Chandleries (grrrr!)

What a fuss about nothing!

We set a £10 limit on cards at work and it doesn't cause a problem. Customers are politely told about the limit and usually they accept it as the norm (lots of companies do it). Occasionally people may ask why and we explain about the costs. They invariably comment about rip off banks!.
..but this isn't the main reason. We don't want to take cards for small amounts because in busy periods, if everyone wants to use a card for tin-pot amounts, then unnecessary queues build up. The other benefit is that people very often buy a bit more to make it up to £10.

In answer to the comment about cards being quicker than cash. It simply isn't true. Cash is a lot quicker. In busy periods the phone lines to the card companies frequently get overloaded and things slow down even more.

Cost of handling cards are also a little higher than listed above; there are some hidden costs to be taken into account.
 
With respect I think you are being unrealistic. I can speak from personal experience both as a yachtsman and having had experience working in a boatyard.

The pay to chandlery people is very poor indeed. In many cases not much more than the minimum wage. Yet you expect fantastic knowledge , price and availability at the times you choose to go sailing.

The hours and days are diabolical too. Everyone also expects a fantastic range of goods and moan like hell when one item can be purchased from an organisation who buys in bulk and specialises in it.

I can name two marina's on the east coast, Bradwell for one, who no longer provide a chandlery service . I would guess that Burnham Marina will probably be the next because they simply do not pay now. In larger boatyards they can only exist mainly as stores depots. Mail order companies come and go depending on a variety of factors.

I am not suggesting that chandleries should either go or stay , life changes all the time but lets stop continually having a go at largely innocent decent people.

Also your Classic friends moan like hell because there are no 'proper' chandleries that sell things like galvanised bolts. No doubt you expect people to run a business at a loss for your own convenience.

Perhaps you would be willing to tell us what service you yourself provide and your remuneration, so we can make judgements on your own value for money and service to the community. Or can only you make judgements ?
 
I know where mean draft is referring to. I have had the same issues, so pop over to the one right down the end at Burnham, who sell the mail order stuff at the same prices in the shop, and give a bit more sometimes if you buy a lot. Also, had excellent service from em when something went wrong - and thats the time to really see how good they are.

Don't they realise that stupid staff and bollshy attitudes just mean you buy elsewhere?
 
You miss the point. The complaint was not over the card payment being refused, it was used to illustrate poor customer service from an outlet where I have spent hundreds of pounds in the past. If there had been a cheerful offer to open an account, maybe a "buy two and we will knock off 10%", etc. then it would have been different.

Where I get good service and helpful advice I will and do return. Too often I find that this is not the case in chandleries in particular. In other areas of marine business I have mostly found people helpful and often willing to go the extra mile. I have just bought a new boat and mortgage company, broker, surveyor, road transport company, marina and riggers have all been great and I would use them again and recommend them without hesitation. And to cap it the small local chandlery to my marina - Mountbatten Boathouse is just fine. Enough said!
 
I have dealt with two in East Kent both customer-friendly selling goods often below their own listed price and often not charging for items priced at a few pence. There is another far from customer-friendly that I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.
 
Agree with most of what you say, but about 6 months ago I needed to buy a couple of 1.75" shaft anodes from a Plymouth swindlerie; they cost me almost £140! I was rather shocked at the price but assumed that was the going rate. A few weeks ago called into Dixons in Exmouth where I have bought lots of stuff when based there and just happened to mention the cost of anodes to Jerry (the owner). As a result I picked up 4 shaft anodes + 4 x 4" round anodes, all for the same price as I paid for the 2 shaft anodes in Plymouth.

You can probably guess which swindlerie will not be getting any of my business in the future. And if you're looking for a good deal speak to Dixons in Exmouth.
 
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Agree with most of what you say, but about 6 months ago I needed to buy a couple of 1.75" shaft anodes from a Plymouth swindlerie; they cost me almost £140! I was rather shocked at the price but assumed that was the going rate. A few weeks ago called into Dixons in Exmouth where I have bought lots of stuff when based there and just happened to mention the cost of anodes to Jerry (the owner). As a result I picked up 4 shaft anodes + 4 x 4" round anodes, all for the same price as I paid for the 2 shaft anodes in Plymouth.

You can probably guess which swindlerie will not be getting any of my business in the future. And if you're looking for a good deal speak to Dixons in Exmouth.

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The chandlery you mention may well be charging rather high prices but how do the rest of his prices compare ?.

Anodes have gone up enormously recently due to world markets in metals. Prices in chandleries are all over the place at the moment. It depends entirely when a chandler purchased his anodes.
 
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Stainless steel ball valves for sea cocks, local swindlery........£56 plus vat.
Same (make and all) valve from specialist plumbing suppliers......£29 plus vat.
No prizes for guessing who got my money. Mike.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can see where you are coming from and I would probably do the same. But are you accusing the chandler of profiteering ? He has to stock thousands of products with the prospect of many of them lying there for six months or more without selling.

I think this is the point. Most of us are only using chandleries for low priced items screws etc as a convenience. Inevitably, this will lead to many closures and probably only in the larger yachting communities having choice of a few specialists. I would also expect these specialists to have a large presence on the internet as the only way of making the business pay. They will then offer a good choice at reasonable prices. Perhaps not a bad thing. If they are like most high street retailers they will probably have to employ college/school aged staff at low pay with little in the way of specialist knowledge. This is already happening in many existing chandleries out of necessity and not choice. To employ knowledgeable people and expect them to work most weekends for about £6 an hour is unrealistic.
 
[ QUOTE ]
With respect I think you are being unrealistic. I can speak from personal experience both as a yachtsman and having had experience working in a boatyard.

The pay to chandlery people is very poor indeed. In many cases not much more than the minimum wage. Yet you expect fantastic knowledge , price and availability at the times you choose to go sailing.

The hours and days are diabolical too. Everyone also expects a fantastic range of goods and moan like hell when one item can be purchased from an organisation who buys in bulk and specialises in it.

I can name two marina's on the east coast, Bradwell for one, who no longer provide a chandlery service . I would guess that Burnham Marina will probably be the next because they simply do not pay now. In larger boatyards they can only exist mainly as stores depots. Mail order companies come and go depending on a variety of factors.

I am not suggesting that chandleries should either go or stay , life changes all the time but lets stop continually having a go at largely innocent decent people.

Also your Classic friends moan like hell because there are no 'proper' chandleries that sell things like galvanised bolts. No doubt you expect people to run a business at a loss for your own convenience.

Perhaps you would be willing to tell us what service you yourself provide and your remuneration, so we can make judgements on your own value for money and service to the community. Or can only you make judgements ?

[/ QUOTE ]

As a yachtsman, a previous boat yard worker, and now a consultant to the marine industry, I think I have a reasonable grasp of what goes on. I don't doubt that some chandleries are caught between a rock and hard place, and when in marina/converted dock locations have to compete with the high margin restaurant/cafes and souvenir places.

However, as an engineer dealing with engineering suppliers, I also see that products from engineering suppliers are typically 500% more in chandleries, or from people like Volvo Penta.

As I metioned, I am happy to pay a premium for knowledge, and do so when I want it. I am not happy to pay the same premium for a basic item when I can get the same item, cheaper, often faster and more conveniently on line.

I am not suggesting that chandlers should run at a loss for my convenience, I am suggesting that their current business operations are untenable in todays market, or that they will only receive business from those to whom the price is not an issue. That will clearly restrict their market.

There are some chandleries which I continue to support, and other which I will not. Marinestore continue to get my custom, as both knowledgable and, good value. They have combined their operation to both internet sales and accessible premises, and despite not having the curtesy to respond to an email enquiry recently, I shall support them. In contrast, a mega chandlery which only operates on line has such poor service, I am no longer prepared to use them, even though they tend to be very cheap. I also regularly use my local chandlery near Cambridge, becuase it is convenient, if I need something _now_, despite it being 50% more expensive.

As far as trad chandleries go, both Marine store and Classic marine provide good/excellent service and prodcts, including gal bolts. Although I again tend to use a engineering supplier for all bolts, as I have a long standing history with them.

As far as my personal circumstances go, I act as a consultant to the marine insurance industry and charge a flat rate, not a percentage of the claim. I am also on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and have abandoned my family, mid overseas holiday to attend a job. Typically my cost will be tenths of a percent of the claim. Far less than the banks charge to provide their "service" and as far as I can tell from my clients, very acceptable. Perhaps you think that the manufacturers of a product only deserve to receive 20% of the selling price of their product? Who is being given a raw deal there?

As a side note, chandleries are not the only ones guilty of this, I had the same treatment from a plumbers supplier in London, who had a 400% mark up on an item. It seemed to me, that they had a minimum price of £5 no matter what the item.
 
Internet mail order always wins out.

We have done the same thing, tried to deal locally and found grief.

Therefore the 1000s we spent went to cheaper, efficient internet orders.
 
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[ QUOTE ]
With respect I think you are being unrealistic. I can speak from personal experience both as a yachtsman and having had experience working in a boatyard.

The pay to chandlery people is very poor indeed. In many cases not much more than the minimum wage. Yet you expect fantastic knowledge , price and availability at the times you choose to go sailing.

The hours and days are diabolical too. Everyone also expects a fantastic range of goods and moan like hell when one item can be purchased from an organisation who buys in bulk and specialises in it.

I can name two marina's on the east coast, Bradwell for one, who no longer provide a chandlery service . I would guess that Burnham Marina will probably be the next because they simply do not pay now. In larger boatyards they can only exist mainly as stores depots. Mail order companies come and go depending on a variety of factors.

I am not suggesting that chandleries should either go or stay , life changes all the time but lets stop continually having a go at largely innocent decent people.

Also your Classic friends moan like hell because there are no 'proper' chandleries that sell things like galvanised bolts. No doubt you expect people to run a business at a loss for your own convenience.

Perhaps you would be willing to tell us what service you yourself provide and your remuneration, so we can make judgements on your own value for money and service to the community. Or can only you make judgements ?

[/ QUOTE ]

As a yachtsman, a previous boat yard worker, and now a consultant to the marine industry, I think I have a reasonable grasp of what goes on. I don't doubt that some chandleries are caught between a rock and hard place, and when in marina/converted dock locations have to compete with the high margin restaurant/cafes and souvenir places.

However, as an engineer dealing with engineering suppliers, I also see that products from engineering suppliers are typically 500% more in chandleries, or from people like Volvo Penta.

As I metioned, I am happy to pay a premium for knowledge, and do so when I want it. I am not happy to pay the same premium for a basic item when I can get the same item, cheaper, often faster and more conveniently on line.

I am not suggesting that chandlers should run at a loss for my convenience, I am suggesting that their current business operations are untenable in todays market, or that they will only receive business from those to whom the price is not an issue. That will clearly restrict their market.

There are some chandleries which I continue to support, and other which I will not. Marinestore continue to get my custom, as both knowledgable and, good value. They have combined their operation to both internet sales and accessible premises, and despite not having the curtesy to respond to an email enquiry recently, I shall support them. In contrast, a mega chandlery which only operates on line has such poor service, I am no longer prepared to use them, even though they tend to be very cheap. I also regularly use my local chandlery near Cambridge, becuase it is convenient, if I need something _now_, despite it being 50% more expensive.

As far as trad chandleries go, both Marine store and Classic marine provide good/excellent service and prodcts, including gal bolts. Although I again tend to use a engineering supplier for all bolts, as I have a long standing history with them.

As far as my personal circumstances go, I act as a consultant to the marine insurance industry and charge a flat rate, not a percentage of the claim. I am also on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and have abandoned my family, mid overseas holiday to attend a job. Typically my cost will be tenths of a percent of the claim. Far less than the banks charge to provide their "service" and as far as I can tell from my clients, very acceptable. Perhaps you think that the manufacturers of a product only deserve to receive 20% of the selling price of their product? Who is being given a raw deal there?

As a side note, chandleries are not the only ones guilty of this, I had the same treatment from a plumbers supplier in London, who had a 400% mark up on an item. It seemed to me, that they had a minimum price of £5 no matter what the item.

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Fair enough. I too work in the marine industry. I still feel that mark up is no real indicator in chandleries. To my knowledge no one, either in the chandlery business or their major suppliers are making a killing financially . In fact, the reverse is probably true. The cost of dealing with 'things' is massively expensive and time consuming and only people who have worked in it can understand the difficulties.

Chandleries are certainly not a growth industry and will probably continue to decline in their present form which is effectively a corner shop at the waterfront. As you say, only sites linked with a strong and effective website have a chance of surviving. The products are now so specialised and diversely spread as a consequence to other specialists that chandleries will no longer take there current form. It is extremely unjust, unfair and downright untrue to call chandleries 'swindelries ' as so many do. This is the point I am trying to make. Many would like to change but do not have access to resources to make this change.

No matter how hard you no doubt work I can assure you that many others do so too for probably much much less with probably far more abuse.
 
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