west price matching getting limited

[NotCook]

Even if they don't match the price, I suspect that if the price is pretty far apart and you discuss it with them, they will give you something off. It just makes good business sense. I am willing to pay more for convenience, but I'm not willing to get mugged for it.

 

[RS_Grampian]

I spend about 20% of my "boat dollars" there... Basically oils, epoxy, stainless steel hardware, etc... essentally the misc stuff needed to complete a project. Anything big warrants shopping around online for the savings, and frankly dealing with wm to try and price match on things like that seems like more of a hassle than it'd be worht. I wish they'd focus on being a boating hardware store, plus be competitive on radios, and minor electronics, and leave the clothing and silly accessories to someone else (or their online store). I'd hate to see them go away, but a little consolidation here in the annapolis area would be ok with me if it meant the survival of brick and mortar stores.

 

[Rick486]

I spend about 20% of my "boat dollars" there... Basically oils, epoxy, stainless steel hardware, etc... essentally the misc stuff needed to complete a project. Anything big warrants shopping around online for the savings, and frankly dealing with wm to try and price match on things like that seems like more of a hassle than it'd be worht. I wish they'd focus on being a boating hardware store, plus be competitive on radios, and minor electronics, and leave the clothing and silly accessories to someone else (or their online store). I'd hate to see them go away, but a little consolidation here in the annapolis area would be ok with me if it meant the survival of brick and mortar stores.

I would be very careful on their SS fasteners and miscellaneous deck gear. I have had some severe rusting issues with their fasteners and other stuff. When challenged, they replace the bad part but all they have is parts which do not remedy the issue. Just beware. On the other hand, I like their clothing and have bought shorts, slacks, shoes on sale.

 

[arf145]

WM is pretty much all we have for on-the-spot marine supplies. I expect to pay a little more for that convenience and I value them being there with inventory at the ready. And I certainly don't begrudge them selling a lot of clothing, as I'm pretty sure those are high margin items for them and help keep the doors open.

 

[gettinthere]

Talk of 'slightly' higher prices...

West sells a gallon of Rotella-T oil for about $25. Walmart sells it for under $14. About a 40% difference. Most auto pats stores sell it in the mid to hi teens. I've seen it at marina fuel docks in the mid teens.

 

[Dave Groshong]

Fugget about it, shop here!

https://shop.sailboatowners.com/

 

[jimmcgee]

The more choices we have the better off we are.

In the past year I've spent boat bucks here at SBO, at West Marine, Defender, The GPS Store, the old fashioned hardware store by my marina (who stocks a ton of marine hardware), a local RV dealer, boat shows, Bed Bath & Beyond (galley stuff) and Lowes/Home Depot (for odds and ends).

About the only place I refuse to shop is Walmart.

More stores means more brands, more items, more choices and better prices because of competition.

And what's so bad about their stocking clothing for sailors? My wife and I have found their prices to be good for Columbia if you watch the sales and the clearance items. Same with Sperry shoes.

But then it seems every few months there is a thread on some forum predicting their demise...

Me, I would be VERY sad to see West go.

 

[Warren Milberg]

I bought most of my spring maintenance supplies (i.e., bottom paint, zincs, etc.) at West Marine yesterday. They gladly price-matched the online printouts I came armed with, but only for those that have brick and mortar stores with no mention of physical distance from the store I used. The only printouts I had for such a supplier was Defender, with a brick and mortar store in Connecticut, hundreds of miles away. They also charged a nominal shipping fee of around $10, but would have waived that if I could show free shipping from Defender (or any other brick and mortar supplier). All things considered, I think the bottom line was about 25% less than West's retail prices.

 

[Chris Patterson]

I got told that W.M. would not match Defenders price last time I was there.

Not a problem, I got my Port Supply account, and beat it anyway.

It would have to be a dire emergency for me to walk in and pay retail.

 

[Maine Sail]

I got told that W.M. would not match Defenders price last time I was there.

Not a problem, I got my Port Supply account, and beat it anyway.

It would have to be a dire emergency for me to walk in and pay retail.

WM has a brick & mortar store within the new "50 mile" radius for price matching. My argument to any store would be: WM as a company has a store within 50 miles of Defender, WM has a catalog with pricing that applies to all stores in all states. If they can price match Defender at ONE of their stores, that has the same high pricing as ALL THEIR STORES, then they can price match at all of them.

Or heck just buy your stuff from right here at SBO!!!!

SailboatOwners.com Store

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I Suggest ......................

................... everyone specifically boycott purchasing diesel oil from WM.

I recently purchased purchased Chevron Delo 400, 15W-40 oil for $11.97 / USG from Walmart in Bellingham Wa. Compare that to WM at $23.99. I live in Vancouver Canada, ordered 10 USG and drove down to get it . Also, the $amount$ is too small for our Canadian Border Services to bother imposing tax on it so I saved a further 12% ($2.88).

Any way you cut it, WM is a non-competitive rip-off when it comes to diesel oil .

 

[Chris Patterson]

Actually, SBO was the very first place that I tried to get an X-5. Now don't get me wrong, I received an IMMEDIATE, and personal response stating that the A.P. in question was not a "strong seller" at their chandlery, and was out of stock on it. Just getting the reply back from them on P.M. warmed my heart, and I will absolutely try them again on other things. I use this site 10 times more than others, and I would like to support it financially. And will.

The advertised price on this autopilot was pretty cheap compared to others, but maybe it was just a little outdated. Shoot, if the price were close, even a tad above, I would have ordered it here just on principal.

B.T.W., I STILL don't have my autopilot, and this years boat is about to get kicked in the creek. I'm still at a loss with the A.P. ??

 

[woodster]

went to west marine about 10 days ago to get a qt of west system resin and had a price match ready for the check out ......they would not match it ...so i guess it is still sitting on the counter ...the mgr of this store is ridged to a fault and that is where to fools met that day ......i waited for it to come via UPS for five days and when all was said and done i still saved $14.00 dollars from a bick and morter store....i have a hard time with the biggest store on earth who is buying in box car loads not being able to be competitive with the smaller stores who don't have that luxury of buying in bulk .......

regards

woody

 

[SailingHarry]

I did a quick comparison on something on my long range shopping list -- 3/8" Regatta Braid from NE Ropes.
WM: $1.30, local mega chain with Brick and Mortar presence. Add local tax.
Annapolis Performance Sailing: $0.81, local privately owned Brick and Mortar firm with very smart staff. Add local tax.
SBO: $0.71, friendly, fast, runs a great Forum, no tax, but needs S&H (usually VERY fair S&H).

Gee, I have two good prices from two good competitors, and then I have WM at nearly twice the price? I might have given WM my SBO price match -- now, I'll just go to APS or SBO and call it done!

In the past, WM had three kinds of customers:
* Those that didn't care about price, or just needed it now, and paid full price
* Port Supply folks who somehow are entitled to a lower price. Don't understand that one. If I am a commercial person, I can buy from WM at a discount. If WM can make money selling something at Port Supply for $40, why do they need to charge me $75? Maybe at $75, the commercial guy will go somewhere else -- same as I will?
* Those that aren't Port Supply and still care about money. They used to price match. Now they shop around and buy from the best vendor.

What I don't get is why WM doesn't want my business. On that rope, their old model would probably have me getting it at $0.71 on a price match. I assume they would still make a profit. Under the new model, they will still have it on the shelf, and SBO or APS will be all smiles. I sincerely doubt that many of the customers who used to price match will now simply pay full retail, especially for purchases larger than a tube of caulk.

Harry

 

[woodster]

I sincerely doubt that many of the customers who used to price match will now simply pay full retail, especially for purchases larger than a tube of caulk.

Harry

i will not even do that.... i have to drive 45 miles one way to get to West Marine as it is....that trip will cost me 90 miles of gas at 20 miles a gallon =4.5 times $3.67 a gallon for s total of $16.52 just in gas...plus 7% sales tax on the goods most of the time my shipping cost from on line sources is about $10.00 or less....i do like West marine but money is money and from now on i will only buy from them when they have a deal on something no one else has.....when it comes to my money out of my pocket...


regards


woody

 

[Chris Patterson]

Harry, I've often thought the same thing. While I have a Port Supply account, my only guess is, the higher retail price for walk-ins make up the difference to get their profit margin. That's just a guess. For what it's worth, every time I go in there, they give me the royal treatment. But by a quick head-math thinking here, I spent nearly 40 thousand dollars on marine supplies last year. (Not hard to do when you're working on other peoples boats)...

But I still don't like them. I think it's ethically wrong to price match. But like said, if you need something right this very minute, there they are. And like you said Harry, I've got a few on my "Preferred Customer" list that could care less what the parts cost, they just want it right now. As the guard in 'Cool Hand Luke' said, "I don't like it any more than you do...", but the ugly fact is, in this world.............It's all about the money.

Everything is..

 

[davisr]

Mindful of this ongoing discussion, I recently asked the manager of a West Marine if it was true that price matching would soon come to an end. He said it was true. I asked him why. He said that last year over 97% of WM's total sales nationwide were at full retail price. Nevertheless, he said, WM lost some 13 million dollars on account of the price-matching that was done in less than 3% of the sales. I pointed out to this manager, however, that WM didn't really lose 13 million dollars. They simply had 13 million dollars in sales that were at their competitors price, not their normal retail price. He muttered something about price points and then said that when the price-matching ends their normal retail prices will be coming down. I told him that I liked to support his job and the jobs of others in the store by spending my money (through price-matching) locally, but I said that if I didn't see any drastic changes in retail prices, I would, from March 1 onwards, be sending my money northward to Defender. Do I think there will be drastic changes? No. I'm prepared to start receiving what I need by mail. Yes.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Despite my desire to not perpetuate this WM bashing, I feel compelled to add that virtually all chain store price-match and most people like that.

Second, the software WM uses in all stores allows anyone who works there to over-ride the price for any number of valid reasons include competitors match. Whether one store chooses to not do so is their discretion regardless of what you are told.

Every store has daily and weekly sales goals. Not just WM. If you'd rather complain about their prices, go for it but no store manager is going to alienate a good customer

 

[89bruin]

Was told the same thing: no price-match after 1 March. For reference: Taylor Hull Guard Boat Fender (8.5x27) -- WM = $62.99 -- Wholesale Marine = $39.49. Shipping on 4 is roughly the same price as the sales tax in VA. There's simply no way to justify the higher price at WM.

 

[AXEL]

I save on average $200 - $300 per year (no exaggeration) just by having the Defender catalog in my car for quick reference whenever I shop at WM. This price match issue is a hard pill for me to swallow. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be preparing my shopping list early, consolidating on shipping and taking my business elsewhere. I've seen WM cashers turn red in the face with disbelief and embarrassment at some of the ridiculous price matches. If WM thinks they are losing money with price matching, I predict they will lose more by not!