On May 19, 9:29 am, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message

oups.com...



IMO, most serious shopping is now done by catalog. The retail stores,
particularly in smaller communities, primarily exist to sell only the
highest-turnover and convenience items. The WM catalog has 2-3 times
as much stuff listed than you will find stocked in even the largest
stores.

Just for giggles, I just visited West Marine's online store. They didn't
list the type of LED light fixtures I was looking for, but I almost couldn't
resist taking advantage of their offer of a roll of "premium" vinyl black
electrical tape. 7 bucks a roll.

Eisboch

Checking another, competing, catalog source that's even larger than
WM's catalog, I can't find any LED lights listed for what I have the
impression you want to pay.
Lots of LED's available for every imaginable application, but not for
just a few bucks apiece.

While ordering that electrical tape, don't forget to stock up on
"marine" sandpaper. :-)

On Sat, 19 May 2007 12:29:42 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:

Just for giggles, I just visited West Marine's online store. They didn't
list the type of LED light fixtures I was looking for, but I almost couldn't
resist taking advantage of their offer of a roll of "premium" vinyl black
electrical tape. 7 bucks a roll.

Don't forget the "special marine" sand paper.

And the "special marine" magazines for the head.

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 18, 11:22 pm, sherwindu wrote:
Send some of those Mom and Pop stores to the Chicago area. West Marine
has
got things sewed up here, except for a Boating World store in the far
west
suburbs.

I keep my boat in Racine Wisconsin with a nearby West Marine. I can
expect a
50% chance of not finding items for my boat. Just last week I needed a
fuel line
connector for my Yamaha 9.9 outboard. Of course, they were out of them.
There
is nothing like a bit of healthy competition to wake these guys up.

Sherwin D.



Larry Weiss wrote:
Eisboch wrote:
Anybody go shopping lately at West Marine?

I hadn't been there for a couple of years. I stopped in today
because I was
thinking of picking up three new LED type cockpit light fixtures to
replace
the halogen bulb types.
I did this a few years ago in the upper station .... replaced the
stock
halogens with red LED types. IIRC, the fixtures were about 15 bucks
each
then.

Found them today at West Marine and grabbed three. Then I noticed the
price.
$34.95 each. Hung them back on the display rack.

Talk about big oil ripping off the customers.

35 bucks for a 75 cent plastic fixture and a 2 dollar LED?

Gimmie a break.

Eisboch

Many boaters on Long Island have had it with West to the point where
they have closed several stores. The stores that are left are poorly
stocked and overpriced.

Meanwhile the local mom and pops are thriving. Good for them.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Any marine retailer has a pretty tough row to hoe, and a general
chandlery one of the toughest.

With marine supplies, you're selling into a very small market. So
small, and so seasonal in many parts of the country, that the Mom and
Pop's are disappearing or have already disappeared. To compound
matters, this very small market is then factionalized to an incredible
degree. To have every part on hand that somebody might need for any
boat would mean tying up far too much money for far too long. There
are parts that somebody might call for once a year, maybe.

IMO, most serious shopping is now done by catalog. The retail stores,
particularly in smaller communities, primarily exist to sell only the
highest-turnover and convenience items. The WM catalog has 2-3 times
as much stuff listed than you will find stocked in even the largest
stores.

Something that WM contributes to in boating and for which they get
very little credit is new product development. If a designer or
inventor can get WM to buy a new item, that provides enough volume to
get a fledgling enterprise pretty well established.

I shop WM fairly regularly. I don't expect to find any real bargains
most of the time, but
they are convenient. I also patronize some of the local and regional
"specialists" to support their independent businesses, but for general
stuff WM gets a portion of my boating dollar.


In the SF Bay area, they seem to be very competitive and if they do not have
the part in stock will get it in a day. Helps that the corporate offices
and main warehouse is about 40 miles from San Jose.

On May 19, 11:21 am, Chuck Gould wrote:
On May 18, 11:22 pm, sherwindu wrote:





Send some of those Mom and Pop stores to the Chicago area. West Marine has
got things sewed up here, except for a Boating World store in the far west
suburbs.

I keep my boat in Racine Wisconsin with a nearby West Marine. I can expect a
50% chance of not finding items for my boat. Just last week I needed a fuel line
connector for my Yamaha 9.9 outboard. Of course, they were out of them. There
is nothing like a bit of healthy competition to wake these guys up.

Sherwin D.

Larry Weiss wrote:
Eisboch wrote:
Anybody go shopping lately at West Marine?

I hadn't been there for a couple of years. I stopped in today because I was
thinking of picking up three new LED type cockpit light fixtures to replace
the halogen bulb types.
I did this a few years ago in the upper station .... replaced the stock
halogens with red LED types. IIRC, the fixtures were about 15 bucks each
then.

Found them today at West Marine and grabbed three. Then I noticed the price.
$34.95 each. Hung them back on the display rack.

Talk about big oil ripping off the customers.

35 bucks for a 75 cent plastic fixture and a 2 dollar LED?

Gimmie a break.

Eisboch

Many boaters on Long Island have had it with West to the point where
they have closed several stores. The stores that are left are poorly
stocked and overpriced.

Meanwhile the local mom and pops are thriving. Good for them.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Any marine retailer has a pretty tough row to hoe, and a general
chandlery one of the toughest.

With marine supplies, you're selling into a very small market. So
small, and so seasonal in many parts of the country, that the Mom and
Pop's are disappearing or have already disappeared. To compound
matters, this very small market is then factionalized to an incredible
degree. To have every part on hand that somebody might need for any
boat would mean tying up far too much money for far too long. There
are parts that somebody might call for once a year, maybe.

IMO, most serious shopping is now done by catalog. The retail stores,
particularly in smaller communities, primarily exist to sell only the
highest-turnover and convenience items. The WM catalog has 2-3 times
as much stuff listed than you will find stocked in even the largest
stores.

Something that WM contributes to in boating and for which they get
very little credit is new product development. If a designer or
inventor can get WM to buy a new item, that provides enough volume to
get a fledgling enterprise pretty well established.

I shop WM fairly regularly. I don't expect to find any real bargains
most of the time, but
they are convenient. I also patronize some of the local and regional
"specialists" to support their independent businesses, but for general
stuff WM gets a portion of my boating dollar.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I shop primarily online, but there are things I buy from West Marine
as well. What I've found to be successful is to know what you can get
stuff for (and who has it) BEFORE you go to West Marine. If you've
done your homework they (the one I go to anyway) will match the
price.
For example: The summer before last I wanted to add some shock
absorbtion to the seats on my new 22' Regal. I had used the Garlick
Active Seat Suspension system on my previous boat with great success
so I proceeded to shop for the best price. I found that Boaters World
had them for (at the time) $69 while West Marine wanted over $100
each. Before I got around to ordering them from Boater's World, I
happened to be in West Marine where they had one in stock. I asked if
they could match the price, and after verifying it was accurate, they
did. I took the one from stock and they brought in another.
You would be suprised how much money you can save by being aware of
the real market prices and asking for price matches.

Just for comparison, I remember many years ago there was a store in Chicago called
Land's End that carried almost every conceivable kind of boat hardware.
Unfortunately, the bean counters got control of the company and now they are a
catalog and outlet store with dappy nautical looking clothing. There was a similar
store called Chicago Navigation Equitpment that simply vanished that had an excellent
supply of boat hardware and supplies. It's all catalogs and internet shopping now,
but I miss those stores where you could actually handle something before you bought
it.

Sherwin D.

sherwindu wrote:

Send some of those Mom and Pop stores to the Chicago area. West Marine has
got things sewed up here, except for a Boating World store in the far west
suburbs.

I keep my boat in Racine Wisconsin with a nearby West Marine. I can expect a
50% chance of not finding items for my boat. Just last week I needed a fuel line
connector for my Yamaha 9.9 outboard. Of course, they were out of them. There
is nothing like a bit of healthy competition to wake these guys up.

Sherwin D.

Larry Weiss wrote:

Eisboch wrote:
Anybody go shopping lately at West Marine?

I hadn't been there for a couple of years. I stopped in today because I was
thinking of picking up three new LED type cockpit light fixtures to replace
the halogen bulb types.
I did this a few years ago in the upper station .... replaced the stock
halogens with red LED types. IIRC, the fixtures were about 15 bucks each
then.

Found them today at West Marine and grabbed three. Then I noticed the price.
$34.95 each. Hung them back on the display rack.

Talk about big oil ripping off the customers.

35 bucks for a 75 cent plastic fixture and a 2 dollar LED?

Gimmie a break.

Eisboch


Many boaters on Long Island have had it with West to the point where
they have closed several stores. The stores that are left are poorly
stocked and overpriced.

Meanwhile the local mom and pops are thriving. Good for them.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"

sherwindu wrote:
Just for comparison, I remember many years ago there was a store in Chicago called
Land's End that carried almost every conceivable kind of boat hardware.
Unfortunately, the bean counters got control of the company and now they are a
catalog and outlet store with dappy nautical looking clothing. There was a similar
store called Chicago Navigation Equitpment that simply vanished that had an excellent
supply of boat hardware and supplies. It's all catalogs and internet shopping now,
but I miss those stores where you could actually handle something before you bought
it.


Land's End is now owned by Sears.

Hell, I remember when Abercrombie and Fitch was a real outfitter to
sportsmen, instead of a purveyor of clothes to young yups.

"HK" wrote in message
...
sherwindu wrote:
Just for comparison, I remember many years ago there was a store in
Chicago called
Land's End that carried almost every conceivable kind of boat hardware.
Unfortunately, the bean counters got control of the company and now they
are a
catalog and outlet store with dappy nautical looking clothing. There was
a similar
store called Chicago Navigation Equitpment that simply vanished that had
an excellent
supply of boat hardware and supplies. It's all catalogs and internet
shopping now,
but I miss those stores where you could actually handle something before
you bought
it.


Land's End is now owned by Sears.

Hell, I remember when Abercrombie and Fitch was a real outfitter to
sportsmen, instead of a purveyor of clothes to young yups.


We lost a few stores somewhat like that with the downturn in the fisheries.
Mostly set up for commercial fishermen, but carried enough items to keep a
recreational boater/fisherman busy for hours. Some of the biggest fishing
hooks you'd ever want to see.

On May 18, 8:02 pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
Anybody go shopping lately at West Marine?

I hadn't been there for a couple of years. I stopped in today because I was
thinking of picking up three new LED type cockpit light fixtures to replace
the halogen bulb types.
I did this a few years ago in the upper station .... replaced the stock
halogens with red LED types. IIRC, the fixtures were about 15 bucks each
then.

Found them today at West Marine and grabbed three. Then I noticed the price.
$34.95 each. Hung them back on the display rack.

Talk about big oil ripping off the customers.

35 bucks for a 75 cent plastic fixture and a 2 dollar LED?

Gimmie a break.

Eisboch

When they bought all the competition up round here, it seems to have
gotten worse. I don't even consider them when thinking about supplies,
not even on my list of stops.

Only if I have no choice. They consistently have the highest prices.

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
Anybody go shopping lately at West Marine?

I hadn't been there for a couple of years. I stopped in today because I
was thinking of picking up three new LED type cockpit light fixtures to
replace the halogen bulb types.
I did this a few years ago in the upper station .... replaced the stock
halogens with red LED types. IIRC, the fixtures were about 15 bucks each
then.

Found them today at West Marine and grabbed three. Then I noticed the
price.
$34.95 each. Hung them back on the display rack.

Talk about big oil ripping off the customers.

35 bucks for a 75 cent plastic fixture and a 2 dollar LED?

Gimmie a break.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
Anybody go shopping lately at West Marine?

I hadn't been there for a couple of years. I stopped in today because I was
thinking of picking up three new LED type cockpit light fixtures to replace
the halogen bulb types.
I did this a few years ago in the upper station .... replaced the stock
halogens with red LED types. IIRC, the fixtures were about 15 bucks each
then.

Found them today at West Marine and grabbed three. Then I noticed the price.
$34.95 each. Hung them back on the display rack.

Talk about big oil ripping off the customers.

35 bucks for a 75 cent plastic fixture and a 2 dollar LED?

Gimmie a break.

Eisboch



But you get "Pride of Ownership" :-)

Capt Jack R..