Our local West Marine is closing

kpgraci · Jan 2, 2013

I'm doing my part to keep ours afloat.

They need to stop sending out that huge catalog and just go with the online version - that should save some bucks.

Jackdaw · Jan 2, 2013

drumbeater said:
Never was busy so it's not a big surprise. The guy there hinted that there may be a lot of closures this year. Anybody else see their local store closing?

We both agreed that if they looked hard at their retail pricing they may have a better chance. We also agreed that with all of the online stores even then a retail shop probably wouldn't survive. Unless you were in Jacksonville, Charleston, or some major coastal city like that.

Sorry to hear that.

Lots of people don't know that WM stores will ALWAYS price match the internet guys. And you save shipping, even if they have to ship it in to the store. Now you have to pay sales tax, but I'm OK with that. roads and good schools are not free.

Mike B1026 · Jan 2, 2013

Price Matching

Jackdaw said:
Sorry to hear that.

Lots of people don't know that WM stores will ALWAYS price match the internet guys. And you save shipping, even if they have to ship it in to the store. Now you have to pay sales tax, but I'm OK with that. roads and good schools are not free.

They will up to a point (price match). Defender.com was running a special on a claw anchor. WM store said they couldn't match it because the price was below their cost.

srhummer · Jan 2, 2013

The Deale MD store just expanded to have more sailing gear!

Ron20324 · Jan 2, 2013

I'm told the Hillsmere in Annapolis store is going to move up the street to a new building, but have not heard officially when. If that happens, I'm betting the store by the mall will close.

Joe · Jan 2, 2013

The little West Marine Express store in Mission Bay's Dana Landing closed last fall, much to my disappointment... a very small, convenient store with excellent staff. I think the experienced WM employees considered it a country club assignment... It's like the difference between big box hardware and your local mom and pop. Same thing happend to the chandlery at Mission Bay Marina 7 or 8 years back...they blamed it on local tax laws....whatever.. the kayak outfitter and rental base that took over the location has been crankin'..... go figure..... that's business.

I think WM expanded outside their normal market area as an experiment when profits were up, and are now just doing what all businesses do to survive and prosper.... cutting the non profitable stores and their staff........

Johnb · Jan 2, 2013

As much as they are criticized they are a useful resource, especially with Saturday and Sunday opening. In the Bay Area they have 9 stores so there is always one within reach when you need one last item to complete a project. Nearby boat yard chandleries are tending more and more to be closed on weekends.

I think it is also valuable to be able to physically browse and see what you are buying, and be able to return it if needed.

jimmcgee · Jan 2, 2013

Bashing West Marine is a popular passtime for some, but in truth I spend a lot of money with them. As others have said they'll price match, and if you're a West Marine member you get gift certificates back that you can use against future purchases for every so many $$ spent in the store.

West also has a pretty liberal return policy. It makes it easier to buy that part "in case you need it" knowing there will be no hassle on the return if you don't.

I also think the catalog is a great resource.

jimmcgee · Jan 2, 2013

BTW, keep an eye out on discounts as they get closer to closing. I replaced damn near all my running rigging for 10 cents on a dollar when one near me closed.

Blitz · Jan 2, 2013

The west marine stores in New Jersey mostly cater to the power boater so I haven't found their expertise the best with sailing but more for all things boats. I have used their price match for everyday savings to their normal $$$ prices.

That being said I usually buy anything planned in advance from Defender since their prices are always lower even with shipping and are usually at my door the next day. I also like to the competition that Defender gives West Marine.

In all, it's 2/3 of my boat store funds going to Defender and 1/3 to West Marine and local privately run stores.

capejt · Jan 2, 2013

We lost ours about a year ago

We lost our WM in New London about a year or so ago. Now the closest is about twenty minutes down the highway. Lucky for me the Defender outlet store is only five minutes away.

Me and Boo · Jan 2, 2013

Ron20324 said:
I'm told the Hillsmere in Annapolis store is going to move up the street to a new building, but have not heard officially when. If that happens, I'm betting the store by the mall will close.

The Deltaville, VA stores did the same. WM built a new super store and consolidated the two smaller stores into it.

kloudie1 · Jan 3, 2013

The one in Baton Rouge caters mostly to power boaters .. with a Bass Pro and a Cabellas close by, I don't think they are going to make it.. The one in Mandeville and the one in New Orleans (Harrison location) seem to be doing OK >>

Winkfish · Jan 3, 2013

I use the one in N.O. a lot. It's 5 minutes from my house. Their prices are rarely (in my experience) out of line, and I like having someone who actually knows a bit about what I need. They seem to cater to sailboats as much as power boats, too.

capta · Jan 3, 2013

A friend was a "big wig" at WM some years back. At that time the management had it in mind to put more emphasis on the boutique side of the stores and be less of a marine supply store. Over the years it seemed that many stores had expanded their clothing sections and had less informed marine stock personnel.
Sadly they wiped out so many small independent marine stores, so now if they go under or cut back to only large market stores, I guess it will be virtually impossible to get a small job done w/o online ordering and shipping time.
It's really a shame, but we've allowed these mega-stores to eradicate the small, friendly neighborhood operations that seemed more interested in serving the boating community than the bottom line.
Ain't progress great?

Chris Patterson · Jan 3, 2013

I'm sure I'll get blasted for this, but it would be a happy day for me to see everyone of them go under. Last summer during an autopilot install I was doing for a very, very "high end" customer, they repeatedly lied to me, at the store, and at a corporate level about something so simple as a shipping/arrival date. My customer couldn't have cared less about how much it cost, and I relayed this info to wm. I explained in no uncertain terms, that I would pay for a Corvette to DRIVE the part from California, it did not matter. I generally can order a part from anywhere on the planet, and have it on my desk at 10 in the morning. It took them two weeks. While they passed the buck, and in the end it was all in-house.
My customer lost the departure date. Rich people are funny about wanting things their way, when they want it.

I.....lost a very good customer.

I can not remember the last time I was so mad.

I've still got a handful of their advantage reward coupons, I was a gold card member. And can't bring myself to go in there to use them. I told the wife to take them down there and buy shoes or something, because here, they don't know a lanyard from a halyard anyway...

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CHANDLER

Dalliance · Jan 3, 2013

I would hate to lose my local WM

The manager at the Chicago (North Avenue) store is great; a very knowledgeable sailboat owner who is always helpful. Their return policy is very liberal, they will order anything not in stock for pick-up - no shipping charge, and they will price match to the extent they can. I do use internet sites, including this one, but I probably spend more than half my boat maintenance supply budget at WM by choice and out of loyalty.

DianaOfBurlington · Jan 8, 2013

West Marine, etc.

Unless it's changed since I managed a WM store, WM policy doesn't get into matching prices of Internet-only retailers. They will match anyone's Internet price provided the supplier has a brick-and-mortar store within some 'reasonable' driving commute. If you lived in northern NJ or in NYC this would include Defender whose physical store is in Connecticut.

In the store(s) where I worked we used to tell customers who came in looking for us to match Internet-only prices that you get what you pay for. I cannot tell you how often people came in 'with no receipt' trying to get 'refunds' from WM on stuff they bought online. At least the people who asked us to service their purchases were more honest about it.

I tried suggesting this long ago but to deaf ears-- WM should charge $5.00 for the catalogue and knock all the 'retail' prices back about 5%. This would no doubt net a savings.

Since I am not in this business any more I'll share the trade secret. The typical marina store buys their store stock from a regional wholesaler who will discount to them about 40%. This means an item retailing for $100 will cost them $60. Adding back in the store's necessary overhead of 40%, this would net a lowest retail-sale price of $84. So the average marine retailer can, at discretion, discount about 15% from posted retail price and still make money. Ask them (don't quote me though). These people are in business to make money but only if they get the business.

West Marine has always listed MSRP in their book. These are NOT discounted prices, ever (excluding sale-event flyers). When you compare someone like Defender who discount from MSRP right out of the box, your eyes will be opened. Defender has exactly one store, basically their warehouse with a storefront. Their catalogue prices are frequently 20% or 25% off MSRP (even on stuff from vendors like Schaefer and Garhauer who have their own online stores). WM has all those stores and regional distribution centers to support. They are phenomenal about providing service and are a vital link to us boaties; but don't kid yourself-- there is a cost involved. The best we can do is to patronize them as much as we can, to encourage them to continue to provide it; but let's not be fooled that they're either the only game in the business or the cheapest.

(The other idea I pitched to them in those days was that of a 'West Marine Express', a smaller store, more commonly located, stocking only spares and consumables like paint, cleaning products, maintenance items, etc., and having the full power of the catalogue from which to order. This, too, fell on deaf ears. So maybe there's an element of Darwinism here too.

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