West Marine changing strategies: likely de-emphasising sailing related support

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

Most people on this forum tend to be more hard-core sailors than the average WM customer, who is happy about the lifestyle product line being increased.


s.

I see the annual bash WM thread started a bit late this year.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by bstreep

I'm not a big fan of WM. That being said, recently we've been surprised not once, but twice with the reasonableness of pricing on some marine items. In particular A/C pumps. Could I get them cheaper elsewhere? Sure, but only about $10 - say 5%. And WM had them in stock.

Yeah, typical of a lot of the non mom and pop stores. What the bean counters don't realize is.... after you make the trip to say... Lowes Hardware.... a few times and they are out of stock for what you want... you just quit going!
The mental process is: "should I go down to WM and see if they have 3 of these in stock? nah...(then you remember the last few trips when they didn't have any of what you needed) I'll just search and clik and it'll be here Tuesday..."
I swear there's more time spent running around finding the right parts in boat work than actually doing the work....

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

............after you make the trip to say... Lowes Hardware.... a few times and they are out of stock for what you want... you just quit going!
The mental process is: "should I go down to WM and see if they have 3 of these in stock? nah...(then you remember the last few trips when they didn't have any of what you needed) I'll just search and clik and it'll be here Tuesday..."
I swear there's more time spent running around finding the right parts in boat work than actually doing the work....

Must be another sign of the times.

Folks don't use phones to make telephone calls, and WM probably doesn't do texts very well.

If that's the issue, why not CALL AHEAD and simply ask?

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Must be another sign of the times.

Folks don't use phones to make telephone calls, and WM probably doesn't do texts very well.

If that's the issue, why not CALL AHEAD and simply ask?

I'm sure I'm not the only one with the experience of calling ahead, being told the part is in stock only to find out after a 30-40min drive that the associate who told me that never bothered to walk 20 feet to look on the shelves and just went with what the store computer told him.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

I'm sure I'm not the only one with the experience of calling ahead, being told the part is in stock only to find out after a 30-40min drive that the associate who told me that never bothered to walk 20 feet to look on the shelves and just went with what the store computer told him.

+1

Oh but wait, it gets better. After waiting while a herd of blue shirts stare at the shelf, where I just told them the part wasn't; and after waiting for them to scour the shelves behind the counter, they take my number and say they'll call when they find it. Two days later, having heard nothing, call them to be told it wasn't there, never was. Did they order one? No. Can we order one now? - Sure, but it won't get here for another week; if we ordered it when you came in, it would be here today. Thanks for nothing.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by avb3

That focus is changing, and I don't think boaters will benefit from it. Yes, I pay more at WM in many cases, but there are two on the way to my boat. At least it is available, and I can chose not to buy, couldn't I? At least the product is there. With the changes, that already is dissipating, and that does not serve the sailing community well.

Before WM expanded, there probably would have been some other "mom and pop" chandlery nearby so not much gained there. My problem with them is that they expanded way beyond what they should have by flooding the boating market with discounted stuff, driving their smaller competitors out of business. Once they eliminated most of them, they raised prices back to what the smaller chandleries used to charge and now that hasn't worked so they are phasing out useful stuff and switching to "lifestyle items" so the boating public will be right back where we were before, except without the small chandleries. At this point I don't feel that I can trust them to even know what business they want to be in. I prefer Defender and Hamilton's anyway. At least they know what business they want to be in.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

+1

Oh but wait, it gets better. After waiting while a herd of blue shirts stare at the shelf, where I just told them the part wasn't; and after waiting for them to scour the shelves behind the counter, they take my number and say they'll call when they find it. Two days later, having heard nothing, call them to be told it wasn't there, never was. Did they order one? No. Can we order one now? - Sure, but it won't get here for another week; if we ordered it when you came in, it would be here today. Thanks for nothing.

Or they're having a "sale" on a backing plate which is in the discounted bin. The "sale" price is $164 for 5"X5" 1/8" thick ss plate with 4 holes at the corners. I'm inquiring if it's gold or platinum underneath. Nope, says the sales associate, it's a solid ss backing plate. Is it made by Bentley or Rolls Royce by any chance? Nope, it's Garelick or some such. Then I ask why is it that I can get the same plate at any metal shop for under $20. Well, says the sales associate, may be that's what you should do. And that's exactly what I did. Duhhh... And these same people will be pushing "lifestyle" crap? Time to short WM stock ASAP.

[dohenyboy]

Almost all brick-and-mortar retailers are being greatly affected by online retailers. WM probably only accelerated the demise of local chandelries..but not all of them.80% of WM customers do not care about the funky part that is not in stock.


Sent from an undisclosed location on the high seas or from the lounge chair by the pool, you decide.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by dohenyboy

Almost all brick-and-mortar retailers are being greatly affected by online retailers. WM probably only accelerated the demise of local chandelries..but not all of them.80% of WM customers do not care about the funky part that is not in stock.

Quite a few of those "funky" parts are pretty necessary on a sailboat. Since they're really not a discounter any more, if what you say about 80% of their customers being satisfied with what's in their stores were true, then they'd be making a bundle and there would be no need to switch to lifestyle items. I think it's a lot more likely that 80% of their customers have noticed the high prices and unavailability of many things we need, so more and more have chosen to order online and now WM is responding to that by becoming a boutique with a nautical-ish decorating theme.

[Dulcesuenos]

Their customer svc has been getting suckier also. Just 2 days ago I went to the Key largo location to purchase a norcold portable fridge freezer and to exchange a defective 2 month old west marine only led light mount an they for some reason couldn't find the $12. Item in the system. Held up a huge line of customers I didnt make a big deal of it but said if you cant take care of me on this how can I expect you to take care of me on a $600. Item ? And left. We are ordering from an online store. WM deserves whatever hardships they have. Part of the higher prices of a Retail store is to deliver better customer service. It seems the internet beats them in that department also.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[4arch]

Originally Posted by avb3

West Marine will host a conference call to discuss the information included in this press release on January 29, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

So did anyone call in? Were the predictions made in this thread accurate?

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by 4arch

So did anyone call in? Were the predictions made in this thread accurate?

You don't understand. This is the whiney sailors forum, not the actually do something forum.
It happens every year.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

You don't understand. This is the whiney sailors forum, not the actually do something forum.
It happens every year.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

You don't understand. This is the whiney sailors forum, not the actually do something forum.
It happens every year.

Many posters have posted specific complaints based on personal experiences. If your WM experiences differ from ours, do you have anything specific to say in support of WM or do you just want to whine about the folks who have encountered poor service and fewer useful boat parts in WM stores telling other people about it?

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

Many posters have posted specific complaints based on personal experiences. If your WM experiences differ from ours, do you have anything specific to say in support of WM or do you just want to whine about the folks who have encountered poor service and fewer useful boat parts in WM stores telling other people about it?