West Marine now matching online pricing

[SKYCHENEY]

Our West is a small store. It has terrible hours and most of the time I try to go there, they are closed. That leaves me with one other option---buy it online.

[Stripes]

Ever notice how long it takes to check out at West?

Why do you think that it takes long?

[34Hatt]

I don't know how your West stores are but ours here in San Diego is the biggest in the chain, but its stock consists of about 60 per cent clothes, 20 percent paddle boards and kayaks that doesn't leave much for actuall boat supplies. Our joke here is we call it the West Marine boutique. John

Yeah pretty much same here since it the same people telling them what to stock and where to put it.

Yes cooperate head quarters set up the stores the Brains there tell the managers in Long Island what to carry and exactly where it goes in the store. Did you notice the clothes are up front that is because you need to look the part before you can buy the part I have bought 1-2 small things there a year lately out of Immediate need because they just Suck.

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Why do you think that it takes long?

It seems that their computer system is about 286 E. German coal fired speed. Just the time it takes to establish who you are via your phone number ID is crazy given grocery stores seem to be able to handle it without breaking a sweat. I just get tired of the hassle, and I get tired of unsubscribing only to have to unsubscribe again after a few months. And no, I don't think people wearing headsets get it done any faster than just going and doing it.

Having said all that, my wife likes West because...hold your breath...the clothes.

[Scarlett]

I don't know if he is still there but one of there major marketing directors was formally the marketing director for Target. I will say no more. John

[krush]

I don't know if he is still there but one of there major marketing directors was formally the marketing director for Target. I will say no more. John

Target is terrible. People bash WalFart, but at least walfart has stuff I need, and lots of stuff is MADE IN USA. Target seems to carry more china crap....but it's "fancier" for the classy ladies.

What surprised me about worst marine is that is was privately owned (by one man, i think????) for all these years!

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

West Marine stock traded on the Nasdaq before they took it back private for the sale last year.

[Boatsb]

Yes and the purchase was nuts. I believe a 30% premium on the stock for about a $350 mil price tag.

They're re structuring stores for more sales to younger non boaters now.

I wonder what will happen when they get in trouble? Will they go back to their roots or get creative and try to sell it to someone like amazon.

[Scarlett]

I had the pleasure to meet Randy Repass when we were birth cruising on our boats in Bali. He is the guy who started West Marine. He original was the owner of New England Ropes. When West started they had Chuck Hawley testing most items they sold and most items they sold were of good quality. But once Randy got out things evolved to where they are today. John

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Yes and the purchase was nuts. I believe a 30% premium on the stock for about a $350 mil price tag.

They're re structuring stores for more sales to younger non boaters now.

I wonder what will happen when they get in trouble? Will they go back to their roots or get creative and try to sell it to someone like amazon.

Oh it's for sale, alright.

That's what Monomoy Capital does. The good news is they appear not to be the corporate raiders of the eighties and nineties who'd buy a company and gut it--sum of the parts can be greater than the whole. Monomoy seems to specialize in streamlining business practices and raising the value of the particular asset, then selling for a profit on the whole.

The bad news is that we (older folks and owners of older boats) won't get anything out of this. We are a niche market and, therefore, not worth the effort for anyone on West's scale. Nothing really changes for us with regard to West's future.

If you find people saying 'sir'and holding doors for you more often, you're in a market segment becoming more and more underserved by the mainstream non-pharmaceutical world. That's OK with me--I'm yachting.

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