Sir Thomas of Cannondale wrote:
Yesterday, I stopped at the West Marine store near Portsmouth, NH.

I must report, it was pitiful.

Lack of competition in most markets. If you think this is bad, wait
until the democraps get into office and remove competition from your
medical care.

"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
. ..
Sir Thomas of Cannondale wrote:
Yesterday, I stopped at the West Marine store near Portsmouth, NH.

I must report, it was pitiful.

Lack of competition in most markets. If you think this is bad, wait until
the democraps get into office and remove competition from your medical
care.


Please feel free to point to specific references about this... just as I
suspected, you can't. Perhaps you should vote for Huckabee.

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

wrote in message
...
On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:25:43 -0800, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
m...
Sir Thomas of Cannondale wrote:
Yesterday, I stopped at the West Marine store near Portsmouth, NH.

I must report, it was pitiful.

Lack of competition in most markets. If you think this is bad, wait
until
the democraps get into office and remove competition from your medical
care.


Please feel free to point to specific references about this... just as I
suspected, you can't. Perhaps you should vote for Huckabee.

I assume you are responding to the unfounded political baloney, but it
should be pointed out that West Marine faces a lot of strong local
competition in many markets. In my area, they even compete against
other West Marine stores. If anyone thinks WM store managers aren't
extremely focused on beating the performance of other WM stores, think
again. Cassel was completely wrong about that, too.




They do face a lot of competition in some markets... others none or minimal.
I know the second part to be true, because at one point I was considering
working at a different store, and the first series of questions was about
the current store manager and his practices.


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

On 25 Feb 2008 12:56:01 -0600, Dave wrote:

Where is Goldberg's when you need it? g

My recollection is that Goldberg's was bought out by E & B, who were
then bought out by Boat US, who were then bought out by our heros at
West Marine.

Does anyone remember the name of that great chandlery that used to be
on Chambers Street in lower Manhattan back in the 70s.

On 29 Feb 2008 10:47:02 -0600, Dave wrote:

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:03:34 -0500, Wayne.B
said:

Does anyone remember the name of that great chandlery that used to be
on Chambers Street in lower Manhattan back in the 70s.

I believe it was Manhattan Marine. Their prices were a bit higher than
Goldberg's on most items, but they did carry a lot of items.

Yes, it was a great place with a huge inventory of obscure deck
hardware items and a great catalog. It was also a close walk from my
old office on Wall Street. Just by coincidence I happened to stop by
one day on their last day of business. It was like accidently walking
into a wake.

Once in a while I buy something from WestMarine to be shipped to Australia.
My experience has been that they do match internet competitive pricing - at
least they have for me when I've brought a discrepancy to their attention.


wrote in message
...
On 25 Feb 2008 12:56:01 -0600, Dave wrote:

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:40:06 -0500, said:

West Marine faces a lot of strong local
competition in many markets. In my area, they even compete against
other West Marine stores. If anyone thinks WM store managers aren't
extremely focused on beating the performance of other WM stores, think
again. Cassel was completely wrong about that, too.

Not my experience. In fact the last two places I've had my boat hauled the
prices at the marinas' ship's store (seldom regarded as price busters)
were
lower than either of the WM stores in the areas. And since Boaters' World
has essentially exited from sailboat hardware it's only gotten worse.

I can of course drive 20 miles or so to the Defender store, but generally
it's not worth it unless I'm buying something pretty big.

Where is Goldberg's when you need it? g

I agree that you can usually find better prices than WM. However, WM
has a policy of matching any price other than those found on the
internet. If Gardella's charges $10 for something, WM will do the
same, even if they normally have it priced at $15. Of course in your
case, Gardella's is a short walk across the yard, so all bets are off!
I use WM mostly as a convenience store when I need some small item
while in the middle of working on the boat. There is a fantastic, old
school, hardware store in Branford/East Haven called Goodys that has a
better selection of stainless hardware than any marine store I've ever
encountered.

I do most of my major purchases from Defender at their annual
warehouse sale. I have my list ready! Other than that, I'll often
comparison shop online if I don't need something right that minute.

The brick & mortar stores will not match internet pricing.

Then you've apparently never tried. I have, they did.

The brick & mortar stores will not match internet pricing.
Then you've apparently never tried. I have, they did.

I have, and they didn't. This is very common with other brick & mortar
retailers
as well. Not just West Marine. I have even had the manager of a West
Marine
argue about honoring a price in an email from West Marine itself! He said
I
could only get that price on the WM website, as his cost on the item (an
igloo 5
day cooler) was the same as the advertised sale price. He finally gave in,
but
not without an arguement.

Sure, I can picture that happening. The times I asked for, and got, the
matching was while shopping for a number of other things, and having been in
the store a number of times. I took the time to get to know the folks
working there, usually by asking for something a bit more complicated than
the usual customer. Works well for getting what you want. I'm fine with
some degree of price premium now and then if it means keeping a local retail
outlet in business. Some folks really, really despise haggling over things.
Me, I don't mind it that much. "If you don't ask, you don't get", a saying
that's served me well over time.

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:46:47 -0500, "Bill Kearney"
wrote:

The brick & mortar stores will not match internet pricing.
Then you've apparently never tried. I have, they did.

I have, and they didn't. This is very common with other brick & mortar
retailers
as well. Not just West Marine. I have even had the manager of a West
Marine
argue about honoring a price in an email from West Marine itself! He said
I
could only get that price on the WM website, as his cost on the item (an
igloo 5
day cooler) was the same as the advertised sale price. He finally gave in,
but
not without an arguement.

Sure, I can picture that happening. The times I asked for, and got, the
matching was while shopping for a number of other things, and having been in
the store a number of times. I took the time to get to know the folks
working there, usually by asking for something a bit more complicated than
the usual customer. Works well for getting what you want. I'm fine with
some degree of price premium now and then if it means keeping a local retail
outlet in business. Some folks really, really despise haggling over things.
Me, I don't mind it that much. "If you don't ask, you don't get", a saying
that's served me well over time.

I was hired by one of my client managers once. He had been fishing
for me and one time said something like "might even be a hiring
bonus."
Maybe a year after that I decided to hire on. Got a call from HR with
a salary offer, which was acceptable. Was just about to hang up when
that conversation which vaguely mentioned a bonus came to mind.
It had never come to mind until then, and I wasn't expecting it, but I
figured like you suggest, what's to lose?
So I told the HR woman that Tom had mentioned a bonus.
She said she didn't know anything about that, and would call me back.
She did a bit later, with a 10 grand hiring bonus.
Easiest money I ever made.

--Vic

"If you don't ask, you don't get", a saying that's served me well over
time.

So I told the HR woman that Tom had mentioned a bonus.
She said she didn't know anything about that, and would call me back.
She did a bit later, with a 10 grand hiring bonus.
Easiest money I ever made.

Nicely done.