Keep visiting those independent HW stores Gary. We can use the business! I work for the oldest hardware distributor in the US.
Another West marine comment
- Thread starter bffatcat
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Tim, my wife will not go to a hardware store with me I can spend hours in them . I browse and see not what things are but what they can be.
Yup, a good HW store to me is like a shoe store to some women!
I have said this before. West Marine is about the people. Great bargains can be had there if the staff is willing to work with you. I used to go to the local WM all the time because the manager appreciated my loyalty and always gave me the opportunity to dicker. In fact, sometimes I would buy from someone else thinking there was no way WM would match but he always assured me he would. He has since left and now I spend more time at Defender and the local Hamilton's.
I have said this before. West Marine is about the people. Great bargains can be had there if the staff is willing to work with you. I used to go to the local WM all the time because the manager appreciated my loyalty and always gave me the opportunity to dicker. In fact, sometimes I would buy from someone else thinking there was no way WM would match but he always assured me he would. He has since left and now I spend more time at Defender and the local Hamilton's.
I agree: its about the people. We used to have a BoatUS store and a West Marine in town. I always went to BoatUS; the staff was knowledgable and friendly. Whenever I would pop in to West Marine, it seemed to me that most of the staff knew little about boating (let alone sailing). When BoatUS became West Marine, a lot of the staff stayed on, and even though the prices changed some, it was still a great place to get stuff. Unfortunately (and inevitably in my mind), West decided they didn't need two stores in one town. "My" branch closed, and I was left with only one option. The only independent chandler in town isn't really that independent: they are the house store in the local Brewer's marina. For those of you outside New England, Brewer's is a massive chain of marinas, with outlets from Maine through Connecticut.
We have to be careful about the hardware that is installed on your boat. Always compare the load capacity that is required and compare the material that you buy at the hardware store to the material you buy at a boat store. You will find that a hardware made for a boat is substancially stronger and is rust resistant. I would hate to see a piece of hardware brake when you are sailing only because you baught it at a hardware store. No I do not want to pay any more either, but I always pay more and buy hardware for what it is made for.
My town has no marine stores...closest is about 125 miles away. Therefore all my shopping is on the internet. Unless it is a very rare part, and WM has it and the others don't, Defender wins going away.
My town no longer has a West Marine and I was the manager for 10 years. The value to have a store in your community is very convieniant. You can always find products cheaper on some dot com site, but your not touching it or feeling it. There was no conspiracy to rip off customers, just a mixed up pricing structure that is being corrected. I respect WM for what they have done, most notable is just staying in business during these times. Dont forget all of the good things that they do in your communities and sponsorships, yet alone all the donations to all the local boating groups and events.
Some folks might have other locations locally to purchase things or choose to buy things thru the mail or on the net. Many folks dont have that priviledge. For many people price is not on top of their lists. Customer service, with knowledge is by far more important than cost IMHO.
If you are in a community that has no West Marines or lost one, DOESNT IT SUCK..!!
Some folks might have other locations locally to purchase things or choose to buy things thru the mail or on the net. Many folks dont have that priviledge. For many people price is not on top of their lists. Customer service, with knowledge is by far more important than cost IMHO.
If you are in a community that has no West Marines or lost one, DOESNT IT SUCK..!!
Rob—
A lot of the West Marine stores I've been to have staff that are almost completely ignorant of boating in general, much less sailing.
A lot of the West Marine stores I've been to have staff that are almost completely ignorant of boating in general, much less sailing.
In reality sailing is really just a small portion of the business. Powerboat supplies are by far the magority. That does not make things right, but the truth. Available payroll to the stores is at almost skeleton crew levels.
I personally am quite happy to have a WM just two miles from my house! The Boaters World is no more, the other "marine" retailers in town have only a handful of accessories, no parts for anything other than the brand of outboard, fishing boat, or PWC that they carry... We have Cabelas nearby! But they certainly don't carry any sailing supplies. I'd burn as much gas as I'd save on the few common maintenance supplies that they might have. When I was installing my C70, I found a Raymarine "dealer" in Olympia - the address was a double wide in a mobile home community with no street numbers displayed and no sign of any "business". And even though Olympia is not that large itself, we have a population of > 200K in the county, four marinas, the OYC, hundreds of sailboats and not a single local chandlery, if WM suddenly fails, we will have to drive to Tacoma (35 miles ea. way) or Seattle, or wait for a week for shipping on anything that we order on line. :cry:
Dave
Dave
buy local
I've certainly bought my share of stuff from WM, but after what we've been thru the last year, I'm sick of corporate america...whether banks, insurance companies, auto manufacturers...or national marine chains...I do whatever I can now to buy from the local chandlery. kinda like going to the farmers market for fruit and veggies...do that too now...same principle. Of course its hard to find a local car manufacturer...sioI'll hang on to what I have.
I recently read that every dollar spent locally has 2-1/2 times the local economic impact of spending the same dollar in a national chain.
I've certainly bought my share of stuff from WM, but after what we've been thru the last year, I'm sick of corporate america...whether banks, insurance companies, auto manufacturers...or national marine chains...I do whatever I can now to buy from the local chandlery. kinda like going to the farmers market for fruit and veggies...do that too now...same principle. Of course its hard to find a local car manufacturer...sioI'll hang on to what I have.
I recently read that every dollar spent locally has 2-1/2 times the local economic impact of spending the same dollar in a national chain.
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