You want local chandleries but expect them to compete against online
pricing?

My gripe against West Marine is their generally higher prices, say
compared to
what I can find online.

Take the time to print it out and they'll often price match.

The big conglomerates like West Marine seems to
have forced out all the competition.

Is it the conglomerates or unrealistic shopper expectations?

-Bill Kearney

Bill Kearney wrote:

You want local chandleries but expect them to compete against online
pricing?

My gripe against West Marine is their generally higher prices, say
compared to
what I can find online.

Take the time to print it out and they'll often price match.

The big conglomerates like West Marine seems to
have forced out all the competition.

Is it the conglomerates or unrealistic shopper expectations?

No, it's the lack of competition allowing them to charge whatever they want.
Why should I have to bargain with them by showing ads for items at lower
prices.
I prefer buying in a store where I can see the merchandise. My expectations
are
that there should be a reasonable mark up on merchandise. Also, although
West
has a pretty good selection of boating products, there are things which they
don't
carry. When you are stuck at your slip in need of a part, you don't want to
wait
several days for a shipment. There is no guarantee that having other stores
around
would help you find those items, but it increases the probability that you
will.
How would you feel if there was only one chain of auto supply stores in
your
state? There would be a big outcry, because we need our cars more than we
do
our boats.

Sherwin D.



-Bill Kearney

... or unrealistic shopper expectations?

No, it's the lack of competition allowing them to charge whatever they
want.

Lack of competition due to whose fault?

Why should I have to bargain with them by showing ads for items at lower
prices.

As the sayings go; Nothing for nothing, and If you don't ask you don't get.

I prefer buying in a store where I can see the merchandise. My
expectations
are that there should be a reasonable mark up on merchandise.

On a boat? Reasonable? Surely you're kidding.

1st- having shopped at West Marine and other chandleries in
different parts of the country, in my experience the level
of help & knowledge at the stores ranges from none (or even
negative) to very very good.

2nd- Dave is right (although not very tactful), West Marine
is only in one business and therefor not a conglomerate even
if they have bought out other retailers.


Bill Kearney wrote:
You want local chandleries but expect them to compete against online
pricing?


Well sure. If complaining about it could make that happen,
why not?



My gripe against West Marine is their generally higher prices, say
compared to
what I can find online.

Take the time to print it out and they'll often price match.


Correct... often they will add the cost of shipping to their
price match, which is only reasonable IMHO.



The big conglomerates like West Marine seems to
have forced out all the competition.

Is it the conglomerates or unrealistic shopper expectations?



I think expecting a brick-and-mortar store to match on line
prices every day is pretty much a textbook definition of
"unrealistic expectation." It's also a good recipe for
making sure that you won't have a local retailer, if enough
people share your expectation.

Consumer taste for the cheapest possible goods is also the
reason why the U.S. manufacturing sector (having finally got
the message about quality control) is in the dumper.


sherwindu wrote:
No, it's the lack of competition allowing them to charge whatever they want.
Why should I have to bargain with them by showing ads for items at lower
prices.

Why indeed. Just don't buy it. That's far easier and cheaper
and you don't have to drive anywhere.


I prefer buying in a store where I can see the merchandise.

I do too.

.... My expectations
are that there should be a reasonable mark up on merchandise.

Well, that's their expectation too
You just disagree on the definition of "reasonable."

Another problem is the bargaining thing. Why do you exepct
to not have to bargain? In many places in the world, *all*
markets are barter-only. Haggling over prices is probably
the most universal human pastime; here in the U.S. we have
gotten away from it because of the tremendous amount of
money spent on advertising to convince us that we shouldn't.

And guess what, the price of the products we buy covers the
expensive advertising and we think we're getting a good
deal... anybody else see the humor in this?

DSK

Thomas,

I think your experience with West Marine is not typical of their stores
overall. I do agree that there are some employees that have little
sailing experience or may not have been well trained, but I've found
that on the whole many of their employees were very knowledgeable and
offered good advice. I believe they also have a very good policy
regarding returns, and that they stand behind the products they sell.

I would also point out that the employees who work there do so for a few
pennies above minimum wage. Most are there not for a "McJob" but
because the employee discount makes it worth their while to do so, which
means they usually have a boat, which greatly increases the odds that
they do, in fact, know something about the boating world and the
products they sell.

Others in this thread have also pointed out the very high cost compared
to website vendors. While I've no doubt what so ever that you can find
many better deals by shopping the web, I would point out that the reason
you should use their store is primarily customer service. If you are
unsatisfied with it then let the manager know, and/or contact West
Marine corporate directly.

I too have encountered folks at West Marine who didn't know anything
about the obscure bottom paint question I had, but I've also found that
simply asking the manager directly will get the job done. And if you
still can't get an answer to your boating questions, they also have an
800 number (see their website) where you can ask for technical support
from qualified employees.

Cheers,

Robb


Thomas Wentworth wrote:
Yesterday afternoon I stopped at a West Marine Store .. have you been to one
of these stores lately? The help ( wait,, I just typed "help" ,, there want
no "help" ) walk around with ear plugs, talking into a mike as if they were
police at a crime scene. And what do they say to each other?

"John, do we carry anchors"? ... "John, what is a GPS"? ..... "John, there
is a guy here looking for a piece of hardware, what is hardware"?


I kid you not. It is laugh a minute nuts.

But the best part is the check-out lady. She carries on a conversation with
herself as she tries to figure out how to ring up sales.

"Come on computer, I know this is right, it didn't do this yesterday, what
am I doing wrong ,,, please swipe your card again and again and again ,,
where did you find that thing ,,, I hope they turn off the GPS that is
talking to me ,,, oh well, do you have cash".

I asked one clerk to show me a GPS handheld unit. He was busy talking into
the secret microphone. Then he looked up and said "I don't know anything
about these things, and John is busy trying to turn off the security alarm
so it might be awhile before you get any help".

HELP?

West Marine ,,, pass at your own risk