On-line chandleries: how hard can it be? (rant)

[Greenheart]

Perhaps back in 1980, but things have moved on. Stock Control should be live on the website...

Critical word that, "...should...".

Between petty theft from warehouses, items missing in unchecked bulk orders from manufacturers, items previously, mistakenly sold as something they were not, and damaged stock not being entered on the system, I can't be surprised that stock-control systems run into errors which technically can not occur.

 

[Seajet]

When I worked at a chandlery it was a lot more recent than 1980, I think about 1996; but there wasn't a computer in sight, largely due to the attitude of the manager, which also led to the place deservedly going bust ! - No problem to me as I'd left, it was a temporary filler job, an interesting experience though.

Not many websites give a clue as to stock, apart from Amazon; one may cringe at their megacorp size, but their service is undeniably spot on.

As for not getting replies to e-mails, I never e-mail a company if I want a reply, I thought that was a given; too much chance of being missed, with the best will in the world.

Most of us have free phone calls nowadays, it doesn't take much to phone and check.

 

[maby]

Of course I wouldn't buy from them - they've got nothing to sell.

I suspect that many of them are little more than offices - the cost of carrying stock is large and when you are exclusively on-line, you can usually wing it. I have purchased significant items from on-line chandleries only to find that the delivery came directly from the manufacturer or wholesaler.

 

[prv]

Most of us have free phone calls nowadays, it doesn't take much to phone and check.

Nobody's going to answer at 10pm, though, when I usually seem to put in my orders. In fact, they're generally only at work when I am also in work, and not supposed to be handling personal boaty admin.

(Disregard my presence here right now; the build system is running very slowly and I'm bored )

Pete

 

[Steve Clayton]

There is a way to hit them. Under UK Distance Selling Regulations an Internet supplier is obliged to provide you with your purchases within 30 days. If OOS they should tell you within 14 days. So call them on day 28 and ask where is it? If they say still sourcing and it's not arrived or they have nor refunded your payment then on day 30 get your bank to raise a Chargeback on them. Bank may try and resist but insist. A Chargeback puts a black mark against the Suppliers account.

And the usual proviso: under no circumstances buy from Marine MEGAstore (not be confused with Marine SUPERstore)

 

[Poignard]

The last online chandlery I dealt with was Fox's, Ipswich. Very competitive price and rapid delivery.

I would certainly deal with them again.

Unlike Marine Megastore, the firm that was happy to take my order for something they didn't have in stock (although the website said they did) and couldn't possibly obtain (because it was no longer being manufactured).

 

[Steve Clayton]

......
WARNING - Watch out for one well known south coast supplier, plenty of threads on this forum over recent years about one company that don't send the stuff even when they have it - people have lost thousands in some cases. Can't believe they havn't been shut down Do a search on here for your chosen supplier first!

I' ve named them in my post above

 

[maby]

The last online chandlery I dealt with was Fox's, Ipswich. Very competitive price and rapid delivery.

I would certainly deal with them again.

....

The difference with companies like Fox's and Force4 is that they are physical chandleries with an on-line presence - they do hold stock for their shops and you, purchasing on-line, draw upon it. There's an increasing number of exclusively on-line internet retailers - in all lines of business - who have no physical presence and seem to carry little stock. It's a good business model if you can get your customers to go along with it - you can be up and running in a few days with very little investment.

 

[chewi]

I tend to find what I want online, phone (or mail the link) to my local chandler and ask if he can get me one.
Often he can do it cheaper than online.
That way Mr local keeps the local business, he can do a good price on it when its in and out of the door, no stockholding, and he may well bypass delivery costs too if he has other stuff arriving.

He knows all that, so I get a good service from him.

 

[Seajet]

Chewi,

that's a commendable way to do it, rather than the sadly common practice of checking out items at a chandlery taking their time and advice then going online trying to get them cheaper; people who do this deserve the hassle, cost and delays of returning when things go wrong, no doubt they'd be the first to whine if local chandleries go bust.

I've had electronics taken back and refunded on the same day as purchase without a quibble when they proved duff - by the always good Marine SuperStore, Port Solent - and a heavy dinghy carried to my car without my asking then a guide out of the parking space, all on a very busy day, at Force 4 Chichester.

Ordering online has its' place, but whenever possible a hands-on chandlery with ( usually ) real humans to deal with has to be something worth holding onto, plus the ' kid in a sweet shop ' enjoyment of it !

 

[maby]

I'll certainly second the "support your local chandlery" message - mine provides excellent service and regularly undercuts the best prices available on-line. I'm an impatient beggar and strongly dislike on-line shopping - I like to wake up in the morning, thinking about something I want to add to the boat and have the job finished later the same day.

 

[lustyd]

I'll certainly second the "support your local chandlery" message - mine provides excellent service and regularly undercuts the best prices available on-line. I'm an impatient beggar and strongly dislike on-line shopping - I like to wake up in the morning, thinking about something I want to add to the boat and have the job finished later the same day.

I hate small local chandleries, they seem to overprice by 10% just so they can look good by discounting at the till for their "special" customers. They are also the ones who don't have online stock checking. I often buy in store but check online to see if it's worth the drive first. Luckily my new local chandlery is Marine Super Store and they have an excellent web site as well as full detailed stock information online

 

[JumbleDuck]

I always give my local chandlery (Kippford Slipway) my business if I can, then Largs or maybe Kip. The only online outfit I've used much are Marinescene in Cardiff, who have always been excellent.

 

[Daydream believer]

Sympathies, but you know the answer to your question - volume!

Nop! the answer - as others has said- is support your local chandlery

 

[chewi]

I hate small local chandleries, they seem to overprice by 10% just so they can look good by discounting at the till for their "special" customers. They are also the ones who don't have online stock checking. I often buy in store but check online to see if it's worth the drive first. Luckily my new local chandlery is Marine Super Store and they have an excellent web site as well as full detailed stock information online

I wonder why you feel that way.
Are you are not a "special" customer?

Everything they have has to be in sizes from Optimists to Oysters and in whatever colour the punter wants.
Often the punter has no idea what he wants or waht its called, so a lot of stock has to be displayed for him to browse.
That takes money, commitment and time, only for lots of it to stay on the hook for a long time.

I would not want to contemplate the stock turnover rate for a useful chandlery, but if you expect to just turn up and hope he has what you want, it can't be cheap, but 10% is cheaper than carriage and it's there on the hook.

If he isn't there any more, it might be your fault.

 

[prv]

if you expect to just turn up and hope he has what you want, it can't be cheap, but 10% is cheaper than carriage and it's there on the hook.

Except in the case of my local independent chandlery, when it never was "there on the hook". Went there once for a tin of Epifanes - no varnish of any kind. Or a deck plug and socket, didn't matter what type - again, nowt.

I stopped going after a while, as they literally never had everything I wanted, and fairly often had none of it. I wasted a lot of time over the three years of Kindred Spirit's refit, driving back and forth to Force 4 at Bursledon.

If he isn't there any more, it might be your fault.

He isn't there any more, it's not my fault, and I'm delighted to have a local branch of Force 4 with happy, helpful people and a sensible range of stock.

Pete

 

[Hoolie]

Yes, I prefer the local chandlery as their prices are "normal" for stock items and I don't mind paying as they have the cost overheads of stock etc. For special items they can generally give a better price and that is to everyone's advantage. I agree; use them and keep them in business!

 

[ianc1200]

Not sure Force 4 is good as some make it out to be; tried ordering by phone a Tri + anchor LED from them last Wednesday, the lady said it wasn't in stock but arriving the next day & was prepared to take my order. However I left it and phoned again on Thursday, the item wasn't in stock and their suppliers couldn't confirm whether it would be in stock anytime soon. But shows the value in telephoning rather than ordering online.

 

[Seajet]

I remember when there used to be 4 more chandleries in Emsworth; OSTAR, the Wheelhouse and the one opposite OSTAR which mainly did rigging, I forget the name, and the mainly Vetus one by Dolphin Quay.

I suppose that was a bit much, but I wish they were still there !

The Monkeys Fist at Northney Marina was good with helpful people, but I don't think they ever had the funding to stock the place properly, so didn't get the trade they needed, a vicious circle.

Then there were Dinghy Den and Sparkes chandleries on Hayling, West Havant Marine...none of them a patch on Force 4 nowadays but they were close by and full of interesting sights and smells, quite often with rather eccentric proprietors who only served one as a favour, but it would be fun to go back in a time machine.

 

[lustyd]

I wonder why you feel that way.
Are you are not a "special" customer?

Everything they have has to be in sizes from Optimists to Oysters and in whatever colour the punter wants.
Often the punter has no idea what he wants or waht its called, so a lot of stock has to be displayed for him to browse.
That takes money, commitment and time, only for lots of it to stay on the hook for a long time.

I would not want to contemplate the stock turnover rate for a useful chandlery, but if you expect to just turn up and hope he has what you want, it can't be cheap, but 10% is cheaper than carriage and it's there on the hook.

If he isn't there any more, it might be your fault.

I'm ok with it being "my fault" actually. It's the same with little shops versus Tesco. Tesco are open 24 hours and have almost anything I fancy in two separate shops in my town, and everything they sell is cheaper than those helpful little shops that whined about going out of business. Marine super store is better in every single way when compared to small chandleries. No it doesn't have an old man claiming to know every detail of a boat (and making up half of it). It does, however, have extremely knowledgable staff and a very full stock alongside sterling service and a modern web presence which integrates tightly with stock control. They also don't require me to ask for discount since their prices are already some of the best around despite having a showroom with one of everything for me to try.
No, I won't miss the small chandlers and frankly as others said if they can't integrate a stock system and website in 2014 then good riddance. I expect the Argos experience as standard now with collect in store, live stock and simple local collection. Before you say it, local collection is possible without a local shop, Wiggle is a good example of this where you can collect at your local corner shop