west marine's pricing is so weird

[S/V Illusion]

Guess its time for the periodic west marine bashing. This gets monotonous.

[bobconnie]

We have a West Marine right in town down here! But we almost never go there! There are so many Independant marine stores that will order if they don't have something in stock, and they sell for so much less then WM that it feels good to buy there cus ya get a better deal and the local fella stays in Bizz and he will be there for ya when ya need him !! Heck I make an annual trip to the west coast to see the kids and pick up marine gear at a REAL Marine store!! LOL not a WM Play pretty store !! Try buying Good galvie chain for a price ya can afford at WM then go to a Local Marine store and price it !! Might be in for a suprise!! We buy High quailty galvie chain just down the Bayou for almost half what WM wants for there chain. Just sayin some times it pays to shop in your Local Marine stores, at least give the locals a chance to better WMs prices!!

[sailorboy1]

Heck for me West Marine IS the local marine store!

But I buy from West Marine, Defender, Hamilton, or Jamestown depending on what I'm getting etc.

Does that make me a whore?

[BlackOak]

Off topic....but...this is the furthest I have been from a West Marine since buying my boat, the nearest one to me is 200+ miles away. Saving money for sure!

[bobconnie]

Don L, ya mean to tell me that liveing where you do Mass, and NH, theres no independant fishermans Marine stores?? I find that hard to believe!! Maybe a phone book might help ?? LOL

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Don L, ya mean to tell me that liveing where you do Mass, and NH, theres no independant fishermans Marine stores?? I find that hard to believe!! Maybe a phone book might help ?? LOL

Hey if they can not be bothered to walk the marina parking lots with signs so I know where/who they are why would you expect me to go there?

I take it back. Last year I went by a marine store down the road from my house that I always get pop ups for here on CF................they were closed.

[shorebird]

Although I like West Marine, I once tried to order the plastic knob that fits on the Jabsco head flushing lever... they wanted $80 and 3 weeks for delivery, including a "drop-ship" charge. went to Steveston Marine, and paid $10 for the part and it was in stock. Also bought a small tub of 3M wax at WM for $32, then bought another tub of the same stuff at Steveston for $28. (I also get a 10% yacht club discount at Steveston, West Marine? Notta.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Guess its time for the periodic west marine bashing. This gets monotonous.

I shaved two hundred bucks and got what I needed from another merchant; that's bashing?

[bobconnie]

One do not need to bash WM there do a pretty good job of bashing there own name, just with the attitude of there emplyees !! A great group they got there, never saw so many folks with a job that was spose to be customer service, that could care less if ya bought anything !! And except for new employees, very few even know how to smile !! It seems like the attitude trickles down from the top !!! For me. give me a local store where you can deal with a owner, and ask for a lower price ! you might not get one but they at least they will listen !!

[bstreep]

Most of the good WM employees work there just to get the employee pricing. Believe me, I know...

Frankly, I like supporting the local stores. But it's gotten WAY tougher. The San Antonio store closes at 5pm. WTH? 5pm? And, they are closed on Sunday. CLOSED ON SUNDAY!!! It's no wonder that store is failing. When you ask the manager about it, she says it's out of her control.

The Corpus Christi store is pretty decent, and we WERE regulars there, on our way to Port Aransas. But now, with the 50 mile radius rule (this is TEXAS - NOTHING is within 50 miles), I don't even bother. Defender or Jamestown both deliver within 4 days. To my house. No hurry to make an absurd closing time.

[bobconnie]

bstreep, did ya ever count the Marine stores ya pass driveing from your home to Port Aransas, lol might be a half a dozen even !! just a thought

[Dulcesuenos]

Wanted to buy two spare racor primary filters. For what wm wanted for two i buy could four on line w free shipping and not pay tax. I told they guy and he said they no longer price match internet, not defender or anyone. However he cut ne a nice enough break and i got them anyhow.

It is not West marines fault they are high. It is the manufacturers. Its time people recognized that. The manufacturers of so many products are whores for the dollar they sell to companies that are willing to sell on the internet (i.e. they have no overhead) and make a fraction of the profit a retail store needs to survive.
You people keep bitching about Wm, its not their fault and when are forced to close you will bitch more when you are forced to wait a week or two longer cause you cant find what you need right away.

[seandepagnier]

at least your not in new zealand, they have burnsco which is twice as expensive with half the selection

[zeehag]

wm doesnt need bashing--they do it to themselves.
i will go into wm the day after i die.
until then i will continue to buy my usa based parts for boats in ace hardware and such other alternative locations. fabrication rocks. so do online purchases and an address somewhere else for receipt of goods....i love friends in exotic locales.....

[Mike OReilly]

I'm always bemused by these threads. This is just capitalism, plain and simple. What's something worth? What someone will pay. You don't like the price ...? Shop somewhere else if you can. If you can't, then do without, or pay the price.

WM, like all successful companies, price based on what the market will bear. If people are paying twice the amount at WM compared to other vendors, then why wouldn't WM price at that level? WM is a business, not a charity or a service to boaters. It will charge as much as it can.