Back Orders

My boat refit (rebuild) has been going on for 3 years and the end is near.

Working on boats in*Missouri is problematic in that it is a 'marine supply wasteland'. I rely on the internet for all my parts and supplies. Order on Sunday or Monday and I can have it by Thursday or Friday. That's worked great until the last couple of months. Now on every order I'm getting 'out of stock', 'back ordered', 'expect delivery in 7-10 days'.

I've been using Jamestown, Defender for the most part but when checking with the others I'm running into the same problem.

It's killing me.

The economy is causing people NOT to floorplan/stock a lot of stuff....I am willing to bet that is the issue. Especially as it relates to boats....people jus aren't spending money anymore. So suppliers are not spending money on having things in stock.....just my WAG!

Absolutely, it is the economy.* Many boats are not being used, and many are stored on the hard to save expenses.* Some are even being abandoned.* The suppliers and thier workforce don't like it any better than we do.* Most manufacturers and suppiers have laid off people or working shorter hours.**They have reduced stocks.** It goes all the way down.* Believe me, I would like nothing better than to hire back many of our workers.* We were planning to until this latest downturn.* Banks are not lending.* People are running from investments.* Capital markets are drying up.* If I say anymore, I'll have to move this to OTDE.

There really has been a noticeable difference in the last few months. As I said, I've been making weekly orders for the last 3 years and it's only been a problem recently.
Also, I've been turned down on the 'price matching' that some of the suppliers tout as policy.
Last year I was finding large pricing discounts (bargains) with folks reducing inventories. This year...a different story. Glad I'm almost done.


-- Edited by Anode on Friday 19th of August 2011 07:53:47 AM

Try fisheries supply in Seattle as they are the main distributor of the local marina stores with a huge warehouse.* fisheriessupply.com**
*
*
*

Yes I agree Phil and I have had rather good luck w West Marine too. I check back and forth for availability and price. Scoping your situation Chip I spoze I should stop complaining as we have a marine store 50 miles away via barge, float plane or my own boat.*

Anode wrote:
My boat refit (rebuild) has been going on for 3 years and the end is near.

Working on boats in*Missouri is problematic in that it is a 'marine supply wasteland'. I rely on the internet for all my parts and supplies. Order on Sunday or Monday and I can have it by Thursday or Friday. That's worked great until the last couple of months. Now on every order I'm getting 'out of stock', 'back ordered', 'expect delivery in 7-10 days'.

I've been using Jamestown, Defender for the most part but when checking with the others I'm running into the same problem.

It's killing me.

Click to expand...

Chip:* I can sympathize with you.* The end of July I placed an order with Jamestown.* The standard "K" Jabsco impellers were back-ordered.* They did let me know that day and*I sent*them a*thank you note*for the free catalog they included with the order.* The free catalog cost me $18.00 in shipping.*

At the same time I ordered a new piston kit from*Campbell/Hausfeld for my hookah and paid for expedited shipping to get it to a freight forwarder in Miami.* It never showed up.* The part*is backordered till September.*

**

Defender Industries and Jamestown catalogues should be obtained.

Most items shipped next day UPS.

FF wrote:
Defender Industries and Jamestown catalogues should be obtained.

Most items shipped next day UPS.

Click to expand...

Why not go paperless and use*the internet?* That's how we order.* I really don't need a 1300 + page catalog on the boat.

Larry M wrote:FF wrote:
Defender Industries and Jamestown catalogues should be obtained.

Most items shipped next day UPS.

Click to expand...

Why not go paperless and use*the internet?* That's how we order.* I really don't need a 1300 + page catalog on the boat.

*I order a lot of stuff from Defender and usually I get it in 2 days or less, since I am in the same state. I always order via the internet, yet I also have a catalog on the boat, at home, and at work. Lots of times it is easier to find an item via the catalog. Or maybe I have it memorized

*

*

*

If you'll look at my original post my back order problems are with Jamestown and Defender as well as other suppliers. Yes FF I have all the catalogs.
Thanks Phil for the reminder on Fisheries Supply. I've used them in the past but UPS is 2-3 days longer getting to me from the west coast. I'll try them again when I run into 'back order problems'.
Eric, sounds like you may have the same problem with bananas as I have with boat parts.
UPS is getting more efficient too...it seems if they 'see' multiple items coming they'll wait until they all get here to go out for delivery. I live in a rural area so it may only be a problem I have.
My point was....times are changing...plan ahead.

My thoughts are that you are also nearing the end of summer, and the people or companies spending money on parts have used alot of what was stocked, or the suppliers are starting to cut back already for the winter. We have not had any problems getting parts but thankfully have had a few projects going on, so I have been writing my suppliers some big checks, and when I call they jump to make things happen, probably more so then they do for the average solo person...I would hope anyways no offense to the average solo person intended....

No offense taken. I should say the folks at Jamestown have gone the extra mile for me. I've spent five digit amounts with them the last couple of years and they know me by my first name. They've done a great job price matching and following up on orders.
It's just been in last few weeks that the long delays have been an issue as well as some price matching refusals.
My last order from Defender was 35' of BBB chain and some electronic parts. They put the electronic parts in the pail with the chain and no other packing. Gotta love it.

JMYSS wrote:
*I have been writing my suppliers some big checks, and when I call they jump to make things happen, probably more so then they do for the average solo person..

Click to expand...

*Exacttly right, Tim.* I have quit suppliers of long standing for just that.* If they can't take care of us with a little priority over individuals, they are history with us.* When you have done millons of dollars worth of business with a firm, you don't want to hear, "we'll get to you when we get around to it".* Business is business.* We buy quantity and pay promptly.* If that doesn't get a little priority, we will look someplace else.

Chip: Just got done looking through your photo album. For sure, by the time you get that boat back on the water, you should know everything about it. What a project! Did you leave any detail out? Anyway, congrats. With regard to back orders, I use Jamestown, Defender, and often E-bay or other boat classifieds, but I love to shop at big used boat parts houses like Sailorman's in Ft. Lauderdale. Sorry you are so isolated out there in the sticks.

Don,

We got crowded away from a gas dock by that principle. A big yacht bulldozed it's way in front of us while waiting for a spot. We had been there 15 min or so and he had just arrived. It was either hit him or stop. He made it clear his need for hundreds of gallons took priority over us and that we were being unreasonable little people. We had a bit of a shouting match but as my ex wife would say "he got there first". This was between he and I and it was obvious the station attendant thought we should go first since we'd been waiting but he obviously didn't want to offend anyone least of all one that was about to make a large purchase of their product. But I do think a business person should have the right to do business w whom they want, when they want and how they want as long as it's legal. So I agree w you but I don't.

nomadwilly wrote:
Don,

We got crowded away from a gas dock by that principle. A big yacht bulldozed it's way in front of us while waiting for a spot. We had been there 15 min or so and he had just arrived. It was either hit him or stop. He made it clear his need for hundreds of gallons took priority over us and that we were being unreasonable little people. We had a bit of a shouting match but as my ex wife would say "he got there first". This was between he and I and it was obvious the station attendant thought we should go first since we'd been waiting but he obviously didn't want to offend anyone least of all one that was about to make a large purchase of their product. But I do think a business person should have the right to do business w whom they want, when they want and how they want as long as it's legal. So I agree w you but I don't.

Click to expand...

*Eric that is a little different situation* I would consider what happened there rude and crude* Our work is scheduled around critical path scheduling* When our suppliers sign on they* commit to meet our schedules of deliveries or we find someone who will* When our deliveries are not made on time we have idle people and delayed schedules* We are bound by contracts and penalized if we do not meet them* In short the suppliers sign on for the long haul* We have had some for thirty five years

I work in a marine supply store so I see the problem every day. We have to anticipate sales further into the future to have enough stock on hand because manufacturers are taking longer to ship and often back order popular items. Jabsco used to ship ten days after receiving an order like clock work. Now it's often three or four weeks and they only ship part of the order. If your going to order something, just pick up the phone and call your supplier. They should be happy to check their stock for you. A quick email will work too. If they don't have it in stock, ask them if they can have it drop shipped to you from the manufacturer. Not all manufacturers will do this, but many will. I had one customer who wanted a Magma Barbeque. He lived near the factory and asked if he could pick it up there. It turned out to be a great idea. I made a sale. He had his grill the next day and didn't have to pay shipping.

Simple minded me.......I shoulda seen that.....and right you are. Sorry.

I should pledge no rants this week......but I won't hahaha.

Perhaps we need a thread on rude & crude behaviour. Unless there is one already somewhere?

Conrad wrote:
Perhaps we need a thread on rude & crude behaviour. Unless there is one already somewhere?

Click to expand...

*Not enough disk space on the server.

*

Marty.......................

MartySchwartz wrote:Conrad wrote:
Perhaps we need a thread on rude & crude behaviour. Unless there is one already somewhere?

Click to expand...

*Not enough disk space on the server.

*

Marty.......................

*So true. But it would make interesting reading, as in who has experienced the most boneheaded moves out there.*

Try Hamilton Marine, 5 stores in Maine plus an E store. They stock boatbuilding items not found in West marine etc. Most of the Maine boatbuilders use them as well as all the fisherman in the Northeast. I had the owner,Wayne Hamilton aboard my tug last week in Searsport. I told him that I have been a customer of his for 20 plus years.

Sailor of Fortune wrote:
Try Hamilton Marine, 5 stores in Maine plus an E store. They stock boatbuilding items not found in West marine etc. Most of the Maine boatbuilders use them as well as all the fisherman in the Northeast. I had the owner,Wayne Hamilton aboard my tug last week in Searsport. I told him that I have been a customer of his for 20 plus years.

Click to expand...

I second Hamilton's.

And I always like the little sign in the Searsport store:

"YOUR WIFE CALLED. SHE SAID TO BUY ANYTHING YOU WANT"