West Marine is Terrible
 

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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

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.
It's called cannibal marketing, pioneered by Starbucks I think.

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.
That's called capitalism.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.
Not Kmart. Starbucks.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

I'm with ya!
Gaz

West Marine is Terrible
 

nobody wrote in
:

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.



What I always find amusing at Waste Marine is how really CHEAP the stuff
is made. God, a bilge blower really shouldn't be made in China in the
same factory that makes hand fans, should it? Except for the name-brand
sailing rigging an a few other items, any RV dealer has better quality
stuff!

I think calling it a K-mart is being too nice....K-mart doesn't sell 12V
plastic fans for $130....

West Marine is Terrible
 

I used to sell my little product through them. I found them to be ruthless
to their suppliers. If you shipped late, they fine you. If you ship early,
they fine you. If you ship too many items in an order, you guessed it, they
fine you! And they keep the overages.
They get terrific margins on many lines and rarely pass them on to the
consumer. I suspect that Wal-Mart took notes on them. I had their Port
Supply Card which is suppose to be for wholesalers. Frequently the
shelf/discounted price was LOWER than the alleged discount offered to
wholesalers. It's a wacky company.

I buy from the little guy every chance I get. It's the only protest I have.

"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

I used to sell my little product through them. I found them to be ruthless
to their suppliers. If you shipped late, they fine you. If you ship early,
they fine you. If you ship too many items in an order, you guessed it, they
fine you! And they keep the overages.
They get terrific margins on many lines and rarely pass them on to the
consumer. I suspect that Wal-Mart took notes on them. I had their Port
Supply Card which is suppose to be for wholesalers. Frequently the
shelf/discounted price was LOWER than the alleged discount offered to
wholesalers. It's a wacky company.

I buy from the little guy every chance I get. It's the only protest I have.

"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Saw it coming when they bought out BoatUS. Maybe some competition would
help?
I only use WM as a back up when the other WM doesn't have what I need!
"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Do what I do... get a price quote on the web then either buy it there,
or take it into West Marine where they will price match. I went into
sticker shock awhile back when I went in to buy a bottle of 3M's
Finesse-it clear coat polish. $50!!!!!!!! plus tax! I bought it on the
web from an automotive supply for $25, including freight.

West Marine is Terrible
 

For several years I worked for two locally owned Marine Supply Stores. We
prided ourselves in boating knowledge and service. Many times we could get
obsolete and hard to find parts for our customers and personal service was a
hallmark. Lots of special orders, special attention and a wealth of marine
know-how.

Unfortunately when West Marine cameto town our customer base vanished
overnight..based on price alone ..and most could care less about the
knowledge and service we provided. Both stores closed up. I guess you get
what you wish for. When I hear folks gripe about West Marine I remember
back when...Just some thoughts on how we all got ourselves in this mess.
"Keith" wrote in message
oups.com...
Do what I do... get a price quote on the web then either buy it there,
or take it into West Marine where they will price match. I went into
sticker shock awhile back when I went in to buy a bottle of 3M's
Finesse-it clear coat polish. $50!!!!!!!! plus tax! I bought it on the
web from an automotive supply for $25, including freight.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Bob Cross wrote:
For several years I worked for two locally owned Marine Supply Stores. We
prided ourselves in boating knowledge and service. Many times we could get
obsolete and hard to find parts for our customers and personal service was a
hallmark. Lots of special orders, special attention and a wealth of marine
know-how.

Unfortunately when West Marine cameto town our customer base vanished
overnight..based on price alone ..and most could care less about the
knowledge and service we provided. Both stores closed up. I guess you get
what you wish for. When I hear folks gripe about West Marine I remember
back when...Just some thoughts on how we all got ourselves in this mess.
"Keith" wrote in message
oups.com...

Do what I do... get a price quote on the web then either buy it there,
or take it into West Marine where they will price match. I went into
sticker shock awhile back when I went in to buy a bottle of 3M's
Finesse-it clear coat polish. $50!!!!!!!! plus tax! I bought it on the
web from an automotive supply for $25, including freight.





I've had that experience. As a kid (in my teens) I worked in my
stepfathers hardware store in Eatontown, NJ. " B.D. Wolcott's Sons, Farm
and Garden suppliers since 1891" We knew what we sold and gave
countless lectures on "how to do this or that". It was satisfying work.
People would walk in the store with an object in their hand and a
puzzled look on their face. "I need one of these" and we would sell it
or order it.

When the home centers started coming in, the mantra became, "I've looked
everywhere, but I knew that you'd have this (widget)." But along the
way they left most of their money at the home centers.

We used to sell a marine line of paint and cordage, just to keep the
post boating centric :)

Working on Ocean Planet last year I came to appreciate Hamilton Marine,
in Maine. They have a good assortment and prices seemed reasonable. They
have a web presence.

Jonathan

--
I am building my daughter an Argie 10 sailing dinghy, check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr

West Marine is Terrible
 

In Dave writes:

On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 16:25:36 GMT, "Bob Cross"
said:

For several years I worked for two locally owned Marine Supply Stores. We
prided ourselves in boating knowledge and service. Many times we could get
obsolete and hard to find parts for our customers and personal service was a
hallmark. Lots of special orders, special attention and a wealth of marine
know-how.

Unfortunately when West Marine cameto town our customer base vanished
overnight..based on price alone ..and most could care less about the
knowledge and service we provided. Both stores closed up. I guess you get
what you wish for. When I hear folks gripe about West Marine I remember
back when...Just some thoughts on how we all got ourselves in this mess.

This has been a problem for single-store retailers for at least 50-75 years.
I remember my father talking about it. And my grandfather. Not the marine
business, but same principle.

People in many cases gat what they want to pay for, but unfortunately
they do not understand it themselves. Good service is something most
people notice only when it is absent.

- Lauri Tarkkonen

West Marine is Terrible
 

Didn't know WM would do that. Thanks for the info.
MMC
"Keith" wrote in message
oups.com...
Do what I do... get a price quote on the web then either buy it there,
or take it into West Marine where they will price match. I went into
sticker shock awhile back when I went in to buy a bottle of 3M's
Finesse-it clear coat polish. $50!!!!!!!! plus tax! I bought it on the
web from an automotive supply for $25, including freight.

West Marine is Terrible
 

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:44:05 -0500, nobody wrote:

I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

Not fair in my opinion. It's true that their prices are rarely
competetive, but for small stuff the convenience of having one 5
minutes away is nice. I also find that their service and return
policies are excellent. Several times they have helped me get
warranty service on items I no longer had the receipts for.

Several of the local employees have told me that they also offer
excellent benefits, even to the part timers, so they are not exactly a
Wal Mart in that respect.

For big ticket items it pays to shop around and order from out of
state. I've had good luck with both Defender in CT and Pyacht in MD.

http://www.defender.com/

http://www.pyacht.com

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:44:05 -0500, nobody wrote:

I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

Not fair in my opinion. It's true that their prices are rarely
competetive, but for small stuff the convenience of having one 5
minutes away is nice. I also find that their service and return
policies are excellent. Several times they have helped me get
warranty service on items I no longer had the receipts for.

Several of the local employees have told me that they also offer
excellent benefits, even to the part timers, so they are not exactly a
Wal Mart in that respect.

For big ticket items it pays to shop around and order from out of
state. I've had good luck with both Defender in CT and Pyacht in MD.

http://www.defender.com/

http://www.pyacht.com


Some of their prices are pretty crazy. I needed two simple hook latches to
hold swinging doors shut. Local independent chandler had only 1 at $5.
Went to another chandler and he wanted $8 so I thought I'd go up to West
Marine to check on their price.
$13 !!
I said to the store manager "Making a hook latch is not rocket science. How
can you charge twice as much as anyone else?" He just shrugged.

Another time a friend wanted to buy a large fender at an advertised sale
price but they would not sell at that price because the sale was 3 days
away. He went to the local independent and got the exact same fender for
less than the advertised sale price. At first he was mad at them but then
decided they did him a favour.

They are pretty good on warranties though and if you get the West Marine
Advantage card you'll get some money back in the mail.

They will also match other people's prices by word-of-mouth on smaller items
and by show of written price on more expensive things but they're not the
first place I go to.

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Lauri Tarkkonen" wrote in message
...

People in many cases gat what they want to pay for, but unfortunately
they do not understand it themselves. Good service is something most
people notice only when it is absent.

- Lauri Tarkkonen


The root of the problem, whether you are talking West Marine, Wal-Mart or
health insurance for that matter, is the consumer. We all want it cheap.
We expect competent help and service, but in their absence, we'll take the
cheap.

Often we hear people bragging about the low price they paid for something.
Rarely do you hear of anyone claiming to have paid a bit more, but it was
worth it for the expertise of the salesperson.

Health insurance? The system of major medical coverage was fine until the
advent of the "HMO" whereby you only had to pay 5 bucks to visit the doc.
It's been downhill ever since.

Eisboch

West Marine is Terrible
 

I wanted an outboard they were to have on sale in a couple of days and they
wouldn't give me the sale price either. I bought it anyway and, since I
would be out on the boat, had my daughter go in when the sale started and
get the difference refunded through their price guarantee.



"Gordon Wedman" wrote in message
news:r%ezf.87798$AP5.44478@edtnps84...

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:44:05 -0500, nobody wrote:

I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

Not fair in my opinion. It's true that their prices are rarely
competetive, but for small stuff the convenience of having one 5
minutes away is nice. I also find that their service and return
policies are excellent. Several times they have helped me get
warranty service on items I no longer had the receipts for.

Several of the local employees have told me that they also offer
excellent benefits, even to the part timers, so they are not exactly a
Wal Mart in that respect.

For big ticket items it pays to shop around and order from out of
state. I've had good luck with both Defender in CT and Pyacht in MD.

http://www.defender.com/

http://www.pyacht.com


Some of their prices are pretty crazy. I needed two simple hook latches
to hold swinging doors shut. Local independent chandler had only 1 at $5.
Went to another chandler and he wanted $8 so I thought I'd go up to West
Marine to check on their price.
$13 !!
I said to the store manager "Making a hook latch is not rocket science.
How can you charge twice as much as anyone else?" He just shrugged.

Another time a friend wanted to buy a large fender at an advertised sale
price but they would not sell at that price because the sale was 3 days
away. He went to the local independent and got the exact same fender for
less than the advertised sale price. At first he was mad at them but then
decided they did him a favour.

They are pretty good on warranties though and if you get the West Marine
Advantage card you'll get some money back in the mail.

They will also match other people's prices by word-of-mouth on smaller
items and by show of written price on more expensive things but they're
not the first place I go to.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Eisboch wrote:
The root of the problem, whether you are talking West Marine, Wal-Mart or
health insurance for that matter, is the consumer. We all want it cheap.
We expect competent help and service, but in their absence, we'll take the
cheap.

The problem with WM is, they are no longer cheap...in fact, they have
become the most expensive. They bought out all their "bricks and
mortar" competition, but as online chandleries continue to poliferate, I
believe their perceived monopolistic attitude has already begun to bite
them in the @$$...I expect them to be in chapter 11 within another 5
years. I THINK they'll survive it, but only by coming marine
"convenience stores"...on every corner, but only stocking those few
items people typically need right now, and therefore have no choice but
to pay list+50% for.

A shame...because it was only 10 years ago that they were the
superstar...their people were the most knowledgable...best prices...but
then they decided to buy out everyone else and it's been all downhill
since. The history of their stock price since they first went public in
the mid '90s tells the story...and IMO also forecasts their future.


--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

West Marine is Terrible
 

I do use WM when I have to. Would rather just use Defender but for some
items I just can't wait.
I bought a Whale flipper pump for our little boat and amazed the little hunk
of plastic costs $80. When I opened it I found not only was it grubby, but
also already broken!
I figured a customer must have broke the pump and then returned it to the
store. It was in a plastic bag with a cardboard folded and stapled at the
top. What really surprised me was when I returned it and explained to the
salesperson what the sit was, he just shrugged.
Of course it wasn't his fault, but I did have to make 2 PITA trips for an
overpriced toy pump that didn't work.
And I swear, if the bag had a picture of a car instead of a boat on it the
thing would cost $9.95.
MMC

"Gordon Wedman" wrote in message
news:r%ezf.87798$AP5.44478@edtnps84...

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:44:05 -0500, nobody wrote:

I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

Not fair in my opinion. It's true that their prices are rarely
competetive, but for small stuff the convenience of having one 5
minutes away is nice. I also find that their service and return
policies are excellent. Several times they have helped me get
warranty service on items I no longer had the receipts for.

Several of the local employees have told me that they also offer
excellent benefits, even to the part timers, so they are not exactly a
Wal Mart in that respect.

For big ticket items it pays to shop around and order from out of
state. I've had good luck with both Defender in CT and Pyacht in MD.

http://www.defender.com/

http://www.pyacht.com


Some of their prices are pretty crazy. I needed two simple hook latches
to
hold swinging doors shut. Local independent chandler had only 1 at $5.
Went to another chandler and he wanted $8 so I thought I'd go up to West
Marine to check on their price.
$13 !!
I said to the store manager "Making a hook latch is not rocket science.
How
can you charge twice as much as anyone else?" He just shrugged.

Another time a friend wanted to buy a large fender at an advertised sale
price but they would not sell at that price because the sale was 3 days
away. He went to the local independent and got the exact same fender for
less than the advertised sale price. At first he was mad at them but then
decided they did him a favour.

They are pretty good on warranties though and if you get the West Marine
Advantage card you'll get some money back in the mail.

They will also match other people's prices by word-of-mouth on smaller
items
and by show of written price on more expensive things but they're not the
first place I go to.

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
...
They bought out all their "bricks and
mortar" competition, but as online chandleries continue to poliferate, I
believe their perceived monopolistic attitude has already begun to bite
them in the @$$...I expect them to be in chapter 11 within another 5
years. I THINK they'll survive it, but only by coming marine
"convenience stores"...on every corner, but only stocking those few
items people typically need right now, and therefore have no choice but
to pay list+50% for.

Here in Beaufort, we have a WM Express which just about that. I was
disappointed with the selection of stock. It seems that they weren't even on
a par with the fishing and boating gear in the sporting goods section at out
local Wal-Mart.

Leanne

West Marine is Terrible
 

In article , Leanne wrote:

"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
t...
They bought out all their "bricks and
mortar" competition, but as online chandleries continue to poliferate, I
believe their perceived monopolistic attitude has already begun to bite
them in the @$$...I expect them to be in chapter 11 within another 5
years. I THINK they'll survive it, but only by coming marine
"convenience stores"...on every corner, but only stocking those few
items people typically need right now, and therefore have no choice but
to pay list+50% for.

Here in Beaufort, we have a WM Express which just about that. I was
disappointed with the selection of stock. It seems that they weren't even on
a par with the fishing and boating gear in the sporting goods section at out
local Wal-Mart.

Interesting... when I owned my own boat a while ago, I signed up for
some part time work at the local WM, so that I could get the employee
discount for my project.

It was an interesting experience. There were some people who worked
there who had a vast amount of experience, others were strictly retail
clerks with no experience other than ringing up stuff. I don't claim
to have vast experience, but I think 30+ years of sailing counts for
something. :-)

I found it to be a depressing place to work. The "managers" were very,
very concerned that I was interested in stealing their jobs (masters
degree, etc.). I wasn't at all. I was only there for the discount and
would have worked for zero $ if they had given me the option. I tried
hard to explain that to them, since their unease was obvious. It
didn't help mostly. The store manager was not much better. He was only
interested in getting the registers working continuously, and while
there's nothing wrong with that, he really didn't care about the
customer beyond them buying something. Actually, he was quite savvy
about that, constantly reminding us to not discount customers who
looked poor. (My experience was that these guys, mostly asian, would
walk in and buy several outboards in one pop in cash, and they weren't
even concerned about a discount through their advantage or port supply
cards.)

So, I, thinking that I could possibly help customers make some good
choices about what they were looking for, would sometimes spend a few
minutes talking to them about such things as anchoring techique,
equipment to buy, merits of this item over that. Man, did I get in
trouble. Apparently, I didn't always recommend the most expensive
item, and had the temerity to actually talk to them, when I was
supposed to immediately hand them off to a more "senior"
person... e.g., someone with more retail experience. :-)

Well, I got the parts I needed, then I quit. But, I do know a couple
of people who've stuck it out. They had bigger projects. :-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

West Marine is Terrible
 

I hope somebody at WM reads this string. It perfectly represents the public
sentiment I've heard around the marina for some time now.

Until they change, we can vote with our purchasing power and letters. I save
all the business I can for Fisheries Supply in Seattle. Great physical store
AND online store. Price is never an issue and the staff knows "stuff."

"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

I hope somebody at WM reads this string. It perfectly represents the public
sentiment I've heard around the marina for some time now.

Until they change, we can vote with our purchasing power and letters. I save
all the business I can for Fisheries Supply in Seattle. Great physical store
AND online store. Price is never an issue and the staff knows "stuff."

"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:12:11 GMT, "MMC" wrote:

And I swear, if the bag had a picture of a car instead of a boat on it the
thing would cost $9.95.

All kidding aside, some of this stuff is available at RV stores, for
less of course.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed here. I'd rather do without
than buy from West Marine, or fix it with duct tape, or sell the boat, or
sink it: ANYTHING to avoid buying from West Marine. Someone mentioned
Fisheries Supply in Seattle, and I'd certainly endorse that outlet, too.
But my favorite online chandlery is Go2Marine. By their own admission, this
is a bunch old broken-down Alaskan fishermen, but migod do they know the
business. They'll suggest the BEST alternative, even if it's lower in
price, or even--believe it or not--if some other retailer stocks it. Great
guys to work with, typically the lowest price for standard items (not quite
always), courteous and quick service. First rate. Check the website:

http://www.go2marine.com/main.jsp

(No, I don't own any stock in the company, don't know personally any of the
staff. Just the testimony of a very satisfied customer. AND THEY AIN'T
WEST MARINE!)

Dick B.
MV "Annie"



"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Yeah, I've starting using Hamilton for various items via mail order. Never had a problem
and when I've had to talk to someone to find out about the part I was looking for, I was
happy to get the information I needed (they called me back).

Bob

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Jonathan Ganz" wrote in message
...
In article , Leanne
wrote:

snip, snip

It was an interesting experience. There were some people who worked
there who had a vast amount of experience, others were strictly retail
clerks with no experience other than ringing up stuff. I don't claim
to have vast experience, but I think 30+ years of sailing counts for
something. :-)


At our local store most of the sales people are part-timers, either
semi-retired boaters or students. I think the only full time person is the
store manager. Not enough business, especially in winter, to have more full
time staff.
I think the level of service and expertise shown by the staff must vary a
lot from location to location and I don't really think its entirely fair to
complain about this. You have to assume they hire the best qualified local
people that apply for the job. Same thing for the store manager's attitude
toward customers.
My local independent chandler has some dim bulbs working for him and some
very helpful guys. It pays to get to know whom you need to speak to so I
wouldn't necessarily make a final judgement based on 1 visit.

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Gordon Wedman" wrote in message
news:O5Rzf.78821$m05.78051@clgrps12...

"Jonathan Ganz" wrote in message
...
In article , Leanne
wrote:

snip, snip

It was an interesting experience. There were some people who worked
there who had a vast amount of experience, others were strictly retail
clerks with no experience other than ringing up stuff. I don't claim
to have vast experience, but I think 30+ years of sailing counts for
something. :-)


At our local store most of the sales people are part-timers, either
semi-retired boaters or students. I think the only full time person is the
store manager. Not enough business, especially in winter, to have more
full time staff.
I think the level of service and expertise shown by the staff must vary a
lot from location to location and I don't really think its entirely fair
to complain about this. You have to assume they hire the best qualified
local people that apply for the job. Same thing for the store manager's
attitude toward customers.
My local independent chandler has some dim bulbs working for him and some
very helpful guys. It pays to get to know whom you need to speak to so I
wouldn't necessarily make a final judgement based on 1 visit.

Yeah, you're right of course. I've had good experiences in other stores,
notably the Sausalito store.

I would not go quite that far about hiring the best local people. What they
tend to do is hire people to do the unloading, which means early morning
hours typically. Then, after several weeks, they graduate to working in the
store during the day. Some of the assistant managers came up this way, which
might not be a bad things, but some of them are not that bright.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

West Marine is Terrible
 

You know, folks, on the basis of all this testimony, it occurs to me West
Marine is offering us a fantastic investment potential here. I'm going to
call my broker and short the hell out of its stock. LMAO.


"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Interesting... when I owned my own boat a while ago, I signed up for
some part time work at the local WM, so that I could get the employee
discount for my project.


So, how much is the employee discount? What sort of bennies, if any ?

L8R

Skip, rehabbing to be able to continue to refit until my shoulder's finished
and we leave

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
http://tinyurl.com/384p2 The vessel as Tehamana, as we bought her

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Danny" wrote in message
...
I hope somebody at WM reads this string. It perfectly represents the public
sentiment I've heard around the marina for some time now.

Until they change, we can vote with our purchasing power and letters. I
save
all the business I can for Fisheries Supply in Seattle. Great physical
store
AND online store. Price is never an issue and the staff knows "stuff."


Is that the same one with the circular blue-ish logo which had by far the
most expensive prices when I was searching various high-ticket items
recently??

If so, "price is never an issue" means, pay the price, cuz they're good
guys, or something else?

And, not a West fan, but, if they'll match prices, if you just check, aren't
they, then, the lowest price available, and right in your backyard
(metaphorically speaking, of course - if you're in a marine area)?

L8R

Skip

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
http://tinyurl.com/384p2 The vessel as Tehamana, as we bought her

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

West Marine is Terrible
 

"Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach at gmail dotcom wrote in message
...
Interesting... when I owned my own boat a while ago, I signed up for
some part time work at the local WM, so that I could get the employee
discount for my project.


So, how much is the employee discount? What sort of bennies, if any ?

L8R

Skip, rehabbing to be able to continue to refit until my shoulder's
finished and we leave

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
http://tinyurl.com/384p2 The vessel as Tehamana, as we bought her

It's been a while now, but it was significant. Other than that, there were
no benefits.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

West Marine is Terrible
 

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:58:44 -0500, "Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach at
gmail dotcom wrote:

So, how much is the employee discount? What sort of bennies, if any ?

I've been told that it's about 35%, and that even the part timers get
decent medical coverage. One of my former neighbors told me that's
the main reason he works there.

West Marine is Terrible
 

On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 16:03:04 -0500, "Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach at
gmail dotcom wrote:

And, not a West fan, but, if they'll match prices, if you just check, aren't
they, then, the lowest price available, and right in your backyard
(metaphorically speaking, of course - if you're in a marine area)?

I have both a WM and a Boaters World less than 10 minutes away.
Competition is good.

West Marine is Terrible
 

That's a good idea Wayne, I'll try that next time. Thanks
"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:12:11 GMT, "MMC" wrote:

And I swear, if the bag had a picture of a car instead of a boat on it
the
thing would cost $9.95.

All kidding aside, some of this stuff is available at RV stores, for
less of course.

West Marine is Terrible
 

It really is a good experience to do business with people with experience
(like yourself) when shopping at WM. Easy to tell those folks from the
"professional retail types", especially when I makes cracks about $200
impulse buy sunglasses, the sailors laugh and the others frown!
"Jonathan Ganz" wrote in message
...
In article , Leanne
wrote:

"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
t...
They bought out all their "bricks and
mortar" competition, but as online chandleries continue to poliferate,
I
believe their perceived monopolistic attitude has already begun to bite
them in the @$$...I expect them to be in chapter 11 within another 5
years. I THINK they'll survive it, but only by coming marine
"convenience stores"...on every corner, but only stocking those few
items people typically need right now, and therefore have no choice but
to pay list+50% for.

Here in Beaufort, we have a WM Express which just about that. I was
disappointed with the selection of stock. It seems that they weren't even
on
a par with the fishing and boating gear in the sporting goods section at
out
local Wal-Mart.

Interesting... when I owned my own boat a while ago, I signed up for
some part time work at the local WM, so that I could get the employee
discount for my project.

It was an interesting experience. There were some people who worked
there who had a vast amount of experience, others were strictly retail
clerks with no experience other than ringing up stuff. I don't claim
to have vast experience, but I think 30+ years of sailing counts for
something. :-)

I found it to be a depressing place to work. The "managers" were very,
very concerned that I was interested in stealing their jobs (masters
degree, etc.). I wasn't at all. I was only there for the discount and
would have worked for zero $ if they had given me the option. I tried
hard to explain that to them, since their unease was obvious. It
didn't help mostly. The store manager was not much better. He was only
interested in getting the registers working continuously, and while
there's nothing wrong with that, he really didn't care about the
customer beyond them buying something. Actually, he was quite savvy
about that, constantly reminding us to not discount customers who
looked poor. (My experience was that these guys, mostly asian, would
walk in and buy several outboards in one pop in cash, and they weren't
even concerned about a discount through their advantage or port supply
cards.)

So, I, thinking that I could possibly help customers make some good
choices about what they were looking for, would sometimes spend a few
minutes talking to them about such things as anchoring techique,
equipment to buy, merits of this item over that. Man, did I get in
trouble. Apparently, I didn't always recommend the most expensive
item, and had the temerity to actually talk to them, when I was
supposed to immediately hand them off to a more "senior"
person... e.g., someone with more retail experience. :-)

Well, I got the parts I needed, then I quit. But, I do know a couple
of people who've stuck it out. They had bigger projects. :-)

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

West Marine is Terrible
 

I believe the 35% is about right. I don't know about the medical coverage,
since I didn't need it and didn't inquire.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:58:44 -0500, "Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach at
gmail dotcom wrote:

So, how much is the employee discount? What sort of bennies, if any ?

I've been told that it's about 35%, and that even the part timers get
decent medical coverage. One of my former neighbors told me that's
the main reason he works there.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Beat you to it. Sold long ago.

Go2MArine sold my little Nobeltec trainer for a few years. Great folks to do
biz with. And those poor suckers have to live and work on Bainbridge Island.
Whatta life.

"R.W. Behan" wrote in message
...
You know, folks, on the basis of all this testimony, it occurs to me West
Marine is offering us a fantastic investment potential here. I'm going to
call my broker and short the hell out of its stock. LMAO.


"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

Hey, Dan, I can't complain. We live on Lopez Island in the San Juans.
Buzz by Bainbridge now and then on our ole Vic Tug, "Annie."
Cheers,
Dick


"Danny" wrote in message
...
Beat you to it. Sold long ago.

Go2MArine sold my little Nobeltec trainer for a few years. Great folks to
do biz with. And those poor suckers have to live and work on Bainbridge
Island. Whatta life.

"R.W. Behan" wrote in message
...
You know, folks, on the basis of all this testimony, it occurs to me West
Marine is offering us a fantastic investment potential here. I'm going
to call my broker and short the hell out of its stock. LMAO.


"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.

West Marine is Terrible
 

"nobody" wrote in message
...
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.

They suppress innovation in the industry because they will not stock
newly invented or innovative products. They will not stock anything
new unless they are certain there are people waiting to snatch the
product off their shelves.

Their pricing is predatory. When I am in South Florida where some
competition remains I regularly note that every other dealer sells the
same product for less money than they do.

They really the "K-Mart" of the marine industry. I was pleased when
they first appeared but I now wish I had never heard the name.

I have never owned a Marine supply store. I hold no stock in any
marine supply business. I have never even known anyone who owned a
marine supply store. I just think that West Marine is really a lousy
outfit.

You shareholders, employees (no idea how they treat their employees),
and defenders just fire away because I, for one, will drive an hour
out of my way to buy from any other store. Unfortunately I only able
to do so in south Florida. Elsewhere they have destroyed the
competition.



I generally price shop between Boaters World, Wal-Mart and West Marine and
buy where it is the cheapest when I need something fairly fast. When time
is no problem I try to shop and then buy over the internet.

West Marine is Terrible
 

R.W. Behan wrote:
Absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed here. I'd rather do without
than buy from West Marine, or fix it with duct tape, or sell the boat, or
sink it: ANYTHING to avoid buying from West Marine. Someone mentioned
Fisheries Supply in Seattle, and I'd certainly endorse that outlet, too.
But my favorite online chandlery is Go2Marine. By their own admission, this
is a bunch old broken-down Alaskan fishermen, but migod do they know the
business. They'll suggest the BEST alternative, even if it's lower in
price, or even--believe it or not--if some other retailer stocks it. Great
guys to work with, typically the lowest price for standard items (not quite
always), courteous and quick service. First rate. Check the website:

http://www.go2marine.com/main.jsp

For a bunch of broken down old fishermen, they sure have figured out a
sophisticated Web site.

I too tended to avoid West Marine, but in many places it's either there
or do without.

I will also second the RV dealer for parts. When building a boat, I
found that I needed to avoid the marine stores for everything I could
and try alternative sources such as the RV places. The prices are
dramatically different.

-paul

West Marine is Terrible
 

"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

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).

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com