West Marine Prices!

Charles Erwin · May 25, 2017

Ah yes - but on a Sunday on the cusp of an immanent departure West's convenience and reliability can be a useful commodity. Same for the gas mini-mart. Ice might be 2 x the supermarket - but maybe worth it all things considered.

Charles

CloudDiver · May 25, 2017

You aren't the only one who has started such a thread or made similar comments. If you have the time to wait for mail order delivery by all means, save the money and order from Defender or our host here, the SBO store (I do all the time).
But when you are in a pinch and you need something right now that will make or break your sailing day (or perhaps holiday weekend), you'll be thankful that WM is there and they have what you need in stock, price being irrelevant.

In terms of running a business, there are a few terms you should get familiar with; COGS (cost of good sold), fixed & variable costs, operating expenses... and so on, but those are the big ones. In short, it costs serious money to have a brick and mortar retail store that stocks material locally, plus employee labor. It costs much less to have one national warehouse to ship online orders everywhere with far fewer employees. That is the simple explanation as to why WM is perfectly fair.

Oh, and one more thing... What is anything really worth? Its worth what someone will pay for it...

rgranger · May 25, 2017

berner73 said:
The off season is just long enough that I forget what a racket that place is. Needed 3 items for Spring commissioning and had a gift certificate so decided to use it up. After getting home I checked the corresponding prices at Defender for the exact same items. Neither store was having a sale.

3M Finesse it II - WM $39.99 vs Defender $23.99
3M Cleaner Wax - WM $36.99 vs Defender $24.99
Star Brite Black Streak Remover - WM $14.99 vs Defender $7.99

So the difference was $35 which doesn't even calculate in the scheme of a season, but the principle of it is just offensive. That's almost a 40% markup across the board. Took it all back to WM and ended up ordering from Defender and had it in 2 days. I don't mind paying an extra 15% to 20%, but it's really just absurd where they've gone with their pricing.

Or 3M Cleaner Wax on this site (SBO) for $21.86

Lets support SBO when we can ...

Don S/V ILLusion · May 25, 2017

Guess it's time for the annual bash WM fest.

If you need it now, there is a cost to that convenience. If you can wait, why not check the store right here and in so doing, support this site? Complaining about WM serves no purpose.

Joe · May 25, 2017

I concur with Don.......... most small chandleries have been put out of business by internet companies... 20 years ago there were dozens of brick and mortar chandleries... now you can count them on one hand.
I buy all my fasteners from WM..... they are way better quality than Home Depot and you don't have to buy them in plastic bags. Tell me you're going online to buy 4 carriage bolts that you need today.

brazenarticle · May 25, 2017

Joe said:
I concur with Don.......... most small chandleries have been put out of business by internet companies...

Lovely word - chandleries - sadly heading the way of haberdashery.

wsmac · May 25, 2017

CAN WE GET OFF THIS WHOLE WM THING AND TALK ABOUT... Hodges Marine instead? LOL
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I've ordered from all four of the mentioned outfits... plus... purchased from our own little Ship Chandlrey on Woodley Island... AND... bought items from our local Englund Marine store.
I've even browsed the online catalogs of Jamestown, Fisheries Supply, and Wholesale Marine!
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Don't I feel SPECIAL.....

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This is the same debate people have everywhere over... "Do I shop for my groceries at the Dollar Store? Big Chain Grocery Store? or Local Farmer's Market?"
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If you've ever had an insider look at the bicycle market.... not only is there the dilemma for the customer of shopping at a local bike shop (LBS) or online? Of course there's the dilemma for the small local shop owner of, "Do I allow a customer to bring in their SraMano bike part they bought online, it's broken and they are returning for a refund under the warranty? Or they want the shop to put the online purchased parts on the bike for cheap or free?
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BUT... there's one choice you DON'T get... in the U.S.A., that is.... when you zip into the Emergency Department because of an issue requiring scans and stuff... is there an actual, physical, Radiologist to read your images later or will they be digitally sent/read by a Radiologist in New Zealand on contract with the big corporate hospital you are visiting in your emergency state of being?

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CHOICES! The bane of our existence!
Whatever happened to the good old days of little choice?

JamesG161 · May 26, 2017

How I found SBO was doing a Web Search for OEM Hunter Parts.

SBO Store is beyond ALL the above Retail sources for this reason alone.
But...
I have never gotten better service anywhere because of the PEOPLE on this site who freely give information and directions.

Everyone from post#2 and down are key examples.

Jim...

PS: The Admiral still loves to push her cart around WM store and Shop!

Benny17441 · May 26, 2017

Convenience; it costs money to keep a variety of parts on hand at a nearby location so that someone may get what they need without waiting. I place value on my time so certain things I order online and others I purchase at WM depending on my needs. It is good to have the option to do either.

wsmac · May 26, 2017

In my little tongue-in-cheek diatribe I totally forgot to also applaud SBO for it's chandlery services!
I've got some stuff on order through here too.

LeeandRick · May 26, 2017

We have a percentage break point of around 12% to buy local or not if there is plenty of time on items of $200 or less. Beyond $200 we think a lot before the purchase no matter where we buy. We never add the tax advantage of on-line to decide where to buy because that is an unfair advantage and we like a fire department. Shipping also has to be factored in since WM ships to store free. Even though my local WM caters to power boats, as they should since we have about 15 sailboats in the area, we still like having the store in our city of 55,000 that is 175 miles from anywhere.

My question is how many people just buy straight from Amazon without shopping around? Now they have some high prices and it won't be long until they are the ONLY choice. Rant off, stepping off the soapbox now.

Johnb · May 26, 2017

I consider myself lucky to have a West Marine and the Whale Point hardware available Saturdays and Sundays near our marina. We will pay more, but there is value to being able to get that last bit of stuff needed for a project, or going there with a sample and matching it, or taking a child and trying on life preservers for one that fits.

Having grown up in South Africa I know I am living in a paradise for the choices we have in price, quality and convenience.

That said, we always try and save by looking ahead and buying stuff we know we are going to consume - but that is another choice we are lucky to have.

Capt jgw · May 26, 2017

Joe said:
I concur with Don.......... most small chandleries have been put out of business by internet companies... 20 years ago there were dozens of brick and mortar chandleries... now you can count them on one hand.
I buy all my fasteners from WM..... they are way better quality than Home Depot and you don't have to buy them in plastic bags. Tell me you're going online to buy 4 carriage bolts that you need today.

The stainless fasteners at Ace Hardware are just as expensive as wm, maybe even worse. But theirs and wm's are high quality, I've never had them gall. The HD stuff is crap, the nuts and bolts will weld themselves together if you don't use some kind of lube.

WM's Port Supply prices are pretty close to Defender, I shop both and it's the sales tax / shipping difference that decides which I use. If you want even better prices at WM, get a part-time job there. Employee discount is 10% over store cost (or was about ten years ago when I worked there). That $15 bottle of soap will run you about 3 bucks.

The convenience factor might be worth something if they actually had what you needed on the shelf, but every year they're stocking less and less. If they don't move 100 a week of any item, they don't have it. Then they wonder why you don't order it from them. About the only thing I get from them nowadays is their house version of Pettit SR21. During the annual paint sale it's about $10 a quart cheaper than either the Pettit or VC17 anywhere.

pateco · May 26, 2017

I am lucky to have 4 West Marines within an hour drive including one that actually stocks a ton of sailboat parts.

Yes you can get parts and supplies cheaper online, but on a Sunday morning when you need something to fix the boat and go sailing, they are a lifesaver.

bawlmer · May 26, 2017

You are paying for the ability to buy it then and there. It costs money to operate a retail store and those costs are passed to you. If you need something expensive and you have the luxury of time then shop around. If not then pay the price and don't complain.

shemandr · May 26, 2017

Don S/V ILLusion said:
Guess it's time for the annual bash WM fest

It is Spring ....

thinwater · May 26, 2017

There is a WM next door to my marina. I shop there sometimes, because it is there. It can be a life saver when you need something--even something expensive--mid-project. I also stop at Seven Eleven sometimes, openly accepting that the prices are higher. Yet sometimes WM has real deals. I don't know of any better deal than their PCA Gold 2-year bottom paint when it is on-sale.

Their service seems pretty good to me. A store manager actually brought batteries out to a marina some miles always for me once, when I was out cruising and didn't have a car. Orders have never been a problem. They price match. They have a return policy that costs them money.

No body is twisting your arm. It's just a store.

kloudie1 · May 26, 2017

I shop the West sales specials, mostly.. They have done some great prices on items that were on my wish list.. Last thing I bought was a Caframo Sirocco fan which was on sale at about 45% less than everyone else.. They saved one long trip for me.. head pump broke .. I called 'em in New Orleans (about 30 miles from boat) and they held it for me until I could get there.. right after closing time at 8PM.. I paid a fair price for the part but it was worth that to be able to leave early in the morning as planned .. I am glad that they are here and I also bitch about the high prices but they usually have what I need when it is an unplanned project...

Dalliance · May 26, 2017

Well I'm NOT going to bash my local West Marine store. The manager is great, the return policy amazingly liberal, free shipping, convenient and the only source I really trust for fasteners. It's a tough environment for bricks & mortar stores these days. Yes, online stores often have lower prices, but not always when you add in shipping costs. You have to compare. This site's chandlery is my online store of choice and find the people there very helpful and knowledgeable. I've been treated well by WM and SBO, and both have earned my loyalty.