Chandlery -Shopping

[Guest]

Recently aquired a yacht and, as expected, the shopping begins. Anyone know a good place to buy on line or Super Store in South Uk area. I have logged on to couple of sites including pull outs from Yachting Mags and boy are the prices varied.An example - Sowester Simpson pull out in last month's Yachting World produced lifejackets with price (in one example) of approx. £78-£80. Next to it Special price nearly £20 cheaper. Phone and order and you cannot. Question: Why put an ad in a magazine such as YM and then find you cannot buy. OK go to a stockist but then why print a RRP and Special Price in first place. Reason: When you phone a stockist another item (new example)I wanted a Morse Control. It's over £100 in the Simpson Sowester "pull-out" just described but you cannot buy it as stated. You ring a local stockist (as recommended in same pull-out). It cost same price - fair enough. I call a company called MMS (on line price £82 and from their shops in Shepperton and Marlow about £3 more). Finally (back to original example, which was for a Fulmar and Osprey lifejacket) - I won't bore you but just to say looked at Price quoted then Special Price (you guessed it - cannot buy it from the catalogue) compared with Port Solent SuperStore and MMS etc etc etc and left with variations of about £20 for an approx. £70 item.
So - where is the best place to buy without such massive discrepancies and variations? Sorry for the rambling text but this sums up roughly what it was like looking at the options available between "on line", "Retail" and "phone". Don't tell me to wait for Boat Show special offers as I expect they think of a price, take away from first number thought of and double it to arrive at "Boat Show Offer"!!!

 

[Guest]

jusrt be carefull if you look back at some of the threads in the last couple of weeks there was something about one of the on line suppliers being in financial dificulty & not supplying in a timely manor

 

[Guest]

Sticking my neck out...

The two that I have used regularly and been satisfied with in terms of service and price are...

Alladins Cave - Swanwick, Gosport, Hamble point etc

Jimmy Green via phone order.

hope this helps .,

Pete

 

[Guest]

Re: Sticking my neck out...

I agree, I have used both the above recently with no problems and quick delivery. Also try Southern Marine Supplies [they're on line], anything from the Sowester catalogue at a reasonable price. Another gambit is a good boat jumble there is a lot of tat BUT some red hot bargains too.

 

[Guest]

Re: Sticking my neck out...

best tip i can give is to buy everything you can from non marine suppliers. for example, buy chain and shackles from lifting tackle suppliers, filters and engine parts from car spares, many domestic items from caravan shops. also try cosalt. they act as chandlers to the fishing fleets, and whilst they are expensive on items like electronics, they are quite good on other items like bulk rope, foulies etc.

 

[Guest]

Re: Sticking my neck out...

I buy most of the items that I want from Cruisermart. Not always the cheapest but you have got to consider the posibility of buying a faulty item or a fault developing. Its much simpler to be able to take a faulty item back in person. So far I have found that if it is in stock Cruisermart give me an immediate replacement. The need has nor occurred very often but it has happened.

 

[Guest]

Re: Sticking my neck out...

CruiserMart have yet to supply an order placed on the 2nd May, and have charged my credit card. They initially quoted 2-3 weeks and upon enquiry have raised this to a further 4 weeks. I have enquired from the manufacturer of one item that I require and have been informed that NO order for my item has been placed with this company. Contrast this with Westmarine USA, placed order on-line 6th May, arrived on 11th, $13 carriage. Needless to say Cuisermart will not be getting my custom again.

 

[Guest]

Re: Sticking my neck out...

Keith I note your comment re cruisermart. I was only using them as an example of a chandler where I can shop personally and I only speak as I find. Maybe I did not make the point very clearly. I too have purchased from Westmarine and have nothing but praise for the excellent service. I do feel however that in the field of items where problems are more likely to arise it is worthwhile dealing with a company where you can easily physically take back an item in person.