cruisermart beware

[lezgar]

Reading Sailing Today Dec 2001 page 26 (BUYER BEWARE) I am amazed at reading that Crisermart can steal £855 to Peter May with total impunity. What type of country is this where a company can cheat telling to the customer that he have to pay by cheque instead a credit card knowing that he won't receive the goods that he paid for and nothing happen?

 

[LadyInBed]

I’ve just read the article, I do not think I will be putting any money the way of:
Shoreline, Cruisermart, Cruisermart Express, London Yacht Centre, Capt OM Watts, Force 4, Telesonic and Pumpkin Marine, unless I’m in the shop with the goods in my hand.
It never ceases to amaze me how wide the tentacles stretch. Shopping Around these days just seems to be comparing different outlets in the same group!

 

[Guest]

the chap at www.yachtbits.co.uk was telling me only the other day about how the South Broads RNLI Lifeboat had ordered something from Cruisermart that he couldn't get for them from his suppliers. The Lifeboat paid by cheque. Guess what? no goods, no refund, no alternatives, no nothing and now cruisermart has been sold, nothing from the administrators either!

I'm going to stick with the independants like www.yachtbits.co.uk. Much safer.

D

 

[pvb]

Logic??

Might have misunderstood, but are you saying independents are safer because they can't go bust? If not, what's your justification for saying they're much safer?

 

[Guest]

Our beloved Yachting Magazines (IPC) have a lot to answer for re the chandliers going bust, ie they have known for months as have the trade that these companies were in trouble. I have lost money with On-Line-Marine which has just disappeared (web-site gone, e mails returned, no telephone). Now I see that the Mag's are pushing YBW.com Marine Store which is using the same tel and fax no as On-Line-Marine. I have e mailed Yachting Monthly to ask for an explanation, so far no respone.

 

[david_e]

I refer the right honourable gentleman to the reply I gave some moments ago! i.e. my comments on the question "Where to buy" earlier today. The safer route to looking at on line buying is to view the website as an advertising method and not a shop window. Subtle difference I know but in essence the website is just another form of advertising for retailers, those with more substance will have long track records and doubtless other forms of distribution such as premises. Not total re-assurance either but at least you know a little more about them. Purchasing by credit card is your best bet.

One other point to ponder is that if trade is slow and the new boys are dropping away, who will be next? I am in the process of upgrading and slightly concerned about handing over large sums to a broker. The RYA legal bods tell me that the monies should be safe in a clients account but even then it might not be guaranteed, in any event could be a long process to get it back. Any thoughts or comments?

 

[Guest]

brokers are entirely unregulated, and have no requirement to hold funds in a separate client account. even if they do, there's nowt to stop em taking the money and running. It's only groups like solicitors and accountants ( I think) that are regulated and their relevant prof bodies offer protection against them hoovering out the client account and doing a runner.

 

[Guest]

Re: Logic??

Sorry if I wasn't clear, but the point I was trying to make is that the small independant firms are often directly controlled by the people that own them. They are rairly PLC's using other people's money and you can often speak to the owner if required. Yes they can still go bust, but the owners generally have much more at stake than the directors of PLC's who just flick through the "Times Appointments" and move on.

The people I referred to, www.yachtbits.co.uk, the owners mobile number is on the website so you can contact him direct if required, and he often answers the main number himself anyway.

Did the CEO of Actionleisure (cruisermart et all) ever answer the phone to you??!!
I doubt you could even get his name out of anybody if you asked!

D

 

[Guest]

What a surprise ActionLeasure PLC going belly-up. I seem to remember writing a veiled warning about this company back in the spring. Perhaps the big lesson is for us all to support our local chandleries, remember, the price of your goods is not just the number of pounds you pay! A personal relationship with a reliable, family owned business is priceless.

 

[pvb]

Well said!

In most instances, your local chandlery can match (or better) the price you'll be quoted by the mail order "box shifters". Give the local guy a try - there's nothing to lose, and it will help to put pressure on his wholesalers. Remember. too, that you'll need the local guy still to be in business when you urgently want a couple of M8 machine screws on a Sunday morning!

 

[pvb]

A phone call?

I'm not sure what a phone call can tell you about the state of a business - even if the "owner" answers the phone himself. The boss of Actionleisure PLC was Arild Nerdrum and freely listed his phone number as 01727 791400, although I doubt that a conversation with him would have revealed anything about the health of the company!