west marine's pricing is so weird

[rebel heart]

So I was looking for the Walker Bay 8 tube kit. Our family is bigger, I love the walker bay rigid dinghy, but I want something that's easier for us to use and more forgiving when stepping on the rails. Anyway:

West Marine: $800, out of stock, I'd pay sales tax.

Jamestown Distributors: $600, in stock, no sales tax, and free shipping this week.

[savoir]

Weird? Nah! Just expensive.

[MarkSF]

West Marine will price match, and ship it to the store for free.

[savoir]

I quit going there when they wanted $19 for a quart of kerosene.

[gonesail]

west marine: they smile at you while robbing you blind

[keepondancin]

I went into WM to get a new catalogue and they tried to charge me, when I balked, they asked if I was a member and said I could have ONE. I mentioned I dealt with them when it was a rope store out of a garage and they looked at me like I had two heads. Here in Florida there are all kinds of places to buy stuff at reasonable prices, and quite often you are dealling with the owner, not paying share holders.

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

West Marine will price match, and ship it to the store for free.

That's true ... I've got some stuff from WM at Defender prices. They even check the Defender price for you if you ask at the checkout. Do not know how to achieve this online ... call the customer service I guess.

[Bash]

WM changed the price-match policy effective March 1, 2013.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ing-98930.html

[Geoff54]

West Marine recently changed their policy. They now only price match with actual stores within 50 miles of the location you are buying from.

Looks like I was just beaten to it :-)

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by Bash

WM changed the price-match policy effective March 1, 2013.

Good to know ... thanks.

That sucks. No reason for me to even visit WM other than to browse.
Defender is within 1 day shipping distance and no tax for me ... woohoo!

[sailorboy1]

The Jamestown shipping is a special at moment. But are they really going to free ship a dinghy that is probably truck freight ............. to Mexico?

I like all the normal sources and don't trash anyone. I seem to on-line order mostly from Defender, but when I need something now I normally go to West Marine. I'm normally willing to pay a littler more when doing a project to get it NOW, but then I also have a Port Supply card.

[keepondancin]

There is another thread about no more price matching and an argument about online companies and no overhead. I'm pretty sure that many customers don't realize that Defender and Jamestown are actual stores that also sell online. Several times I have driven to Defender to pick things up, and don't mind paying the tax, because they have so much on display, brand names rather than house brands, plus just stuff for boats. You can wander around and find things that you have been looking for , but they are not in the glossy catalogue. They are knowledgable, their staff is helpful, and they special order for you. You are not caught up in the large corporate situation where they have to answer to levels of management. They deal directly with the supplier. Some of the WM stores are staffed with part timers that don't have a clue. I also notice they have limited quantities in stock. If you do a plumbing project, for example, you may need 4 elbows, not just the one that is on the rack. Many corporate managers think they can change their customers to their way of thinking, but the truly succesful ones listen to the customer and change to the customer's way of thinking. They used to be so much better.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Don L

The Jamestown shipping is a special at moment. But are they really going to free ship a dinghy that is probably truck freight ............. to Mexico?

I like all the normal sources and don't trash anyone. I seem to on-line order mostly from Defender, but when I need something now I normally go to West Marine. I'm normally willing to pay a littler more when doing a project to get it NOW, but then I also have a Port Supply card.

It's the tube kit, not a full dinghy, and I'm having it sent to San Diego.

[captain58sailin]

Jamestown distributors does have a brick and mortar store, but it is hard to find. Dealing with them in person was not as pleasurable as dealing with them on the phone for mail orders.

[cfarrar]

There's also Hamilton Marine: good prices, good people, retail stores in Maine but they ship anywhere.