them again and I close my account. However, with what I went through with Scuba.com, I have to share my story and strongly recommend that you look elsewhere before purchasing any equipment or accessories with them.

It all started on Christmas Day when I used Christmas money that I had received from my family and placed an order with Scuba.com. I found an Akona travel bag that I really wanted, not to mention several other items, including a new mask. I was glad to see that there was a 5% discount on all the items that I ordered AND if I was patient, I would get free shipping on my order.

All started out according to plan…on January 2nd, Scuba.com shipped my order via FedEx ground. Everyday, I tracked my order on line using that neat little tracking program that FedEx has. A week later, on January 9th, I saw that my much anticipated package was on the FedEx truck for delivery. I waited all day like a kid waiting for his Christmas presents, but after several hours I started to get concerned. I checked the tracking website again and sadly, FedEx posted that my package was being shipped back to sender (i.e. Scuba.com) due to damage obtained during shipping. Of course I was disappointed, but being a big boy I knew that things like this occurred. So I contacted Scuba.com and let them know my package was being shipped back and they said as soon as they received the package, they would immediately ship it out. In fact, they originally stated that they would ship it express, so I would get my package sooner.

The damaged package was returned to Scuba.com on January 16th. Once it arrived, I went on-line to check my order. Much to my surprise, I found that Scuba.com had changed their member’s discount from 5% to 10%. Also, while I was waiting on my package, I found that Scuba.com does price matching. So, like a well-trained husband, I started searching for my Akona travel bag on other websites and found it for $30.00 cheaper on Leisurepro.com. SWEET! I spoke with the folks at Scuba.com and asked them for the 10% discount for members and the price match for my travel bag. They said they would be glad to do that for me, so they processed my damaged package as a return and then created a new order for my discount and price match. This is where much confusion and frustration really set in.

Once I placed the new order (for the exact same equipment) the total price came out to be $2.00 more than the order I had just returned (i.e. the damaged package). For some weird reason, they charged me $30.00 for shipping. So I spoke with them and they said they made a mistake and they would take the $30.00 off my order. I also found out that they had already charged my credit card, but the shipment had not even been pulled from the shelf, much less shipped. ISN’T THAT ILLEGAL? They also said that they would be shipping my order the next day and I was assured my order would be arrive by January 30th. On the website, the default date said February 6th, but I was again assured that my order would be here much earlier than February 6th. I was very glad to hear that, because I have a tripped planned for the Florida Keys on February 9th.

A couple of more days go by and I was trying to be patient, but as I checked the status daily, my on-line order stated, “Items pulled for shipping”. However, the package was not shipping. So, I called back again and found out that the Genesis mask that I had ordered was out of stock. They told me at that time, the mask would be in by January 25th and would be shipped that same day. Yeah right….

So I waited another day and still my order had not shipped. So, on Saturday, January 26th I called again. This time they told me that my package had not shipped because my mask was not in yet. The guy on the phone told me the mask would be in stock, added to my order, and shipped on Monday (today).

As soon as I got home from work this evening, I checked my order on-line and was not surprised to find that it had not shipped. Needless to say I was frustrated, mad, and worried that I would not get my order until after I left for Florida. So, I called again.
This time, the guy on the phone told me my mask was not in and would not be in until Monday, February 4th. Then I asked them why the didn’t remove the extra $30.00 from my order and he told me that due to price matching my bag with Leisurepro.com, there was no free shipping with my order. Another Lie!

Needless to say, I immediately cancelled my order. All that the guy on the other end of the phone said was, “No problem, sir”.

What a bunch of Jerks! I will never order anything from Scuba.com again. If anyone out there is looking for a decent company to order their gear from, with halfway decent customer service, Scuba.com is NOT the company for you. Heck, from where I sit, ********** should be embarrassed to have them as a sponsor.

By the way, I placed my order through Leisurepro.com and for the exact same price, I will have my merchandise by this Thursday. Maybe Scuba.com should take some customer service lessons from Leisurepro.com.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Sarah
01-29-2008, 01:33 AM
Frankie, I've seen lots of rants, but wow, was that well documented!

nomilk4u
01-29-2008, 07:01 AM
Well i am not a fan of the "online shopping" but i will be honost and tell you that scuba.com has been the best site i have ever shopped at. it is a site that many on this ****ty island recomend and use and i never heard of a problem from them. i personnaly bought from them over a dozen times from cheap items to pretty pricy equipment. if you want constant crappy service buy from ebay, its an experience to say the least.

bubbles
01-29-2008, 12:35 PM
What a shame you had such and awful time. :( I must confess where dive equipment is concerned I would always visit a shop personally rather than go over the internet - with a shop you get personal face to face service.

acelockco
01-29-2008, 04:13 PM
I have never used scuba.com personally, but I have been using LeisurePro for years. They are located in New York so they are close to us. They consistantly have the lowest prices and great specials. The cheapest shipping always gets to my house in 2 days, can't beat that.

I am under the impression they also have a retail store, I would love to see that place.

heelsfaninpa
01-29-2008, 11:02 PM
Frankie, I've seen lots of rants, but wow, was that well documented!

Sorry about the ranting. But I was extremely disgusted with them and how they treated me. I would hate for someone to go through that. Besides, after the crap they put me through...I feel they deserve some bad press.

As a follow up, I ordered my equipment from Leisurepro.com and it already shipped and will be here by tomorrow.

Ace, thanks for the advice. If all goes well with them this time, I'm sure they will get my business in the future.

For now, time to get my gear ready. Only 11 more days til Key Largo!

Have a great night everyone!

Sarah
01-29-2008, 11:11 PM
A well documented and substantiated rant is a good rant! :)

lars2923
01-30-2008, 12:18 AM
I just returned from Largo yesterday. I am told the weather has been less than optimal for like a month and this past weekend it was Oh Kay..
It was OK.. Saturday it was nice.. Sea calmed down in the afternoon
so my chumming was kept to a minimum...
Sunday, weather was not so good.. Seas picked up, cloudy, rained on
the way back in, current picked up, etc..
Water temp is around 72 degrees. a 5mm will do, with a hood...
I wore a dry suit and a hood and I was comfy..
Just telling you what I went through this weekend down there...
Have fun...

hbh2oguard
01-30-2008, 04:30 AM
well that doesn't sound too bad........ my idea of resort diving:)

Papa Bear
01-30-2008, 04:56 AM
Just remember when buying from dot coms, all of them have mad customers, but not one of them can deliver air to your tank or help you with a small adjustment like your local dive store! Unless Wal-Mart will open SCUBA shops under that big roof!

heelsfaninpa
02-01-2008, 12:52 AM
I just returned from Largo yesterday. I am told the weather has been less than optimal for like a month and this past weekend it was Oh Kay..
It was OK.. Saturday it was nice.. Sea calmed down in the afternoon
so my chumming was kept to a minimum...
Sunday, weather was not so good.. Seas picked up, cloudy, rained on
the way back in, current picked up, etc..
Water temp is around 72 degrees. a 5mm will do, with a hood...
I wore a dry suit and a hood and I was comfy..
Just telling you what I went through this weekend down there...
Have fun...

Lars, Thanks a lot for the update on the weather situation. I'm hoping it gets better. I had heard through this and other boards that Florida diving might be a little tough in February. I was planning to wear a 6.5 mm shortie (no hood). Any other suggestions would be great. Who did you dive with?

Thanks again!

Papa Bear
02-01-2008, 12:59 AM
You need a full suit in Feb like a 5/7mm or 7/7mm nothing less that 5mm with hood! It will be high sixties to low seventies! A hood will help you stay warm! Ocean Divers in Largo are good and Hall's Dive Center in Marathon are good! It can be windy and cool in Feb. Have a great dive!

acelockco
02-01-2008, 11:37 PM
You need a full suit in Feb like a 5/7mm or 7/7mm nothing less that 5mm with hood! It will be high sixties to low seventies! A hood will help you stay warm! Ocean Divers in Largo are good and Hall's Dive Center in Marathon are good! It can be windy and cool in Feb. Have a great dive!

I get that depends on the individual. I was diving last week in Ft. Lauderdale, I was wearing a 3mm full suit and was only a little chilly. I think a 3mm hood would have done the trick. I would have been really nice in a 5mm (but not the double thick farmer john type). Anything thicker and I think I would have been WAY overheated. A little warm is ok, just unzip a little, but with a full john type suit that can be a bit of a hassle. I also don't like the feeling like a heavy suit like that. Anything colder than 5mm can handle and I am going dry.

Now there were a few divers on the boat that day with only 2-3 mm shorty suits on and they said they were fine. By the way the water temp was in the low 70's. It must be warmer in the Keys???

thalassamania
02-09-2008, 03:06 AM
I dive a full 3mil with a 3mil hood in the keys in the winter and just a skin in the summer. I find that quite comfortable, but everyone's different.

Papa Bear
02-09-2008, 03:09 AM
The interesting thing is you go to fiji and all the "Dive Boys" wear 7mm suits! If your spending a lot of time in the water it is better to be warm and comfortable than to wish you were! ;)

hbh2oguard
05-15-2008, 06:55 PM
Well I had quite the opposite expierence. If you're on the west coast they are the way to go. I recieved my order in two days, and that was with the free shipping! Everything I ordered was a little less than leisurepro and I recieved my package a lot faster since it wasn't coming from the east coast. To top it off, my order came with a few fortune cookies, they were broken but had a scuba fortune.:) Any company will have mad customers but I'd give scuba.com a shot! I actually forgot about this post before I ordered a few days ago and was a little worried but there were NO problems.