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#41
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
I'm one of those part time West Marine employees. I work almost entirely
for the discount (certainly not the wages!), although my wife says I have to quit before we go broke. I am outfitting a trawler for the Great Loop and need the price break. Some of the discounts are around 50%. Most are about 33%, but electronics are poor, as there is little profit in them. I think most of the associates are people like me, although most work more than I do. Their advantage is that many of us really do know what we are selling. If you walk into a store and ask if anyone has ever taken a boat to _____ and how did they outfit it, someone will tell you to talk to ____, who will almost always not be working that day. The disadvantage is that we are not all really as devoted to the company as we are to our boats and working part-time sometimes keeps us out of practice with their awful computer system. It's a fairly decent company to work for with a 401k that they contribute to, health and dental insurance for those who work more than 20 hours a week. flexible hours and, most importantly, THE DISCOOUNT. It's boring up here in the cold weather and very hectic in the warm. Our catalogue is a wealth of information and worth the cost of a membership just for the information. Renew now before the price goes up. Prices are sometimes higher than the competition, but we match theirs. We also take back anything you are unhappy with. There are certainly things I would do differently if I ran the company, (such as their advertising, for example) but I don't, and don't want to, either. Capt. Jeff |
#42
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 10:18:18 -0800, "Capt. JG"
wrote: Maybe things are different from where you hail... it's all over the map down here with who works there. A large percentage of employees are strictly retain. They have experience only wrt WM stuff. Of course, there are people who are quite knowledgeable as you suggest (and as you are). I've found most of the people in our local store to be reasonably knowledgable, and some with a great deal of cruising experience. I think it depends on the area. Back in the north east where wages are higher, I think they have trouble hiring and retaining good people. Here in FL with a large retiree pool to draw from, it is probably easier to find good part timers. |
#43
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
In article ,
nobody wrote: They have driven out almost all their competition with drastic price reductions. ONce that is accomplished they raise their prices to a level much higher than anyone charged prior to their dominance. They only stock what moves quickly. They stock nothing for the convenience of their customers. If they can not turn it around for a big profit in very short time they will not stock it. We used to frequent the Delaware BOAT/US store. It got expanded about the time of the takeover -- and now has less useful equipment. Stuff that I bought one year wasn't available the next. Now, we only stop by for auxiliary stuff we need "now". I have to say that that store and the Rock Hall WM have quite knowledgeable staff. Most of them are there for the discount. One's a frequent contributor to various sailing mags. I've started using the local *marina* stores as my first choice. If nothing else, if they have it in stock, I've spent at least an hour less traipsing back and forth to the "low cost" store. Each one soon gives me a "professional" discount comparable to most web prices when I factor shipping in. That seemed strange until I asked one owner. Yes I asked a thousand questions and chewed the fat for hours some times, but I actually bought and sometimes helped him sell. I get into Fawcett's about once a year, usually for some thing(s) that broke on our annual trip. Of course, we browse in that boaters' "candy store" and chat "a bit". Last year, it was just a battery, which was easily found. The cashier remembered us and gave us a pretty nice discount. Checking later on the web for the same battery, I found that the price difference was more than eaten up by shipping and the convenience of only having to drag the battery 50' to their dock. I was happy to find out that when I buy at some of the marina stores, I'm supporting Fawcett's, their supplier. If they don't have what I want, they have the catalogs and will order it. Often, it's there the next day. Once, I ordered at 4:30 pm and it was there before 9 the next morning. Almost always, they get it by the next weekend, which is fine for most things. I'm not so cheap that I shop entirely by price, but in the few cases where I didn't automatically get the discount and I knew a price, they cheerfully matched it as best they could. I don't sweat the small differences as their service is far superior. I know my marina guy made several calls to Raritan last year, getting them to make up a rebuild kit for our Cricket. That sort of service is priceless as I just don't have the time to call during business hours. Of course part of that is *my* attitude. While chewing the fat, I've heard some stories of their more obnoxious customers. -- Jere Lull Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD) Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
#44
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
Will West match Defender prices?
"Tamaroak" wrote in message ... I'm one of those part time West Marine employees. I work almost entirely for the discount (certainly not the wages!), although my wife says I have to quit before we go broke. I am outfitting a trawler for the Great Loop and need the price break. Some of the discounts are around 50%. Most are about 33%, but electronics are poor, as there is little profit in them. I think most of the associates are people like me, although most work more than I do. Their advantage is that many of us really do know what we are selling. If you walk into a store and ask if anyone has ever taken a boat to _____ and how did they outfit it, someone will tell you to talk to ____, who will almost always not be working that day. The disadvantage is that we are not all really as devoted to the company as we are to our boats and working part-time sometimes keeps us out of practice with their awful computer system. It's a fairly decent company to work for with a 401k that they contribute to, health and dental insurance for those who work more than 20 hours a week. flexible hours and, most importantly, THE DISCOOUNT. It's boring up here in the cold weather and very hectic in the warm. Our catalogue is a wealth of information and worth the cost of a membership just for the information. Renew now before the price goes up. Prices are sometimes higher than the competition, but we match theirs. We also take back anything you are unhappy with. There are certainly things I would do differently if I ran the company, (such as their advertising, for example) but I don't, and don't want to, either. Capt. Jeff |
#45
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
They will in my store!
Capt. Jeff |
#46
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
I have to say that that store and the Rock Hall WM have quite
knowledgeable staff. Most of them are there for the discount. One's a frequent contributor to various sailing mags. I've used that WM in RH, and concur. While I agree with the general tenor of the posts, I'll put my kudos in for the WM staff in Deale, Being right in the midst of all the boatyards they stock heavily on maintenance items, the kinds of things you'll dash off to a store to buy 'cuz you need it right now while working on your boat. I've also had the staff advise me of upcoming sales, including spcial, not advertised sales. Those stores excepted, I concur with the rest of your post. |
#47
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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West Marine is Terrible
In article ,
260780 wrote: I have to say that that store and the Rock Hall WM have quite knowledgeable staff. Most of them are there for the discount. One's a frequent contributor to various sailing mags. I've used that WM in RH, and concur. While I agree with the general tenor of the posts, I'll put my kudos in for the WM staff in Deale, Being right in the midst of all the boatyards they stock heavily on maintenance items, the kinds of things you'll dash off to a store to buy 'cuz you need it right now while working on your boat. I've also had the staff advise me of upcoming sales, including spcial, not advertised sales. Those stores excepted, I concur with the rest of your post. Well, not trying to bash all WM stores... the one in Sausalito is top-notch. I can't say all of the same for others in the area. -- Capt. JG @@ www.sailnow.com |
#48
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West Marine is Terrible
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