West Marine won't price match Boater's World?

Anyone else had this experience?*

We bought our new VHF from WM since we got gift cards for Christmas.* Of course we found better prices all over the web and we brought in the best ones we found, from Boaters World, and asked for a price match.* The manager refused to match Boaters World prices on the grounds that "they are out of business" and even though there is still a website "they don't really have anything in stock, even though it says they do."*

From the best I can find out on the internet, Ritz Camera sold the Boaters World website when they closed all the stores and it is still being operated, perhaps "offshore".*

Any input appreciated!* thanks!

Can't speak for the Boater's World comparison. But when we recently replaced a macerator pump we needed it right away. West Marine had them in stock but at a considerably higher price than Defender. I called the nearest West Marine store and quoted their price match blurb on their website. I then told them about the Defender price and asked if they'd match it. The fellow said just a minute, and then came back and said yes, they would match the Defender price. I offered to bring in a printout of the Defender page with the pump and price and he said that wouldn't be necessary as he'd just looked it up online himself.

So it appears that West Marine does require a price comparison to come from a credible and fully operational supplier like Defender.

ugh if I had known WM wouldn't price match BW there were a few zillion other websites I could have used that had better prices, including Defender.*

So is the Boater's World website bogus?

West Marine has a whole sale back door, so why pay retail?* I also have a whole sale account with Fisheries Supple Seattle which is down stairs which is like 60 to 80 % of retail.* The wholesale seems to know more than the retail and if they do not have it in stock they will order it for you.

I have several friends with port supply cards as well as a friend whose son works at the local WM.* However,*I worked in retail for many years, including some time at West Marine in their store operations division at corporate and I simply am not comfortable using other people's discounts.* So I pay retail.* But that doesn't mean I want to get ripped off by west marine's outrageous prices when they offer to price match.* thus my question about boaters world.

Not to sound holier than thou, as my friends with port supply cards are no more marine professionals than I am.* One of them didn't even know that he could use the card at west marine.* But I am weird like that.* just me. * If everyone played the port supply game there would be no more west marine.

Jennifer,
That is an honorable way of thinking. At the same time it is great to use a "match their price" guarantee if WM will honor it. I am fixing to order a new toilet and I just got the price from the Defender site and hope to get our local WM to match it. Interesting enough, I also checked Fisheries Supply and they were higher than WM! I have set up an account there- maybe Defender just has an awsome deal on the Raritan Elegance...

Jennifer, you probably already know this.* West Marine used to let a new boat purchaser buy at Port Supply prices for a period of time.* I have bought many things on that program.

Forkliftt wrote:

Interesting enough, I also checked Fisheries Supply and they were higher than WM!

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The advantage of Fisheries Supply is that they cater to the "professional" power and sail boater and have the sorts of things in stock that DIY boaters tend to need.* As opposed to West Marine which tends to cater to the "weekend" boater.* So Fisheries has all sorts of stuff, from Dolfinite in both colors to stainless steel window track to a huge selection of wood plugs in several kinds of wood, not just teak.* BUT... Fisheries is expensive.* Even their "account" and wholesale prices are generally higher than places like Defender.

Fisheries is a terrific resource if you need something right now and can go to their store in Freemont to get it, as I can on my lunch hour.* But unless they are the only place you can find something--- which is often the case--- you can get better prices at Defender and oher similar suppliers if you have the time to wait for it to be delivered standard shipping.

*

Moonstruck wrote:

Jennifer, you probably already know this.* West Marine used to let a new boat purchaser buy at Port Supply prices for a period of time.* I have bought many things on that program.

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Don thanks for the reminder, I had forgotten about that.* I went and checked it out, these days the deal is for 30 days they'll give you 6% off any purchases totalling $500 or more AND it does not apply to electronics!!* Not what it used to be, for sure!* We were actually able to get 10% off on the VHF as the west marine website was offering that so they had to price match themselves.

Anyway... I prefer shopping at Defender and pyacht*for the most part but we wanted the VHF NOW and like I said, we had gift cards...*

Next time I'll do a better job price matching.* oh well.

Forkliftt wrote:

Jennifer,
That is an honorable way of thinking. At the same time it is great to use a "match their price" guarantee if WM will honor it. I am fixing to order a new toilet and I just got the price from the Defender site and hope to get our local WM to match it. Interesting enough, I also checked Fisheries Supply and they were higher than WM! I have set up an account there- maybe Defender just has an awsome deal on the Raritan Elegance...

Steve, We put the Raritan Elegance on our boat, bought it on line from a site called ultimate passage.com** Price is better than Defender. Head is real nice, we put the freshwater model with the multifunction control, not the smart flush programmable. They have it now for 453.66 and 8.95 shipping.* They have all the other variations also.* No problems with UP or the Raritan Elegance.** JEP

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JohnP wrote:



Steve, We put the Raritan Elegance on our boat, bought it on line from a site called ultimate passage.com** Price is better than Defender. Head is real nice, we put the freshwater model with the multifunction control, not the smart flush programmable. They have it now for 453.66 and 8.95 shipping.* They have all the other variations also.* No problems with UP or the Raritan Elegance.** JEP

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ooohhhh good to know.* a freshwater head is WAY up there on my list of wants.* I was hoping to get enough brithday money for one but no*such luck. *I don't think I have shopped on that website before.

*


*

Pineapple Girl wrote:


JohnP wrote:

*

Steve, We put the Raritan Elegance on our boat, bought it on line from a site called ultimate passage.com** Price is better than Defender. Head is real nice, we put the freshwater model with the multifunction control, not the smart flush programmable. They have it now for 453.66 and 8.95 shipping.* They have all the other variations also.* No problems with UP or the Raritan Elegance.** JEP

Click to expand...

ooohhhh good to know.* a freshwater head is WAY up there on my list of wants.* I was hoping to get enough brithday money for one but no*such luck. *I don't think I have shopped on that website before.

*


*********Look it over,* I really did not know them but I took a shot and they shipped it fast and it arrived* well packed and perfect!* Freshwater is the way to go, the river water where we dock can smell funky after a while and this is now a thing of the past.* Besides we have a 100 gallon water tank and usually are within a days run of a dock with water.** JEP



*

Jennifer,I just bought 5 tubes of West Systems Six-10 epoxy from WM for the same price I could have got it at JMS Online Marine Supply. JMS price - $14.83, WM price - $21.45.


I printed out the JMS price took it in and the WM guy price matched no questions. Didn't charge me for shipping either, which he probably should have done.


Check out Boat Fix for prices as well. I just bought 3 gal of bottom paint at a considerable savings as they were the only place I could find that would sell the paint in 3 gallon quantities. Came out to about 3 gal for the price of 2.

JohnP,
Thanks for the heads up on the Raritan. I tried to PM back yesterday but can't make it work on my 3GS iPhone. Watch for some pics tonight on the Willard when I get some time with my laptop.

My one experience asking for a price-match at WM wound up being a bust. A hand-held VHF - I recall the price diff was going to be $25 or so, but by the time WM added in shipping to the Defender (or whomever, I don't recall) price, there wasn't enough difference, esp since they would be charging sales tax. To factor in shipping on one option , but not sales tax on the other, seems to be a less-than-fair actual price match.

Just about the only thing I buy at West Marine are the fasteners I use to install the items I purchase somewhere else.** When Boaters World went out WM pretty much cornered the market on local marine stores.* Now their only competition are online suppliers.* When I drive up to Conn. I do like to browse in Defender,* purchase most stuff online from them.

Coming a little late to this but severl things.

First off I do or never have worked for WM.

I have found then to be way overpriced on a lot of items, some time 150% of Retail MGF List.* That being said.* They will for the most part match any price that is a legitimate price.* They have the web and will look it up for you.* They do not always charge for shipping when price matching so in most cases that is a non factor but even if they did, that is what you would have paid anyway from brand X so what's the beef?* They will take things back and in some cases you know you didn't buy it from them but they do take it back and give you what they have as list price as the credit.* They take stuff back that if you owned the store you would throw the customer out the door for even asking. I saw a guy come into a store and this gent went close to 300 lbs.* He brought in a pair of flip flops that had been totally abused and was bitching that the toe holder had pulled out.* The store manager took him over and let him pick out a new pair and exchanged them for him.

Port*Supply accounts are now being limited to a "rate of sale" discount.* That means if you buy a lot your discount is larger than if you buy very little.* In some cases if you don't buy enough your Port Supply account is closed.

The new boat buyers program is all but useless anymore.* It use to be 10% off on anything (except electronics)*for 30 days but that has changed.

End of rant.



-- Edited by JD on Thursday 13th of January 2011 11:18:33 AM

I'd never heard of Ultimate Passage, so I trotted over to their website. Not only are their prices incredibly low, but so is their shipping charge if you order online. So low that it raises my "if it sounds too good to be true..." antenna. I have a call in to a Raritan and others to see what they know about this retailer.

HeadMistress wrote:

I'd never heard of Ultimate Passage, so I trotted over to their website. Not only are their prices incredibly low, but so is their shipping charge if you order online. So low that it raises my "if it sounds too good to be true..." antenna. I have a call in to a Raritan and others to see what they know about this retailer.

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thanks Peggy, I look forward to hearing what you find out.**

They seem to be legitimate. According to Raritan, they're prob'ly buying from a mass merchanizer holding company called SJK, which operates Boatersland (not to be confused with Boaters World)* and Campersland.* So hopped over to boatersland.com to see what they have to offer. Prices are comarable to ultimate passage, at the moment anyway...they're having a sale.* Both sites seem to have EVERYTHING you'll find at WM, Defender etc...so shop 'em all early and often when you need something...'cuz it's bound to* be on sale for a great price at one of 'em...even WM.