Welcome to the BidDiver blog! To kick things off, we sat down with Russ Reiter, founder of BidDiver.com, for a short little Q&A session. Here’s what Russ had to say:
BidDiver Blog: So, why diving gear, and why the penny auction format?
Russ Reiter: Well, as a diving enthusiast myself, I wanted the products being sold on BidDiver.com to be something I knew about so I could make sure that buyers were getting the highest quality products. Unfortunately, quality gear usually comes with the consequence of being expensive. A full set of the basic pieces of equipment can cost as much as $2-5k. Accordingly, I wanted to create an outlet where other diver enthusiasts could find equipment for the lowest prices possible. After some research, I found that the penny auction format was the best way for me to offer gear from top brands like Atomic Aquatics, DUI, Pinnacle, Mares, and Sherwood at bargain rates. Thus, BidDiver.com was born.
BDB: Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you go started with diving?
RR: After getting my master’s in biology, I joined the Army as an officer in ’94, and served two tours in Iraq. While serving, I met another officer who convinced me to take a diving class, and since then, I’ve been completely hooked on it. I began doing it on my own during whatever downtime I had, and that eventually evolved to the point where I became a top NAUI certified scuba instructor. Since I grew up in Alabama and have spent most of my adult life here, I thought it was fitting for BidDiver.com to be headquartered here as well.
BDB: What sets BidDiver.com apart from the competition?
RR: BidDiver.com gives customers the opportunity to purchase the equipment they’re looking for at prices at a fraction of a retail cost. We stock the newest diving gear, all of which is brand new and comes with the full manufacturer warranties. Because we’re just starting off, we’re focusing on just the best sellers in a couple of main categories for the moment, but as membership on BidDiver.com grows, we’ll be expanding our line of products. Additionally, we’ll be offering 14-day delivery, and are eventually planning to expand into outdoor and adventure sports.
BDB: Thanks for your time, and we’re looking forward to seeing BidDiver.com grow!
RR: Thank you too!
