arrrrgh, another West Marine

[Bob P]

West Marine just opened down the street. Now we got them and Boaters World. (aka Ritz). What's next?
Old Sailor

[Mike Vogdes]

I don't understand the bashing this company takes at this forum. They are a "boating" store geered for the general boating population, they are not specifically geered to the wooden boat crowd. Like most of us here they are not my first choice for boat building materials but in a pinch I'm usually glad they are there when the need arises. I do use them for most of the maintenance items I buy.

[paladin]

What I can't understand...izz with all the bad earnings etc.....how do they manage to open new stores when business is so bad......I just got a card from the old crowd at Boat U.S. and returned it with a letter as why I don't visit there anymore.........

[Hwyl]

I agree with Mike. I use West Marine. They're expensive, there are better stores. But they are there for us.

[warthog5]

I call it West [Bend me over] Marine. I use them as little as possible. I mostly use internet sales.
West should show a good profit this next year, with all the boats torn up down here in the
"Plywood State" aka Florida.

[ion barnes]

Yeah, I cant see the reasoning behind the new stores. They opened three stores on this island and at least one is in a very expensive location. The overhead should be killing them by other stores' estimations. I look to WM much the same way as the Bilge. Look in but I dont have to stay.

[John B]

Are they related to west system, these people?

[Bruce Hooke]

Originally posted by John B:
Are they related to west system, these people?No. WEST System derives it's name from "Wood Epoxy Saturation Technique". The name is a creation of the Gougeon Brothers Company (run by Jan and Meade Gougeon) of Bay City, Michigan, who also did a lot to develop, advance and promote the technique. The Gougeon Brothers Company is in no way connected with West Marine, which got its start as a chain of marine supply stores on the West Coast.

P.S. West Marine does sell WEST System epoxy and I'm sure they don't mind the unintended association...

[ 10-04-2004, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: Bruce Hooke ]

[Bob P]

I'm not really bashing West. Prefer them to Boating world. They're in a great location right near the causeway to St. Simons Island.
And speaking of West Systems, their sample kit is great. Built two sail models and still have some left.
Old Sailor

[Stargazer14]

I have trouble with how they come up with their prices - the store at my marina sells many of the same brands of items, but the price is almost always 20% less at my marina, and thats before the 15% they give me for keeping my boat there.
What happened to " our massive movement of inventory means you save money!" ?

[Concordia..41]

In response to ion's question as to multiple locations, I just read a good piece in USA Today or similar on Starbucks' expansion.

Seems the traditional retail real estate plan said x stores per every x miles or x population. A chain wouldn't want to compete with itself afterall...

Starbucks did a little outside of the box thinking and said (in effect) people are lazy and will stop where it's convenient. Hence Starbucks locations within eyesight on opposite sides of a highway and as many as three Starbucks in a single mall.

Three Starbucks in the same mall - Ye Gods! - but true to their research, folks would walk past a store with a line but pony up for a double latte cappachino half cream frothy cinnamon whatever a hundred feet away :rolleyes:

Same for folks that wouldn't make a left turn to get a cup of java but will pull into a place on the right side of the street.

Hey, I'm not a coffee fan, but they've got human nature pegged.

My first taste of corporate America was McDonalds in the early 80's - and at that time, McDonalds was a recognized (I believe) leader in franchise marketing. However, the game and accompanying rules have changed.

- M