or s since West Marine bought BoatUS catalog sales. Has anyone seen much change? I was in our local Chandlery a while back and heard the following exchange. "I want to buy "XXX' equipment for my boat, can you match the WM price?" Our 'New' Chandlery owner told the guy "I sure can, be glad too, all I have to do is 'RAISE' the price a few dollars and you got it."
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I like WM
They are not cheap but if you look for specials you can get a good deal. They ship promptly too which I appreciate and they have the reward program and free shipping over $99. I also shop defender.com, reddenmarine.com, gpscity.com and others. Still, I appreciate the selection and service of WM and use them frequently. Plus, they have the best catalog.
They are not cheap but if you look for specials you can get a good deal. They ship promptly too which I appreciate and they have the reward program and free shipping over $99. I also shop defender.com, reddenmarine.com, gpscity.com and others. Still, I appreciate the selection and service of WM and use them frequently. Plus, they have the best catalog.
Let's face it marine outlets are not
like pharmacies or convenience stores so I get my parts from whoemever has in stock what I'm looking for. I think of myself as fortunate having within two hours drive 6 retail outlets and a salvage yard (4 WM and 1 BOATUS) but some folks out there are limited. The way to deal with West Marine is to pick one store and go there all the time; if they don't have an item stock have them order it for you. They pick up the shipping tab. Any sailor who can honestly claim to never purchase from West Marine probably never gets out much. I don't quarrel with prices at the store as maintaining inventory and transportation cost money but to find a similar price on an internet catalog that really turns me off. But if that is the only place I can find what I'm looking for, my credit card number is #### ### ### ####.
like pharmacies or convenience stores so I get my parts from whoemever has in stock what I'm looking for. I think of myself as fortunate having within two hours drive 6 retail outlets and a salvage yard (4 WM and 1 BOATUS) but some folks out there are limited. The way to deal with West Marine is to pick one store and go there all the time; if they don't have an item stock have them order it for you. They pick up the shipping tab. Any sailor who can honestly claim to never purchase from West Marine probably never gets out much. I don't quarrel with prices at the store as maintaining inventory and transportation cost money but to find a similar price on an internet catalog that really turns me off. But if that is the only place I can find what I'm looking for, my credit card number is #### ### ### ####.
A few thoughts on WM
I was in a WM just the other day and noticed a hot beverage cup, the kind with a lid, insulated with stainless exterior. Its price was around $29. I have a similar cup purchased at one of the Megalow pharmacy stores for $5 that I use and it tips over on my sailboat regularly so I have been looking for something more stable, maybe something with a bean bag weight at the bottom to keep it from tipping over. The WM product was just an overpriced 'marine' version. WM is a monopoly and its products are priced accordingly. They know you will be coming in for X and buy Y as well so their prices reflect this. Do not do impulse buying at WM if you can. I think that I read it here that when in WM you should bring the Defender catalog to see if they will match the price of the item(s) you want but WM does not carry as wide an inventory as defender.com. I like defender in case you could not tell - no sales tax but you do get to pay the delivery charge. I have not priced a caliper at WM but bought one at the local auto parts store. When I told the guy that I needed it to measure things on my boat he said: "Oh, it is a marine caliper and therefore $10!" He was kidding and charged me the usual 5 bucks for a cheap plastic caliper that proved to be quite useful. All the Harken and other sailboat hardware (blocks, fiddles etc) that WM sells are also quite expen$ive. There is another website that has most of the same hardware available for much less: garhauermarine.com Just as good and cheaper. I kind of miss the old days when chandleries were run by crotchety old guys who stocked very little but I do appreciate that WM has most everything I need for much more than I really want to pay. Another case in point was brass wood screws. We got 2 dozen from a mom & pop hardware store for $.20/screw. We needed more but they were $.65/screw. We left without getting screwed by WM on that one but we still need to get screws. The best thing about these times is the internet and being able to price things from various vendors from the comfort of home before setting out on some fools errand driving to this store or that. I am still looking for a good website to get quality brass screws to hold the aging teak on my boat. In summary: WM = overpriced but they can get it for you.
I was in a WM just the other day and noticed a hot beverage cup, the kind with a lid, insulated with stainless exterior. Its price was around $29. I have a similar cup purchased at one of the Megalow pharmacy stores for $5 that I use and it tips over on my sailboat regularly so I have been looking for something more stable, maybe something with a bean bag weight at the bottom to keep it from tipping over. The WM product was just an overpriced 'marine' version. WM is a monopoly and its products are priced accordingly. They know you will be coming in for X and buy Y as well so their prices reflect this. Do not do impulse buying at WM if you can. I think that I read it here that when in WM you should bring the Defender catalog to see if they will match the price of the item(s) you want but WM does not carry as wide an inventory as defender.com. I like defender in case you could not tell - no sales tax but you do get to pay the delivery charge. I have not priced a caliper at WM but bought one at the local auto parts store. When I told the guy that I needed it to measure things on my boat he said: "Oh, it is a marine caliper and therefore $10!" He was kidding and charged me the usual 5 bucks for a cheap plastic caliper that proved to be quite useful. All the Harken and other sailboat hardware (blocks, fiddles etc) that WM sells are also quite expen$ive. There is another website that has most of the same hardware available for much less: garhauermarine.com Just as good and cheaper. I kind of miss the old days when chandleries were run by crotchety old guys who stocked very little but I do appreciate that WM has most everything I need for much more than I really want to pay. Another case in point was brass wood screws. We got 2 dozen from a mom & pop hardware store for $.20/screw. We needed more but they were $.65/screw. We left without getting screwed by WM on that one but we still need to get screws. The best thing about these times is the internet and being able to price things from various vendors from the comfort of home before setting out on some fools errand driving to this store or that. I am still looking for a good website to get quality brass screws to hold the aging teak on my boat. In summary: WM = overpriced but they can get it for you.
A few months back...
...on another forum I picked out 26 items that the owner of a new 25-30' sailboat might want to buy. From there I searched both the Defender and West catalogs for the lowest priced item that both carried and then compared prices. Of the 26 prices West was lower on 1 and tied on three and higher on all the rest. In aggregate...they were 17% higher. This was for the 2006 catalogs and I am advised that West has had some significant price increases. I don't know what Defender's prices are this year. Last weeek...Cetol was 33.99 at West and $25.99 at Defender. This never used to be a problem but now West policy is NOT to meet internet prices. Some good managers will still do this but COMPANY policy in print is not to do this. Some folks say "well you don't have to pay shipping"...but DELIVERED price on a Delta anchor was $80 bucks less and no sales tax from Defender. It pays to shop around if you have time!
...on another forum I picked out 26 items that the owner of a new 25-30' sailboat might want to buy. From there I searched both the Defender and West catalogs for the lowest priced item that both carried and then compared prices. Of the 26 prices West was lower on 1 and tied on three and higher on all the rest. In aggregate...they were 17% higher. This was for the 2006 catalogs and I am advised that West has had some significant price increases. I don't know what Defender's prices are this year. Last weeek...Cetol was 33.99 at West and $25.99 at Defender. This never used to be a problem but now West policy is NOT to meet internet prices. Some good managers will still do this but COMPANY policy in print is not to do this. Some folks say "well you don't have to pay shipping"...but DELIVERED price on a Delta anchor was $80 bucks less and no sales tax from Defender. It pays to shop around if you have time!
In Defense of West Marine (ARRRGHHH!!)
As much as it pains me to say it, I have to give credit to West Marine for reopening their store in New Orleans. Their store was flooded in the Levee Fiasco following Katrina, and they just had their grand opening in February of this year. They reopened in the same location, and the store is fully stocked and looks better than it did before. Of course, the prices are the same as other WM stores, but they are here and that counts for a lot when you are trying to get a city back on its feet. But man, the prices!!!...I'm trying to support businesses that reopen in the area...but I still have my Defender and Hamilton marine catalogs when I can't stand it.. Actually, I think that WM pricing structure will hurt it in the long run..yes, they did a debt deal and bought up all the competition so they could increase their prices...but now they MUST increase their prices to service the expansion costs, and the internet gets easier to use every year. CalebD and others make a good point, but I wonder how successful in the long run a business can be that opens itself up for price competition as part of its business plan, when the market for marine goods is limited and their are many substitute products available? If the majority of what they end up selling are things you need at the moment (nuts, bolts, caulking, replacement for things that break you must replace quickly) and the majority of large ticket things are bought from other sources, how can that be good for their overall cash flow? All the same...thanks for reopening the West Marine store on Harrison Avenue in New Orleans..the boaters of N.O. thank you.
As much as it pains me to say it, I have to give credit to West Marine for reopening their store in New Orleans. Their store was flooded in the Levee Fiasco following Katrina, and they just had their grand opening in February of this year. They reopened in the same location, and the store is fully stocked and looks better than it did before. Of course, the prices are the same as other WM stores, but they are here and that counts for a lot when you are trying to get a city back on its feet. But man, the prices!!!...I'm trying to support businesses that reopen in the area...but I still have my Defender and Hamilton marine catalogs when I can't stand it.. Actually, I think that WM pricing structure will hurt it in the long run..yes, they did a debt deal and bought up all the competition so they could increase their prices...but now they MUST increase their prices to service the expansion costs, and the internet gets easier to use every year. CalebD and others make a good point, but I wonder how successful in the long run a business can be that opens itself up for price competition as part of its business plan, when the market for marine goods is limited and their are many substitute products available? If the majority of what they end up selling are things you need at the moment (nuts, bolts, caulking, replacement for things that break you must replace quickly) and the majority of large ticket things are bought from other sources, how can that be good for their overall cash flow? All the same...thanks for reopening the West Marine store on Harrison Avenue in New Orleans..the boaters of N.O. thank you.
WM v. BoatUS
There was a BoatUS store in the same town as a West Marine near where I dock my boat. I found the BoatUS store to be functionally as well stocked as WM, but the service was far superior. It seemed that every salesperson at BoatUS was a knowledgable, experienced boater, while almost all of the help at WM were teenagers or twentysomethings with little to no boating smarts. When West took over BoatUS, the BoatUS store still had its superior service, even though they were a WM outlet. I guess WM decided they didn't need two stores within three miles of each other, so guess which one they closed? The former BoatUS store closed last month. I haven't been to the WM store, but I am hoping they hired the BoatUS help. WM prices are a mystery to me. I recently bought a replacement tiller. All of the outlets stock merchandise from the same manufacturer (H and L Marine Woodworks) with the same model numbers. However, WM had the tiller for $129.99, and Defender had the exact same item for $62.99. To add insult to injury, WM sold the item the year before for I think $79. I bought the tiller from Defender over the internet. It arrived two days later in perfect condition. Even with shipping and sales tax (I am in the same state as Defender, so they have to collect sales tax from me), it was much less expensive from Defender. In contrast, I bought a new Windex last year, and WM had the lowest price available. I think it reasonable for me to expect that it will cost more to buy something from a stocked and staffed store, but the discrepancy between the tiller prices really made no sense to me.
There was a BoatUS store in the same town as a West Marine near where I dock my boat. I found the BoatUS store to be functionally as well stocked as WM, but the service was far superior. It seemed that every salesperson at BoatUS was a knowledgable, experienced boater, while almost all of the help at WM were teenagers or twentysomethings with little to no boating smarts. When West took over BoatUS, the BoatUS store still had its superior service, even though they were a WM outlet. I guess WM decided they didn't need two stores within three miles of each other, so guess which one they closed? The former BoatUS store closed last month. I haven't been to the WM store, but I am hoping they hired the BoatUS help. WM prices are a mystery to me. I recently bought a replacement tiller. All of the outlets stock merchandise from the same manufacturer (H and L Marine Woodworks) with the same model numbers. However, WM had the tiller for $129.99, and Defender had the exact same item for $62.99. To add insult to injury, WM sold the item the year before for I think $79. I bought the tiller from Defender over the internet. It arrived two days later in perfect condition. Even with shipping and sales tax (I am in the same state as Defender, so they have to collect sales tax from me), it was much less expensive from Defender. In contrast, I bought a new Windex last year, and WM had the lowest price available. I think it reasonable for me to expect that it will cost more to buy something from a stocked and staffed store, but the discrepancy between the tiller prices really made no sense to me.
I Came to Sailing from...
R/C Aircraft and it is much the same there. A local hobby shop will charge sometimes double what you can get even at Lowes or Home Depot. As it has been said here, I shop the internet when I have time and can have the item/s sent via ground. However, I am willing to pay the price if it is something that I don't have the time to wait for. Paying more for the convenience is what I figure it really is. I guess we could be considered lucky here in Tulsa where we have a West Marine and Boatersworld stores. It still remains a pricey option to shop at either though.
R/C Aircraft and it is much the same there. A local hobby shop will charge sometimes double what you can get even at Lowes or Home Depot. As it has been said here, I shop the internet when I have time and can have the item/s sent via ground. However, I am willing to pay the price if it is something that I don't have the time to wait for. Paying more for the convenience is what I figure it really is. I guess we could be considered lucky here in Tulsa where we have a West Marine and Boatersworld stores. It still remains a pricey option to shop at either though.
Now Have Mail In Rebates
I noticed in the latest West Marine ad that Micron bottom paint has to be purchased at full price with a MAIL IN REBATE. UGH!!!!!!
I noticed in the latest West Marine ad that Micron bottom paint has to be purchased at full price with a MAIL IN REBATE. UGH!!!!!!
Mostly, I shop Defender
I just might be in the running this year for the highest volume sales with Defender. For the past two weeks I have had at least one package a day arriving. I hate it when I place an order and then...DAYUM! I forgot to order ...fill in the blank. That said, I did order a Mermaid A/C installation kit from WM. They were closing out that item and it was $180.00, roughly half price. So it does pay to check out their clearance and close outs. We have both a WM and a BoatersWorld here in Panama City. We always check the prices at both when we go shopping. BoatersWorld is routinely 15-35% CHEAPER for the same items.
I just might be in the running this year for the highest volume sales with Defender. For the past two weeks I have had at least one package a day arriving. I hate it when I place an order and then...DAYUM! I forgot to order ...fill in the blank. That said, I did order a Mermaid A/C installation kit from WM. They were closing out that item and it was $180.00, roughly half price. So it does pay to check out their clearance and close outs. We have both a WM and a BoatersWorld here in Panama City. We always check the prices at both when we go shopping. BoatersWorld is routinely 15-35% CHEAPER for the same items.
Boy, is HE correct!
I try to avoid BoatUS and WM because their prices have been consistently higher by $1-$5 on almost all items. But their paint sale this year wasn't too bad for the WM ablative product. Their stock is typically horrible and their standard answer is, "The truck will be in Tuesday - try then." I fell for that once or twice, but no more. I am fortunate to have Defender not too far down the road or a Boater's World in town. There are 4 WM's within 20 miles of Newport and they never have what I need. I don't know how they stay in business with all the local competition to us. When I really need something, I know where to go. Even my marina is often cheaper than they are - go figure!
I try to avoid BoatUS and WM because their prices have been consistently higher by $1-$5 on almost all items. But their paint sale this year wasn't too bad for the WM ablative product. Their stock is typically horrible and their standard answer is, "The truck will be in Tuesday - try then." I fell for that once or twice, but no more. I am fortunate to have Defender not too far down the road or a Boater's World in town. There are 4 WM's within 20 miles of Newport and they never have what I need. I don't know how they stay in business with all the local competition to us. When I really need something, I know where to go. Even my marina is often cheaper than they are - go figure!
One thing about WM
is there return policy, its the best I shop price and use Defender(just got something today)that was 30 dollars cheaper than WM even with a 20% discount from the manager,and he said the same thing about not matching Defenders price but said always see him first cause ya never know and if they do not have something they will check stock with the other stores and where I live there are lots of WM within 30 to 45 min drive. I happen to know the manager of one store very well(we worked together b-4 he joined WM)and he said the mark up on the hardware is unbelievable. The inverter that I got a great deal on last year took a sh..t and I brought it back and they said go take another off the shelf,quick and easy no questions asked and I thought what a pain if I'd bought it somewhere else like the internet.
is there return policy, its the best I shop price and use Defender(just got something today)that was 30 dollars cheaper than WM even with a 20% discount from the manager,and he said the same thing about not matching Defenders price but said always see him first cause ya never know and if they do not have something they will check stock with the other stores and where I live there are lots of WM within 30 to 45 min drive. I happen to know the manager of one store very well(we worked together b-4 he joined WM)and he said the mark up on the hardware is unbelievable. The inverter that I got a great deal on last year took a sh..t and I brought it back and they said go take another off the shelf,quick and easy no questions asked and I thought what a pain if I'd bought it somewhere else like the internet.
Convenience
Here's the way I look at it. I can go into a 7-11 and pay .89 for a candy bar, or I can go into Long's and get 3 of those same candy bars for a buck. So why is it I still stop into a 7-11 for a snack from time to time, convenience. I look at WM the same way. I know I can usually save some money if I shop around and on large ticket items I do, but then there are other times when it's worth an extra 25% to get what I want right now, on my way to the boat and be done with it. I find this to be especially true with the less expensive items, which with the new WM policy is all I'm buying from them. Paying $5.00 for a $4.00 item doesn't bug me as much as paying $1,000 for an $800 item.
Here's the way I look at it. I can go into a 7-11 and pay .89 for a candy bar, or I can go into Long's and get 3 of those same candy bars for a buck. So why is it I still stop into a 7-11 for a snack from time to time, convenience. I look at WM the same way. I know I can usually save some money if I shop around and on large ticket items I do, but then there are other times when it's worth an extra 25% to get what I want right now, on my way to the boat and be done with it. I find this to be especially true with the less expensive items, which with the new WM policy is all I'm buying from them. Paying $5.00 for a $4.00 item doesn't bug me as much as paying $1,000 for an $800 item.
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