Ok, this surprised me... West Marine to match prices

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

I will admit that I'm a huge WestMarine fanboy. But that has a lot to do with the fact that I' have access to a Pro (Portsupply) discount which is pretty incredible.

Interesting point. I wonder if, as they lower prices to match the competition, they'll also have to reduce the discount given to Port Supply customers.

That seems to be one of the most-abused programs in retail. Last year a guy told me he uses the account number the dock master at his marina gave him. I asked who it belonged to. He asked around and few days later gave me a name. My response: "That guy's been dead for two years!"

As I understand it, the more you use it, the bigger the discount. So the game is to share your number with as many people as possible.

Doesn't seem like an honest way to run a business, to me.

[ronstory]

Regarding my post on the SH HX870 handset, I just got flyer from WM that had it listed as available item for $200 price... and no mention of the usual "Save 20%" or "Regularly $250". It just appears as the normal price.

That is promising.

[BlackHeron]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Interesting point. I wonder if, as they lower prices to match the competition, they'll also have to reduce the discount given to Port Supply customers.

That seems to be one of the most-abused programs in retail. Last year a guy told me he uses the account number the dock master at his marina gave him. I asked who it belonged to. He asked around and few days later gave me a name. My response: "That guy's been dead for two years!"

As I understand it, the more you use it, the bigger the discount. So the game is to share your number with as many people as possible.

Doesn't seem like an honest way to run a business, to me.

You have to be on the list of approved people to use the pro discount. They check every time, and even ask to see an ID if they don't know you when you buy stuff on the pro discount. This doesn't happen to me unless it is new employee as they all know me by name. But if I go to another store they do card me.

The more names you have on your list as an account-holder the more the pro account fees are. The sailing school/club I work with has about 7 or 8 names which I think is right at a cut-off to the next level. I probably have spent about $10k/year at WM the past 2 years doing our refit, so I probably help the account status more than any of the other folks on our list.

Just adding random folks to the list isn't the way to go unless they are HEAVY buyers which would help your account pricing level as you mentioned.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

You have to be on the list of approved people to use the pro discount.

I guess our local WM didn't enforce this. The guy who offered me the number to use didn't even know the name of the (long-deceased) account holder. And he said he had often used that number himself.

[Colin A]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I guess our local WM didn't enforce this. The guy who offered me the number to use didn't even know the name of the (long-deceased) account holder. And he said he had often used that number himself.

It's not enforced much in my experience. in any given marina you will find 20-35% of the people have figured out a way to access port supply, which causes some issues I think. Once when I was working in FL I went in to grab some stuff at west (using some one else's port supply card) and I asked what percentage of customers had an account I think he said like 25% of in store sales was port supply. And this was in an area where Port Supply delivered to customers.

[donradcliffe]

I had to buy a Harken 57mm Carbo block with becket yesterday for a boat we want to race on Sunday. When I Googled it, I found the best online retail price (outside Ebay) was $136, and that was the shelf price for West Marine, and their website said the local store had three in stock.

Having dealt with WMP before, I called the store and had them check stock before I drove over there. Imagine my surprise when the store said they did have three on the shelf (years ago my ex used to program the WMP inventory computer).

I drove over and bought one--instant gratification. The story used to be 'well, we don't have one on the shelf, so you will have to special order it, pay for it ahead of time, and it might be on the next truck from the warehouse'.

Its not a direct replacement for the classic triple that blew up, but I feel confident that if I can't make work, WMP will give me a no hassle refund.

I'm feeling some love toward the new WMP management.

[toddster8]

Well, I’ve noticed that they’ve raised the “free shipping” cutoff to $100 from $50, so that probably claws back some of the cost. And deflates some of the difference between WM and Defender for those of us in the West. I recently tried the “free shipping to store” option - this will be the third week in a row that “it’ll be on next Tuesday’s truck.”

[hellosailor]

Don-
Online "in stock" notices are never reliable, and probably never can be reliable, simply because there's no accounting for shrinkage (theft, etc) until the annual physical inventory. Somehow even Amazon (who know how to count, and are fairly severe about shrinkage control) manage to routinely screw things up when there are just one or two pieces shown as being available.
I have been seeing "We'll match prices!" ads prominently from West recently, and that's really good news.

[Capt.Don]

Saw a sign on San Pedro West Marine offering to match prices.

[ronstory]

... and I finally bought the SH HX870 on-line for near magical $199.95 with no price-match zaniness and just had it shipped to my house. Got it in Oregon 3 days later since it was shipped from California.

Plus, it was the best price on the internet at the time... and with WM support and record keeping for any warranty issues.

[zboss]

Yeah... I have to admit that I am liking the new management as well. But... they are replacing much of their products with west marine branded products. They no long stock my preferred chemical but they do stock their branded version of it, which I know nothing about and you can’t price match.

[shadowdancer]

I did like the old price match, but the new policy sucks, items have to sold by amazon not from amazon. west system resin is over $60 a quart on amazon its by west systems not even sure they will take it or a retail store within 50 miles.

I am overhauling a Pearson 424 and used the price match on electrical wire, bottom paint, epoxy and more. will not go in WM again, I have spent thousands with them, I found wholesale Marine to be the best. as long you can wait three days

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by shadowdancer

I did like the old price match, but the new policy sucks, items have to sold by amazon not from amazon.

in addition, like the old price match policy, they'll match a brick & mortar store w/in 50 miles.

This is going to sound like I'm old, but w/the relatively "new age of the internet" (relative to my time era), you actually can shop around for the best pricing and then it shows up on your doorstep.

Sometimes you need the part sooner at a local store and then pay a higher price. Finding even WM doesn't keep most of the items in stock any more and they have to be ordered.


Bill O.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by Bill O

...Finding even WM doesn't keep most of the items in stock any more and they have to be ordered.

Re-reading this year-old thread, I noticed the diatribe on inventory reduction I posted back then. I still think it's true.

[B25Matt]

My beef with West Marine (and most other retail outlets) is that you can't find a knowledgeable person to talk to. I'm prepared to pay a premium to talk to a human being so I can ask some questions about what I'm about to buy.

I've walked into a WM prepared to drop $5k in stuff. I finally got some 16 year old to look up from his phone, we walked over to the auto pilots, I asked a question, and he told me to look it up on line. I doubt the kid knew what a boat was! I walked out and ordered it online from somewhere else and save $1k.

Penny wise, pound foolish. In this industry, you need at least one knowledgeable person on staff at all time.