Online shopping for boat products

[Shaddickp]

I buy virtually everything online. About the only thing I wont is for a used outboard motor.
My boat is kept in Greece and I buy small stuff here in the UK and take it out in hold luggage, and big stuff direct from Greek chandlers. Delivery charges in Greece to the islands are ridiculously cheap. So this year I have had my 10 litres of antifoul, and 44 Kgs worth of two new batteries sent from Athens to my boatyard.
TIP: When searching to buy stuff in Greece and googling it from the UK put in your search phase then follow it with ' SITE: .gr', this wiil give you then mainly Athens based suppliers.

 

[lustyd]

.
TIP: When searching to buy stuff in Greece and googling it from the UK put in your search phase then follow it with ' SITE: .gr', this wiil give you then mainly Athens based suppliers.

You can also change your region on Google which will still find Greek suppliers if they have a .com address

 

[DrSpock]

eBay is obviously very useful for old parts new or secondhand that dealers no longer stock. Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous sellers like hellomarine and adelight82 (actually the same seller) charging stupid money for used Raymarine parts and sometimes considerably more than you can actually buy new.

Caveat Emptor

 

[Fanny Haddock]

eBay is obviously very useful for old parts new or secondhand that dealers no longer stock. Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous sellers

That's a good point. I've seen that in other areas. They seem to operate on the basis of people assuming "because it's ebay it must be cheap".

 

[Caraway]

I am a heavy user of the internet for buying specialist parts. Once you have identified what you need finding a retailer is pretty easy. Determining if they are actually in the UK is the next challenge and then working out if the carriage is reasonable is important.
Post Free often means higher item price, sometimes if you can put together a shipping order you can get the carriage to be less that the total of Post Free items.
Converting some small 12v bulbs to LED I was able to identify and find the specific item and then search for a UK supplier with stock at a good price.
Driving around local suppliers is never going to have a good outcome for that sort of thing.

The only fraud I have had in the past 20 years of online shopping wasn't on-line. It was in a clothes retailer chain shop where my card was skimmed.To add insult to injury they tried to buy a Man U season ticket. Luckily I spotted it on my bank account and got their security team onto it.
We noticed all the staff were different next time we passed by.

 

[anpgr]

I buy almost everything online at any price point. Usually from well known websites - and usually go for the best deal, unless the difference in price is small, in which case I may buy from a website I already have an account with. I do my research in advance so I usually know what I'm buying. Amazon also have some marine products but I find that prices are often higher than direct from online shops. I've also bought from ebay but can be a bit risky unless you trust the seller.

 

[Rock Dodger]

A few years ago I had to kit out a complete boat to meet MCA requirements. Being 'a bit like that' I scoured the market and identified exactly what I wanted and then narrowed it down to the cheapest supplier of the specified piece of kit. This is where Windows Excel comes in handy. I also put in a column that compares the highest and the lowest price for specific items (I know, I know...) but when it totted it all up, I saved over £2,500. Not to be sneezed at. I once bought an anchor online and I checked the dimensions so that it would fit in the locker but when it arrived it was too big. The supplier accepted the rejection and it was collected for return and I was refunded. Apart from that I would happily buy stuff from a reputable online chandlery.

 

[KeelsonGraham]

The biggest problem with online shopping at the moment is the lack of stock - everywhere. Everything from life jackets to inflatables is hard to find. Bridger Marine told me that they don’t expect any more Tohatsu outboards this year!

 

[Caraway]

I once bought an anchor online and I checked the dimensions so that it would fit in the locker but when it arrived it was too big. The supplier accepted the rejection and it was collected for return and I was refunded. Apart from that I would happily buy stuff from a reputable online chandlery.

Online descriptions can be misleading or plain wrong I bought a pair of bow fairleads once which turned out to be identical, instead of handed. I called the supplier who had trouble understanding how a fairlead could be port or starboard. His description had mentioned port or starboard. I ordered one of each but they were both the same
Once convinced he supplied the correct one.

 

[catlotion]

Anyone know how I can unpin this thread please?

 

[Perrycas]

On-line has become dominant in the US for many purchases. Better selelction, fast and most often free delivery, and often better price.
Hi, Thinwater.
I've been looking just recently for online Marine warehouses, Marine Superstores, etc in the US and its embarrassing, I must be doing something wrong with search terms, but I cant find any! Boating places yes, but places like the German SVB or the British marine superstores with wide range of yacht gear - Not finding them, and it doesn't make sense.
Can you suggest any names pls?
Thinking about taking a boat over to the US next year and possibly doing a refit there so perhaps my query is wider than just online stores - are there bricks and mortar outlets as well? I mean by this large establishments, and this would be on the East coast?
Thanks
P

 

[Kukri]

70 is the new 50 ?

In the words of the sea shanty…

“
They say, old man, your horse will die
(And they say so, and we hope so)
They say, old man, your horse will die
(Oh poor old man)
And if he dies then we'll tan his hide
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Aye and if he dies then we'll tan his hide
(Oh poor old man)

And if he lives then we'll ride again
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Aye and if he lives then we'll ride again
(Oh poor old man)

And it's after years of much abuse
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Then we'll salt him down for the sailors' use
(Oh poor old man)

He's as dead as a nail in the lamp room floor
(And they say so, and we hope so)
He's as dead as a nail in the lamp room floor
(Oh poor old man)

Aye and he won't bother us no more
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Aye and he won't bother us no more
(Oh poor old man)

And it's Sally's in the garden and she's picking the peas
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Aye and her long black hair's hangin' down to her knees
(Oh poor old man)

And it's Sally's in the kitchen and she's baking the duff
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Aye and the cheeks of her a*** are going chuff chuff chuff
(Oh poor old man)
And it's down the long and the winding road
(And they say so, and we hope so)
And it's down the long and the winding road
(Oh poor old man)

It's mahogany beef and the weevily bread
(And they say so, and we hope so)
It's mahogany beef and the weevily bread
(Oh poor old man)

And I thought I heard the old man say
(And they say so, and we hope so)
Just one more pull and then belay
(Oh poor old man)

Just one more pull and that will do
(And they say so, and they hope so)
For we're the lads to kick her through
(Oh poor old man)”

From this day forth we’ll buy on line
(And we say so. And we hope so!)
And everything will be just fine.
(Oh, poor old men!)

 

[sail sail]

Last few boaty things I've bought online haven't turned up. Massive stock shortages apparently. Annoying that they take the order though before telling you.

 

[habeer]

Defender.com is online, with a brick and mortar store in Connecticut. Westmarine.com has numerous stores, with higher prices than Defender - but free shipping to your local store is mighty convenient.

 

[Kukri]

This is what happens when you buy on line!

Sent with no plastic packaging to protect it in transit!?

 

[colind3782]

This is what happens when you buy on line!

Sent with no plastic packaging to protect it in transit!?

View attachment 121083

Probably the wrong sort of anchor. Now, if I were you I would have ordered a...

 

[Skipper_Christoph]

This is what happens when you buy on line!

Sent with no plastic packaging to protect it in transit!?

Do you really want more plastic ending in the ocean?
Avoid plastics whenever possible!

 

[Kukri]

Do you really want more plastic ending in the ocean?
Avoid plastics whenever possible!

It’s a joke! We use far too much packaging. You should have seen the quantity of pointless packaging that came with a garden fork…

 

[PeterWright]

I seldom buy from the web other than for hard-to-get items such as a water-tank sensor. This is partly due to caution, partly because I dither and choose slowly, partly because I don't like waiting for deliveries, and partly because my custom keeps nearby chandleries going. I don't want to be bothered with the business of returning items, so that what I would buy online would not include clothing or other personal items. The most attractive items for me would be small stuff that would pass through my letterbox. However, I am probably too senior to be regarded as a typical sailor today.

While I understand your sentiment, take a look around at any UK yacht (not dinghy) club or marina, it seems to me that the average age is going up faster than my actual age, so you may not be as far from typical as you think, despite your seniority.

Peter.

 

[Praxinoscope]

Recently received my new Manson anchor, very little plastic in the packaging, most of the packaging was what appears to be a reclaimed woollen blanket, which did the job admirably.