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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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West Marine - Not So Dark Sided

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danandlu
Navigator

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USA
174 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/28/2007 : 18:26:02

Over a year ago, almost 2 years actually, I bought a pair of Huahine 7X50 binoculars from West Marine. They were on sale for $49.95. I've used them alot, they are actually quite good optic wise. I noticed one of the front lenses was loose last weekend so I looked them up at WM.com and the warranty says "limited lifetime". I called WM, talked to a rep, told my story, who then forwarded me to a customer care rep (I thought this was the beginning of the "run around") told my story once again and he said he'd send out a new pair right away, this was Monday. He said go ahead and keep the old pair as a spare, throw them away, whatever, he wasn't going to bother with making me return them. I thought that's pretty good of WM but wasn't holding my breath. The new pair arrived this afternoon.

It's not a big deal but I think it's worth telling when a company does good.

Dan Henderson
1982 FK/TR #3328
"Chesapeake"
Missoula, Flathead Lake, Montana

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2007 : 19:11:32

Good to hear. I can also relate a nice small gesture from Defender... I bought something at their warehouse sale back in March, and only got around to opening the box to install it this week. Wrong thing. (The picture was of the right thing, but the checkbox said it was a variation.) I went back over there yesterday (3 months later), and was told by the store manager that their policy was 30 days for returning something other than under warranty (i.e., "the wrong thing"), but he went ahead and traded me for the right thing. My bad, his good. For prices and service, Defender is at the top of my list. (...and I can walk to a big WM store from my house--Defender is a 15 minute drive. I live in marine-shopping paradise!)

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2007 : 20:56:45

I would give kudos to WM also. When I blew our battery charger by using them during charging, I took the unit back to them. They took care of it. Not the first time that they have won my continued patronage.

Mind you, when it comes to buying block and tackle, I go to Sailorman, their prices cannot be beat! However, I have no experience of returns to them.

Paul

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2007 : 20:38:10

Anyone's experience has more to do w/ the personality of the WM person than anything else...

Edited by - on

Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2007 : 07:47:39

I've been very happy with my local West Marine. Most of the employees are nice and helpful. I do think their regular prices are a little high, but I have found some excellent deals in the clearance sales, regular sales, and every so often I'll get a coupon for $15 off $75 or more which is pretty good.

I also really like Defender and that is where I place most of my mail orders. They have been great, helpful, will custom order items, and beat most competitors.

West Marine is very convenient since they are on the way to my boat and if I need something that day, I can easily pick it up. I stopped by just about every single weekend the past two months with all my projects I recently completed to pick up things I needed, sometimes unexpectedly.

Edited by - on

roberoo
Navigator

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USA
182 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2007 : 21:26:04

The absolute best news from my brother:

My Brother: I am semi retiring and going to work part time for WM.

The "Family Discount" is awesome!!!!!!

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2007 : 19:25:04

I think WM is not enjoying the monopoly they thought they had, and actually will have to provide service for their top dollar sales....

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2007 : 07:43:22

I like WM. Though their prices are often higher I factor in the free shipping and the coupons I get back from my purchases. It makes the prices much more competitive. My experience is that WM ships quickly, readily accepts returns, has the best catalog and has what I need. Though I also shop online at defender.com and others, WM is my favorite source. When I do get to a WM store (closest is 100 miles away

) I find the staff helpful. For me, a visit to a WM store is a treat, like a kid in a candy store.

Edited by - on

dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2007 : 08:12:02

bob
aren 't you a cousin to mike.
well mike's my brother.

next time you order from west marine i need a couple of pages of things.

would like to use the family discount.

dave holtrave
5722 sk/tr
sailing carlyle lake in southern illinois

Edited by - on

roberoo
Navigator

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USA
182 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2007 : 21:13:42

Dave,

My extended family has grown. I am very popular it seems any time I am going to WM I have tag along friends.

It does amaze me is their mark up on some items. Some things they are very competitive with others it is extreme.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/04/2007 : 22:14:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by roberoo
 It does amaze me is their mark up on some items. Some things they are very competitive with others it is extreme.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That's so they can give the family discount to half the town and still soak them.

Their price on a tiller a few years ago was triple that of Catalina Direct for the same item (shipped) from the same supplier. Their price for a Kenyon butane stove is currently 75% higher than Defender's. Happy shopping...

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2007 : 08:02:36

I went to WM yesterday to buy some stainless bolts, wingnuts, washers...etc, and when I put them on the counter at the checkout line, the manager said, "Is that all you have?...Go ahead, just take it. You're in here all the time...Happy 4th of July!"

Happy 4th of July, indeed!

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2007 : 09:10:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 I went to WM yesterday to buy some stainless bolts, wingnuts, washers...etc, and when I put them on the counter at the checkout line, the manager said, "Is that all you have?...Go ahead, just take it. You're in here all the time...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago, I had several nuts bolts and washers, they told me just to go on, "see ya next time"

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2007 : 09:52:15

One of my wife's best friends is a district manager for WM here on the left coast. She's pretty good about extending her discount to us, but I try not to abuse it. She started out as a stock clerk just a few years ago, and now manages all the stores from PDX north to AK. We reserve asking her for the discount only on large purchases. For piddly stuff I try to shop online first for a better price, but if I need it right away, there's a WM about 10 blocks away from my office, and another about 12 miles from my house and close to other shopping.

Don't forget that WM has a "meet or beat" [url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayPageView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&page=Policies&section=care#02"]pricing policy[/url]. If you can find a lower price in either online or printed ad, they'll match it or beat it. See the link above for specifics and caveats.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2007 : 14:17:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">"Is that all you have?...Go ahead, just take it. You're in here all the time...Happy 4th of July!"<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yeah, and then I come in and find an empty drawer, and the clerk goes "I don't know, computer says I should have 4000 of them......"

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ilnadi
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 09/20/2007 : 09:26:25

felt the need to revive this. I've been looking online for safety gear (if you wonder why see the cruising section) and so far WM has the best prices and the best selection. The last bit was a surprise when I compare them to sailing-specific places line Annapolis and Mauri. i honestly expected them to have good prices on whatever they have in stock.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 09/20/2007 : 22:16:22

And if you read Practical Sailor you will see that WM also has the best safety equipment when it comes to PFDs, Harneses, tethers, etc.

Edited by - on

bbriner
Captain

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349 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2007 : 11:46:20

The WM stores around here are well stocked with nuts and bolts hardware - I've had quite a few projects this year and they have had everything I need. Occasionally I have gone to the boatyard chandlery and it seems that they are invariably 'out of stock' on what I need. The comment on the tiller price of WM and CD above is completely inaccurate (now). I bought a CD tiller and ended up sending it back. It was not described and it seemed (to me) inferior. The WM tiller price was more but not much so. I have purchased all of my running rigging at the WM Rigging shop and they have been very helpful and price competitive. I had a WM VHF (handheld) that just stopped working. I didn't have the receipt but they had the sales record in the computer. Took it back, applied a full refund to a new ICOM VHF, with no hassle. I have ZERO complaints about WM.... well actually I do have one. They closed the WM that was closest to my marina. It was 10 minutes away. Now the closest is 20 minutes away. Argh.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2007 : 12:08:03

I have never been to a WM, hense my dependance on Lowes and eBay.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2007 : 13:49:48

Prices aside, I've always been impressed by the expertise and that any staffer I've ever dealt with is at least a boater if not a sailor.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3440 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2007 : 17:11:45

Must have been last year, I was in WM one of my many frequent ventures and happen to be talking to the salespeople about the various Taylor Fenders. I had wanted to replace one from the PO which was not holding air after refilling with a bicycle pump and needle. It had a slight bubble leak that over time reduced the pressure somewhat. The salesperson indicated I should bring it in since Taylor has a lifetime warranty against defects and things like small leaks as I had experienced. This fender was who knows how old...but they took it back and gave me a nice shiny blue one.

Edited by - OLarryR on 09/21/2007 17:12:45

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 09/21/2007 : 17:34:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Frank Hopper
 I have never been to a WM, hense my dependance on Lowes and eBay.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">You mean you don't buy "Marine Quality"?? How disappointing!

Edited by - on

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