21 October 2022
Increased prices for 2023 on diving products are coming into effect like an avalanche earlier than expected as more manufacturers come under growing inflationary pressures and, like any other company, need to ensure a sustainable business.
Our guess is an eventual price increase across the board in the diving industry ranging between 10 to 20% (averaging around 15%) depending on the product, manufacturer, components involved and location of raw materials as well as the country of manufacture.
Already suffering from raw material and labour shortages with epidemic-level shipping delays not being helpful, the current global climate has, according to one leading diving equipment manufacturer, "led to significant cost increases in key business components such as raw materials, energy, transportation, labour etc."
Word in the industry is that as the big names bring forward their 2023 prices by a couple of months, others will follow in their wake and even before the new year, most, if not all, manufacturers will fall in line.
What are we doing about this?
We're heavily investing in stock for you
Given most diving products are manufactured or distributed from outside of the UK and imported into the country, there are bound to be additional and proportional shipping and customs charges that will come on top of the manufacturer and/or distributor increases.
The UK front of the diving industry has long been under pressures outside the global or national inflation rates too.
Raw material shortages have significantly affected local manufacturers as well as dive stores, equally dependent on production and delivery after the sourcing of that material by global manufacturers.
Significant delays in inbound shipping, both due to red tape, congestion at ports, and international carriers giving priority to the largest of orders, have significantly affected UK stock, with shipping costs hitting the roof.
On top of all of these, we're all facing one of the worst economic crises in contemporary history compounded by the UK's national inflation rate, at the time of this blog, the highest among G7 countries.
But don't worry
We're here, we're stocking up!
We've long been known to be one of the largest stockists of quality diving equipment from leading manufacturers ranging from Halcyon to SANTI, Xdeep to Shearwater, Ammonite, Apeks, Scubapro and many other leading global brands.
Both before, throughout and after the Covid years we've been investing heavily in growing our stock with annual predictions and annual commitments, literally pre-investing in the future.
So much so that some of the world's leading manufacturers have struggled to catch up with our orders.
Despite all of this, and our readiness to invest more and more, our log of backorders from several manufacturers both in and out of the country has inevitably grown on the side.
Ordering is only one part of the trade, the delivery of an order is its true completion. In other words, there are things out of our hands, and beyond our control.
In the volatile economic climate ahead, our commitment is to further invest, to stock up and up, to ensure we continue to bring to you the cutting-edge equipment, excellent service and after-care you all know us for... while doing our best to keep the prices under control so we can all continue enjoying diving and bring in newer generations of divers...
Thanking you for your understanding and support
Safe Diving everyone!
Underwater Explorers | DirDirect Team
