West Marine vs. Boat U.S. prices

[Gary McDonough]

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary



garym@taxinvest.com

[John K.]

I agree – I quit shopping at West Marine. West Marine used to be OK, but they must have been swallowed up by a larger generic retailer. Their stores seem to stock a small selection of cheap imported stuff, and it’s obvious they are no longer run by boating enthusiasts. Too bad.

[Catherine Monaghan]

The price that West Marine is showing for the Origo 3000 should be for the 4000, which is a drop-in unit, and vice versa. But the stoves are still priced higher than BoatUS, Defender, Overton's or SailNet. SailNet's price for the Origo 3000 is $254.95.

<a href="http://www.sailnet.com/store/item.cfm?p ... ?pid=20606 </a>

Overton's price is $254.99.

<a href="http://mirror1.overtons.com/cgi-bin/ove ... 266DS++</a>


Cathy

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Catherine Monaghan]

The price that West Marine is showing for the Origo 3000 should be for the 4000, which is a drop-in unit, and vice versa. But the stoves are still priced higher than BoatUS, Defender, Overton's or SailNet. SailNet's price for the Origo 3000 is $254.95.

<a href="http://www.sailnet.com/store/item.cfm?p ... ?pid=20606 </a>

Overton's price is $254.99.

<a href="http://mirror1.overtons.com/cgi-bin/ove ... 266DS++</a>


Cathy

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[Warren Kaplan]

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary

You might log on to Performance Yacht website. www.pyacht.com
I haven't checked your stove out but I have found many items substantially cheaper than either West Marine or US Boat. Its worth a look.
Warren



Setsail728@aol.com

[Bill]

Hi Gary

At least in my part of the world WM price matches. I agree that such a huge differance is somewhat strange, but here when I produce proof of a lower price WM matches it.

FW
Bill

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary

cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Steve Kahn]

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary

In houston-I work a lot closer to the W.M. store so I new some of there pricing was higher than boat us-I asked if they would match boat us pricing and they honored it-in fact it was in there computer system of what boat us prices were-Steve K. Houston, Tx.-s/v Spoondrift 2-Kemah, Texas



sailpm2@ix.netcom.com

[Gary]

Cathy,

The price that West Marine is showing for the Origo 3000 should be for the 4000, which is a drop-in unit, and vice versa

If that's the case at least they're consistent. Both the catalog, the web site and my local store have the 3000 for the $580 price

Gary



garym@taxinvest.com

[Tom]

I just bought a Metz masthead antenna for the VHF at West they were $47. I got mine from Defender for $ 29.

I finally decided to remove the pressurized stove/oven on my 30' and replace it with just a regular alcohol stove. A friend of mine said to look at Boat U.S. because their prices are very competitive. I priced the Origo 3000 at Boat U.S. and it sells for $258.99. The same stove at West Marine is $579.99. What a rip-off.

This time of year many of us are acquiring large ticket items for our boats. I guess it reiterates the point that we need to shop around. I used to patronize West Marine because of the convenience, but no longer without doing a little homework first.

Gary

TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Bill]

Very Interesting.....I just bought a Metz from WM and I will call them tomorrow and tell them of the Defender price (I have the catalog) and see what they have to say.

Fair Winds
Bill

I just bought a Metz masthead antenna for the VHF at West they were $47. I got mine from Defender for $ 29.

cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Lou Ostendorff]

Hi Gary;
I have done a lot of price matching at my local West Marine Store in Raleigh, NC and they would always give me the lowest advertised price, even if it came from the Internet. I think it's store policy just to get the business, but you have to ask for it.
Good Luck,
Lou Ostendorff
"KARMA", CD25D
'82, #63



louosten@ipass.net

[Walt Bilofsky]

I used to be a big West Marine fan. Now I am mixed, leaning negative. It's the only large chandlery in the S.F. Bay Area, unfortunately, so I am stuck with it. Boat/US has stores in southern California, which does me no good and requires them to charge me sales tax on mail orders.

West Marine used to give catalogs and tide tables away free. If we asked about items not in stock, they used to urge us to let them order the item in, so we could look at it. Now the catalogs are $10, they sell the same tide tables that the marinas give away, and for a while there was a restocking charge on items ordered in, even if they were catalog items.

To be fair, the local (Sausalito) store has some employees I've relied on for advice many times over the years. Recently a well-respected former manager has returned to straighten the store out, and we have high hopes. But the bean counters need to stop pinching pennies at the cost of West Marine's reputation.

Defender is known for having the lowest price and not much service. It's the only catalog I know that publishes the manufacturers' phone numbers for most items, so Defender won't have to answer phone questions.

My recommendation is to take the Defender catalog to West Marine and get price matches.

- Walt



bilofsky@toolworks.com

[Olli Wendelin]

I have found the West Marine catalog to be much more in depth than either Boat US or Defender. On major purchases I compare prices, but usually go with West Marine because there is a store nearby which I frequent regularly. Most of the guys there recognize me. This always helps with service. When I do a major job or outfitting, I make up a list of what I need, complete with their catalog numbers. I give it to the store and they fill in the prices, usually with good discounts. I just bought all of the rigging to put hand crimp double lifelines on my boat. I received a 25% discount from their normal price on everything, and their normal price was already below the manufacturers suggested price.

Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
Charleston, SC



wendelin@spawar.navy.mil

[Bill]

I just got off the phone with WM in my area. I told them about the Defender price on the Metz antenna, and they will credit my account the differance. Also, this local store has a "store to door" program that if you order it from the store (and they dont have it in stock)and it weighs less than 12 lbs (I think its 12) they will pay the shipping. I use this to offset the cost of having to pay sales tax now that there are WM stores in Oklahoma.

Strange about the catalogs. I was just in the store last week and they had two or three palettes (sp) full of catalogs and they were giving them away!!! (then again i had spent several $KKK over the last 3 months so they might have just looked the other way....)

Finally they dont even ask when I want to return an item. Some of which is 5 or 6 years old, that I was dissatisfied with (at the time immediately following purchase) and just didnt want to pay the shipping back to catalogue returns. They refund/credit the money without question. The only time I was refused a price match was on a closeout Navico TP300 (from BoatUS)...And they said that they could not match the BoatUS price.

And no I dont work for WM.....But hey, who know, maybe someone from Corperate headquarters will see this tread and.....oh well probably NOT.

Fair Winds

Bill

I used to be a big West Marine fan. Now I am mixed, leaning negative. It's the only large chandlery in the S.F. Bay Area, unfortunately, so I am stuck with it. Boat/US has stores in southern California, which does me no good and requires them to charge me sales tax on mail orders.

West Marine used to give catalogs and tide tables away free. If we asked about items not in stock, they used to urge us to let them order the item in, so we could look at it. Now the catalogs are $10, they sell the same tide tables that the marinas give away, and for a while there was a restocking charge on items ordered in, even if they were catalog items.

To be fair, the local (Sausalito) store has some employees I've relied on for advice many times over the years. Recently a well-respected former manager has returned to straighten the store out, and we have high hopes. But the bean counters need to stop pinching pennies at the cost of West Marine's reputation.

Defender is known for having the lowest price and not much service. It's the only catalog I know that publishes the manufacturers' phone numbers for most items, so Defender won't have to answer phone questions.

My recommendation is to take the Defender catalog to West Marine and get price matches.

- Walt

cd25d@rhapsodysails.com

[Bill Goldsmith]

Agree they have a no-questions-asked return policy which is worth something. My biggest beef with WM is the store nearest me (actually my office) in Manhattan, NYC carries a fraction of what other WM stores carry. On any occasion it's a 50/50 proposition that they'll have what I need so I have learned to call in advance to save a trip.

Bill

I just got off the phone with WM in my area. I told them about the Defender price on the Metz antenna, and they will credit my account the differance. Also, this local store has a "store to door" program that if you order it from the store (and they dont have it in stock)and it weighs less than 12 lbs (I think its 12) they will pay the shipping. I use this to offset the cost of having to pay sales tax now that there are WM stores in Oklahoma.

Strange about the catalogs. I was just in the store last week and they had two or three palettes (sp) full of catalogs and they were giving them away!!! (then again i had spent several $KKK over the last 3 months so they might have just looked the other way....)

Finally they dont even ask when I want to return an item. Some of which is 5 or 6 years old, that I was dissatisfied with (at the time immediately following purchase) and just didnt want to pay the shipping back to catalogue returns. They refund/credit the money without question. The only time I was refused a price match was on a closeout Navico TP300 (from BoatUS)...And they said that they could not match the BoatUS price.

And no I dont work for WM.....But hey, who know, maybe someone from Corperate headquarters will see this tread and.....oh well probably NOT.

Fair Winds

Bill

I used to be a big West Marine fan. Now I am mixed, leaning negative. It's the only large chandlery in the S.F. Bay Area, unfortunately, so I am stuck with it. Boat/US has stores in southern California, which does me no good and requires them to charge me sales tax on mail orders.

West Marine used to give catalogs and tide tables away free. If we asked about items not in stock, they used to urge us to let them order the item in, so we could look at it. Now the catalogs are $10, they sell the same tide tables that the marinas give away, and for a while there was a restocking charge on items ordered in, even if they were catalog items.

To be fair, the local (Sausalito) store has some employees I've relied on for advice many times over the years. Recently a well-respected former manager has returned to straighten the store out, and we have high hopes. But the bean counters need to stop pinching pennies at the cost of West Marine's reputation.

Defender is known for having the lowest price and not much service. It's the only catalog I know that publishes the manufacturers' phone numbers for most items, so Defender won't have to answer phone questions.

My recommendation is to take the Defender catalog to West Marine and get price matches.

- Walt

Goldy@bestweb.net