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BoatU.S. and West Marine Form Strategic Alliance:

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/16/2003 : 20:13:19

I guess this puts an end to me pitting BoatUS and West Marine against one another when I shop for items. It was nice having both a BoatUS and a West Marine in my city to get the best price. Long Live Sailnet!

BoatU.S. and West Marine Form Strategic Alliance:
West Marine Acquires BoatU.S. Retail Equipment Operation
January 14, 2003

NEWS From BoatU.S.
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatU.S. News Room at www.BoatUS.com

Contact: Michael Sciulla, 703-461-2864, MSciulla@BoatUS.com

BoatU.S., which has succeeded in building its ranks to a record 535,000 dues-paying members, has entered into a long term, strategic alliance with West Marine, the world’s largest boating supplier. Under the strategic alliance, West Marine will promote BoatU.S. membership and its consumer services while acquiring the BoatU.S. retail equipment operation, including its 62 marine centers, mail-order and wholesale components.

In announcing the new partnership, BoatU.S. Founder and Chairman Richard Schwartz said, “This strategic alliance with West Marine will accelerate BoatU.S. membership growth and will allow BoatU.S. to concentrate its resources on what we do best - marine insurance, BoatU.S. Magazine, government representation, consumer advocacy, towing, boat financing - and working to make the waterways safer and cleaner for recreational boaters throughout the United States.”

By early spring 2003, BoatU.S. members will benefit from this alliance as they will be able to accrue more frequent buyer points, more conveniently, at 320 West Marine and BoatU.S. stores from coast to coast, including all 258 West Marine as well as the 62 BoatU.S. retail locations and mail order service. Specifically, BoatU.S. members will get an increase in future rewards points on purchases, making it the most rewarding frequent buyer program in the industry.

<img src="http://www.boatus.com/news/images/richard_west_sm.jpg" border=0>

West Marine CEO John Edmondson applauded the alliance with BoatU.S. saying, “West Marine shares BoatU.S.’ commitment to service and representation for boaters. By partnering with BoatU.S. to generate more members, we can contribute to the power of their work and that’s a big plus for the boating community.” West Marine intends to continue operating BoatU.S. Marine Centers under the BoatU.S. name.

BoatU.S. was launched in 1966 without retail marine centers. It contracted with employee-owned Boat America Corporation in 1977 to open its first retail marine center in order to deliver marine gear at discount prices to its members who frequently had to pay full retail at small chandleries. “The market for marine gear has changed markedly in the past two decades,” noted Schwartz. “Discount marine outlets are now readily available and West Marine, whose primary focus is the sale and merchandising of boating supplies, has proven its ability to deliver quality merchandise at competitive prices while sustaining an impressive growth rate of stores around the country. The time is right for us to partner with West Marine and to serve the boating public to the best of our respective abilities,” he added. For more information go to www.BoatUS.com/news/releases.

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2003 : 21:01:10

Yuk!!!<img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>
There goes the competition - roll on Sailnet!
Derek

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2003 : 22:45:20

From the co-founder of Sailnet,

Newsflash: SailNet Refuses to Sell Out

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this special announcement!

As many of you know, yesterday two of the largest U.S. retailers in marine hardware (Big Evil Empire and Not-So-Big/Not-So-Evil Empire) announced their consolidation plans. This led to a brief panic amongst value-conscious sailors (Rebels) who feared that the end of their Rebellion against high prices and indifference might be near...

Not to worry. This consolidation of the establishment forces into the newly formed Grossly Big and Evil Empire (hereafter referred to simply as "Evil", "Evil Empire" or "EE" for short) will not affect the Cause. As FDR once said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" (or something like that).

SailNet will not buckle to the power of the EE. SailNet will continue to offer refuge to those in the Rebellion. SailNet will strive to offer fair and honest pricing without gimmicks, Free Shipping to bring the products you need to your door, 24x7 convenience without the hassle of pesky salespeople who know everything about ski ropes and nothing about halyards, a Call Center staffed with people who are there to help when you need it, No Sales Tax (except SC) AND the ONLY Major Site on the Internet devoted exclusively to SAILING!

It's a big challenge. It would be easier to sell out and go with the flow... buckle to conventional wisdom and ride the coattails of the EE by abandoning our principles and settling for living in Evil's shadow... But, we figure there's no future in that. We didn't start this business to be conventional, to maintain the status quo. We've been on a quest to build something better, something that satisfies the special needs we have as sailors, something that didn't treat sailing and sailors as an afterthought. The EE may be out to make boating more fun, but SailNet is out to make SAILING more ACCESSIBLE and AFFORDABLE. "Why stop now?" pretty much sums it up...

So, we're going forward with no major changes. No deviation from the rhumb line we'd already set. The winds may blow, the seas may churn, Evil may be everywhere... but you can count on us. We're exactly who and what we say we are. And, we're here to stay!

Regards,

Sam & Cheryl Boyle
Co-Founders

http://www.sailnet.com/collections/cruising/index.cfm?articleid=boyles0002& tfr=fp

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 00:17:41

This would explain why West Marines stock price has jumped $2.50 in the past 2 days. WOW, why can't I ever see these things coming?<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

Ed Montague on 'Yahoo'
1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~

Edited by - on

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 06:15:16

This truly is bad news.

I guess I'll have to pay more attention to Sailnet's dail;y e-mail communications.

I wonder what kind of market share the resultin "EE" has? Does this constitute a restraint of trade in a fragmented industry?

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

Edited by - on

rcraig
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 08:34:58

Oh Great !! And the First Mate got me a gift card from West Marine. Wonder if SailNet might be interested in a little recipricol consideration........

Drat The Luck

Richard C.
77 FK/SR 'as yet to be named (and launched)'

Edited by - on

jellyfish
Navigator

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USA
171 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 15:33:07

I can only add THAT SUCKS!

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 16:45:56

At least we still have Boaters World and Defender Marine too.
I haven't bought much from Sailnet lately as their customer service is next to non existent.
Frank

Frank

Edited by - on

luckystar
Navigator

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USA
236 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 18:49:22

Thanks alot!! I swear, thanks to this discussion, I though "duh, I'll mosey over there to Sailnet and see how their prices compare to the ones I just got on new transducers at westmarine earlier today. I made the purchase and saved $80 on the two. Raymarine's price was speed: $115 depth: $95, Westmarine was speed: $99 depth: $79 and Sailnet was speed: $58 depth: $55!!!! They only had one of each in stock, so I snapped them up. I just won an auction on ebay for the ST50 Autohelm displays for speed and depth to go with my Autohelm ST4000 autopilot and then turned around and sold the SR Mariner Knot and Depth meters that I still haven't installed, new in box, to the guy in the boat next to me for what I paid. I think I'll be shopping a little more over at Sailnet!! Screw service, I need to save money on this hole in the water!

Patrick Burnett, Little Rock, AR
S/V Lucky Star #2707 1982 SK/SR

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 20:47:19

"I think I'll be shopping a little more over at Sailnet!! Screw service, I need to save money on this hole in the water!" - Pat

Over the past year, I've dropped about 10 boat units over at SailNet. If I would have bought the same items from West Marine or BoatUS, my bill would have more than doubled. For example;

My autopilot w/remote cost me $399.99 on sale out the door from SailNet, whereas the WM price was $449.99 for the autopilot, plus $199.99 for the remote, plus $38.99 Michigan sales tax(6%) for a grand total of $688.97. My savings from SailNet over WM was $288.98.

I bought 300ft of Sta-Set Solid Color 5/16" Polyester Braid for .33/ft from Sailnet for $99.00. West Marine price for the same rope, .89/ft x 300ft (plus tax) is $283.02. My savings over WM was
$184.02.

I bought a dozen 3/8" nylon sail slugs with SS bails for $13.80($1.15ea) from SailNet. The same slugs from WM were $44.45($6.99/pr plus tax). My savings over WM was $30.65.

My total savings on just these three purchases was $503.65 on purchases totaling $512.79.

Although I've never had a problem with their customer service, for that amount of savings, they can answer their phones with,

"Hello, SailNet...What is the name of the horse's ass to whom I'm speaking?"

And I would simply reply, "This horse's ass is named Don!"

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Doug
Captain

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USA
457 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2003 : 21:21:58

Funny!
Don get's the "Funniest post of the Year" burgee for a while!

Doug - #1913 Noeta

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2003 : 06:55:16

Hey don,

I don't appreciate being called a "Horses ass" just because I choose to not buy much from Sailnet because of having some ordering problems

Frank

Frank

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2003 : 10:13:34

Frank - I don't see where Don called YOU a "horses ass". He was merely emphasizing that even with rude customer service (which I've NEVER had from Sailnet) the savings are worth it.
Derek

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2003 : 14:34:43

Frank,

By NO means, and I mean ABSOLUTELY in no way, was I trying imply that you were a "horse's ass". My statement was in direct response to Patrick's comment(that's why I quoted him) about price being more important than customer service and me trying to use humor to say I agree, and THAT"S as far as it goes. When I read your comment to me, I had to go back and reread the previous posts because indeed, for a mortified split second, I thought that I may have inadvertently insulted you and I would never intentionally do that to anyone.

Upon rereading your post about SailNet's "nonexistent customer service", I can see where you might infer that I was referencing you in my post, but that can't be farther from the truth. As a matter of fact, your statement about their "nonexistent customer service" is most likely true because the reason a lot of internet based discount stores can give better prices, is by lowering overhead, and one way to do this is by cutting customer service. (I read once that Microsoft spend's more, albeit begrudgingly, on customer service than product development!) Fortunately, I've never had to deal with SailNet other than to place an online order and wait for the stuff to come in the mail.

I'm sorry that you feel that my comment was directed at you, because it wasn't, and I hope that you can see that.

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2003 : 06:25:08

Don,

Now if you aplly Gracie allen type reasoning to your $503 savaings you still have $503 to spend on boat goodies.

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

Edited by - on

Mike Vaccaro
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2003 : 09:41:44

Sailnet is one of the best resources we have. We've bought numerous stuff over the last couple of years and have always saved a lot. Last year, I stumbled across a great deal they were having on re-manufactured chart plotters (150 bones for a Standard Horizon CP-150). Couldn't pass it up, so we placed an order on line. Turns out that they actually ran out of them, but lo and behold, a brand new one showed up at the door three weeks later with a note apologizing for the delay. I'd call that first-rate service. Can't recommend 'em enough: once you know what you need, shop around and then call Sailnet. If you don't need it yesterday, you'll probably always save money.

Cheers,

Mike Vaccaro on the "Swoose"
85TR/SK #4707

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2003 : 11:52:48

"Now if you apply Gracie Allen type reasoning to your $503 savings you still have $503 to spend on boat goodies. - Don"

Hey, that sounds logical to me! <img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle> Although my wife would probably apply a little Ralph Kramden reasoning and send me, "To Da Moon <img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle>!"

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
Cradled on the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2003 : 13:20:42

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>http://www.toolworks.com/capedory/bboard/messages/49273.html <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote> The link above is from A Cape Dory forum which had an interesting thread about this same subject. I found this thread interesting mostly because some good points were raised about competition and what this merger may mean. I think we will have to wait and see what happens but I am not optimistic and I will be renewing my Sail Net membership istead of boat US.

Ray Seitz C 250WB #628 Sea Major

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2003 : 17:13:52

Hey Don,

OK Your Horse's ass comment wasn't directed at me. I accept that.

I have dealt with Sailnet several times. If they get the order right, they are great. If they don't, it's a pain in the you know what.

I'll probably order from then again someday.

Have a great week

Frank

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2003 : 08:33:51

I can't even begin to count the savings I got from sailnet and pyacht....now with the exception of the last minute run to Boat US they are going to get even less of my business.....

As for the West Marine Boat US collaborative....
<img src="http://www.monopoly.com/images/monopoly/historyparagraph.gif" border=0>

Edited by - Duane Wolff on 01/20/2003 12:50:56

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2003 : 12:42:35

I dont understand what all the fuss is about. If you have been purchasing all your expensive items from either of these stores you havent been doing your homework. I only purchase from them as a last resort. If I cant find a product anywhere else or if its an emergency. I find the prices at my local RV store are half as much for the same part. Local hardware store carries stainless hardware. The local fiberglass shop has cloth, resin, and 3M sealants. Internet direct from the maker is good. Its all available for less. You just need to look around you. Good example Yanmar 2GM waterpump $287, or rebuild kit from Yanmar parts dealer $80, I ordered new seals and bearings from the local bearing supply and an impeller from Jabsco. Had to purchase the gasket from a dealer. Total cost was under $20. Now I have more money for toys.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

Edited by - on

jsummerfield
1st Mate

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USA
96 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2003 : 20:03:53

I started with Boat US, later found West Marine and Boaters World. I got to where I no longer bought Boat US membership and they would still sell to you. I always found West Marine, Boat US and Boaters World to be closely matched in price. Each would match the other. There are others such as Blue Water and several electronic marine specialty shops in my area. The web stores will not go away. I anticipate no real change if you do not work for Boat US. Some Boat US stores will go away and others may become West Marine if they are not already in the area.

John

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2003 : 15:41:19

Regarding matching and doing your homework, I got WM to match Sailnet's price on some Sta Set line last year. They said to bring the printed quote including the shipping cost, and matched it--saving me something like 40%.

The flip side of this is that brick-and-mortar retailers let us look at the actual products and pick things up at the last minute. (Home Depot just doesn't understand salt water environments...) But bricks, mortar, personnel, and inventories cost money. If you're confident you can get what you want sight unseen, you can let the retailers fade away. As it is, I see a little less sailing gear at the WM store every year...

I'll risk it and say that it annoys me when people rummage around the WM store, waste the clerks' time, and then buy the product they like at a mail order house. Do your homework, get your best price, and then give the local retailer a shot.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

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