Diving is a great tourist activity that can be done pretty much wherever there is a large body of clean water to splash around in. People used to think of diving as an “ocean only” activity, but as it has become more popular, entrepreneurs who live near lakes and other deep bodies of water have started to take advantage of this business opportunity. Of course, when you’re looking to start a dive shop, there are a few things you need to know and prepare in advance to increase the odds of your business turning a profit.
1. Use Updated Point of Sale Devices/Software
A point of sale device or software solution is a digital method of making sales. A good POS can be used to make sales online or in person (with a credit or debit card), keep track of inventory, and manage records of profits and expenses. Some types of POS are free, but the ones that come with more options and features will usually need to be paid for.
With so many POS solutions out there, it can be hard to tell a good one from a bad one, no matter what kind of business you are using it for. When you can find more niche POS specialized to your industry, it is best to use it. Luckily, there is dive shop POS software out there that has been collaborated on by people who already own dive shops. Something like this will have all of the options and features a dive shop owner is sure to need.
2. Pick a Good Physical Business Location
Unless someone is already an experienced diver, it is not likely that they will be shopping for diving gear online. Amateur diving is a sport most often done while on vacation, and usually on a whim. Because of this, dive shop owners need to make sure they set up their physical business in a place where tourists are most likely to see it: on the beach!
Make sure to do your research before setting up shop. Check out which beaches in your area are most popular. More importantly, make sure to check whether there is already a dive shop set up on that beach. While, in theory, capitalism loves competition, it doesn’t always work out well in practice. You’re likely to be better off stationing your business at a beach that doesn’t already have a dive shop on it. However, setting up next to similar shops, like a surf shop, isn’t likely to hurt your business’s chances as much.
3. Stock Up on Rental Equipment
The average person likely does not already own diving equipment. That’s one of the main reasons why a person will visit a dive shop in the first place. Knowing this, it is important for dive shop owners to have as much rental equipment in stock as possible to cater to a customer’s needs.
There are a few things that every diver will need, along with some items that are not necessities but can still be used to make diving easier or more enjoyable. What equipment is necessary or optional will depend on where a person is diving and how deep they intend to dive. People who are not diving deep or who will not spend much time underwater do not need scuba gear, such as an oxygen tank and other breathing gear. However, all divers will need a mask and snorkel if they want to be able to breathe and see easily.
The deeper and colder the water, the more gear a person will need. Some necessary gear for deep divers includes fins (flippers), dive computers, weights, and a wetsuit. Some optional gear includes a buoyancy control device or buoyancy compensator that will inflate or deflate to make diving and staying at a specific depth easier and weights to help a person dive deeper.
Diving is a great activity that tourists love. Whether an entrepreneur is near the ocean or even just a large lake, they can take advantage of the hobby and turn it into a business venture. Business owners should pick a great location and have even greater supplies to keep up with customer demand and beat out the competition.
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