More Boatstore Blues

[Ron20324]

Just when we are almost through with the lies and deceptions at BW, West comes up with a new way to aggravate us. I was at West yesterday while a friend was buying a dingy. As I mosey'd around the aisles, this young employee hung over me like a vulture in spite of having told him I was just waiting for a friend. He was trying to be helping, but was a pain in the aft. I did find some soap, and when I checked out, the guy at the register asked if anyone had helped in selecting the item. I said no, I managed on my own. He said okay, he'd take the credit for the sale. He said the new West policy is that employees get points if they help you in your selection. Great- that's all we need is an incentive for emplyees to cling to us like vines. It's enough to drive me to Fawcett's chandlery, which I've been doing lately anyway.

Ron

 

[Bad Obsession]

Oh great...they are all going to become used car salesmen!

 

[Steve Dion]

I don't know what to tell you guys. This is a very trying environment for the retail business. They are willing to try just about anything to boost sales (sails). I would not be suprised to see WM closing more stores and doing something to curtail some of the financial losses.

Their stock was once around $30/share and now is in the $5 range. I would think that they will start doing better around the middle of the boating season, but I personally think they need to re-think their model. Many of their stores don't have something as simple as a single Jabsco toilet in stock. If you need to wait for the next delivery, you may as well get one cheap off the internet. Their prices are normally the most expensive around!

 

[Boompa]

Send them toward me...

I would like more attentive help when I'm in WM. I have lots of questions and appreciate it when an employee goes the extra. The part I don't like is, they always know to the dollar how much I have to spend

 

[higgs]

I gotta agree with Ron. i often like to casually browse through the store and do not want someone shadowing me. If I need help, i'll ask.

 

[seadaddler]

Love it

I think it is great when they are there to help me find some thing rather than looking all over the store looking for what I want and wasting sailing time and most times they give very good advice what to use for the job I am working on.
I hate when I go into any store and can't find any one to help me out and if I don't need help they usually get my message when I say no help needed.
I think WM is doing a great job don't stop.
Nick

 

[biggio]

WM is finally opening back up in my home town Slidell La. They lost their store here during Hurricane Katrina. My expirence with West Marine has been pretty positive.
They will match others prices.
They have honored 10 dollars off coupons for me after they expired.

 

[Jim Seamans]

Love Fawcett's that place could be my second home....

 

[Dan]

two things:

1. the additional incentive pay that goes with those "points" isn't going to lower prices anytime soon

2. the WM in Stamford just doubled in size. Not sure what to make of that. Too much disposable income in Connecticut, perhaps? :dance:

 

[Stu Jackson]

A few years ago Safeway, the food store

decided to "corpor-ize" friendliness. Boy, was THAT a disaster!!! They told their employees to use a phrase or two to be "helpful." My wife still hates that approach, as do I, because you can't use corporate policy to "make" people be friendly. Either they have it or they don't. When WM started to make their register people say "Hi, good morning" it became like an automaton speaking at you, instead of a human being be thoughtful and helpful. When Safeway stopped, perhaps because enough people complained, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Tying faux friendliness with $ incentives is a recipe for disaster.

I agree with Ron, that our local chandlery is far superior, has competitive prices which are sometimes better, and they remember me by name, like I'm a real person (gee, are they ever wrong!) but it sure is nicer.

I have, however, found some folks at WM who know what they are doing and are truly helpful and know their stuff. One or two...

Sometimes it's what YOU put into it. But I sure hate being shadowed because the corporation has some newfangled "policy," regardless of what the concept is.

I once worked for a place that started a "We Care" policy. They made up pencils and T shirts and all that garbage, aimed no doubt at clients. All the employees knew it was cr*p, because the policy certainly didn't change the way management dealt with their own employees.

 

[noprob2]

call first

I usually go on their site and find an item i then call the store if they have it they put it aside for you if not they get it for you in a day or so and you can pick it up so no shipping
Quite convenient if you are passing the store on way to the boat

 

[Tim R.]

Different experiences for different areas and people. My local Boaters World is selling stuff at great prices still. I have not yet seen major markups to account for deep discounting. Even Maine Sail has found great deals there. I did notice the other day a lot of WM bashing by the BW staff. They said it is far better to buy online than to go to WM. I say sour grapes.

When I go shopping, 95% of the time I know exactly what I need and might ask someone the location. My WM has been very friendly and goes out of their way to meet the local boaters. When I walk in I get "Hi Tim, how are you doing?". They know I shop at Hamiltons and online so they do their best to get my business including matching pricing(even outside WMs corporate matching policy) and their return policy is excellent. Hamilton's seems to be a little snobby towards the recreational boater. They cater very much to the commercial fishing industry. I see it when I use a commercial account to buy stuff. The stuff that may get used on a fishing boat is priced much better than recreation only stuff.

It is great to have both of these local resources when it is something you need right away like a qt. of Micron Extra I have to go buy tonight. Otherwise I throw Defender into the mix as they usually get me stuff the next day.

 

[George H260]

I've had pretty positive experiences with our local WM store. Not always the cheapest but a pretty good range of products.

One thing I really like is the ability to search local inventory before you drop by. I was looking for a certain type of wax and went on the WM website, clicked on the local store and it told me there were 6 bottles in stock. A couple of hours later I stopped by on the way to my boat and sure enough there were exactly 6 bottles on the shelf.

Kinda neat!

Our local Boaters World store closed this week. On line shopping is great and I do it a lot, but I'm glad there still is a local source where I can find that special pin, browse for discounts or indulge in a little impulse shopping...

 

[mcaswell]

WM is finally opening back up in my home town Slidell La. They lost their store here during Hurricane Katrina.

For the past few years, every time I would drive past that shopping center, I'd look to see if perhaps West Marine was moving back in. I had pretty much given up. But a few days ago my wife mentioned she had read in a news article that they were indeed coming back. Later that day, I was driving past there once again, and saw their sign up on the building. I don't know how long they've been working on the store, but I had driven past there several times in the past few weeks and didn't notice it (though I was looking at the area to the right of the grocery store, where they used to be, not to the left of the grocery store).

I pulled up to take a look, and the store looks pretty much fully stocked... there was a sign on the window saying they are opening May 1. I'll be there tomorrow (and probably later in the weekend too) to pickup a few misc. things I need for my sanitation hose replacement project.

Yeah, their prices are a bit high, but as you mentioned, they'll pricematch. And I just like walking around in there sometimes.

So, it's a great day for us... first Pancho's Mexican Buffet reopens in Metairie, and now we have our West Marine back!

--Michael

 

[higgs]

I like West and have always had good results with them. If I can do better elsewhere that is what I do, but they serve a very useful purpose as far as I am concerned.

There are no chandlerys around Olcott. We have to go to Buffalo to get stuff. It is either WM or the local chandlery - Obersheimers. I go to the local guy first. He matches prices and has expertise not found at WM Still, I like WM and purchase stuff from them. If they move out, Obersheimers would become Overchargers.

 

[NC-C320]

West Marine

The local West Marine has been very helpful to me...if I want to browse, I tell them and they leave me alone. If I want to find something, they help me immediately. Most of the clerks are boaters and seem knowedgeable, if you ask them questions. If they don't have it in stock, call ahead and they will get it at no shipping charge. I sometimes buy from mail order sites, including this one, but when you add in shipping charges there is often little difference. I just hope the local store has enough business to remain open.

 

[mcaswell]

Our West Marine (Slidell, LA) had its grand opening today... as I was standing in line to check out, they drew my name for a $100 gift card. Woohoo!!!

--Michael

 

[kloudie1]

Great news, Michael. When high prices are free, it helps !!!!
I usually use the one in Mandeville or here in Baton Rouge, but they are pretty small and don't carry a lot of sailing things.

 

[biggio]

Our West Marine (Slidell, LA) had its grand opening today... as I was standing in line to check out, they drew my name for a $100 gift card. Woohoo!!!

--Michael

That was you? I was there also when the drawing for the hundred was called. I went back at 10:30 and they had ran out of tshirts (100 free)

 

[biggio]

For the past few years, every time I would drive past that shopping center, I'd look to see if perhaps West Marine was moving back in. I had pretty much given up. But a few days ago my wife mentioned she had read in a news article that they were indeed coming back. Later that day, I was driving past there once again, and saw their sign up on the building. I don't know how long they've been working on the store, but I had driven past there several times in the past few weeks and didn't notice it (though I was looking at the area to the right of the grocery store, where they used to be, not to the left of the grocery store).

I pulled up to take a look, and the store looks pretty much fully stocked... there was a sign on the window saying they are opening May 1. I'll be there tomorrow (and probably later in the weekend too) to pickup a few misc. things I need for my sanitation hose replacement project.

Yeah, their prices are a bit high, but as you mentioned, they'll pricematch. And I just like walking around in there sometimes.

So, it's a great day for us... first Pancho's Mexican Buffet reopens in Metairie, and now we have our West Marine back!

--Michael

The new Pancho's is pretty bad (food). It's hard for me to say this because
I worked at the one in Metarie before it opened. If you haven't been the new format is a self serve buffet.