The death of high street Chandleries

[Lakesailor]

Also http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?398075-You-ve-got-to-hand-it-to-Amazon

It's the modern business model. With my trials car I needed a spherical rod-end bearing (rose joint) with more articulation than normal (a Miss-alignment Bearing).

15 minutes on the internet and a phone call had the proper item from a motorsport supplier complete with extra top-hat washers. I didn't need to ring, I could have ordered on-line, but I didn't believe my search could have been that easy, so I had to check.
Before the internet that would not have been possible. Weeks of sifting through magazines and phoning people would have been needed.

 

[glashen]

I hate being ripped off but I don't think that is what my local chandlery is doing, they are convenient they provide additional services such as rope splicing and they often have a cheaper alternative to the expensive brand leader.

Much more inclined to use them than say PC world or Maplins for a computer cable who IMHO are trying to rip me off when I get the same item for a fraction on internet.

 

[lw395]

It's interesting to note that two chandleries, Rooster and Pin-Bax have opened new outlets around here, despite both being well sorted interweb sellers.
Admittedly they are both dinghy specialists.
Having people like that with easy access from the motorway will be a third option in addition to local independent shop and online.

Another thing I think may be happening more is that retailers are operating across various watersports, for instance Andark sells a good range of yacht and dinghy clothing despite being mostly a dive store, Pacer Marine in Aldershot is an excellent place to get a dinghy drysuit, but they are mostly into powerboats and such.

Then we have a few ebay stores/man in a van operators who turn up at dinghy events.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I have just purchased replacement deck shoes from local single store chandler marked price in shop £100.00
same company price on internet £80:00 only reduced when price was queried
Can't think of better reason not to bother with going to shop.

Bosun's Locker, by any chance?

 

[JumbleDuck]

I always enjoyed the OM Watts stand at Earls Court boat shows ...

Anyone else remember Thomas Foulkes in Leytonstone? I still have a canvas bucket I got there 30+ years ago.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Anyone else remember Thomas Foulkes in Leytonstone? I still have a canvas bucket I got there 30+ years ago.

Indeed. I worked in Chadwell Heath and had a Fireball on the Blackwater. Foulkes was my local.

 

[Seajet]

Only possible to buy there and then if they have it. If they order it you can expect at least a week and often the rider will be that they can only order form Barton or whoever in sums of more than X£100s. "So when we have a big enough order we can get that for you"

You go home and order on-line and receive it the next day, possibly even post-free.

The chandleries are not to blame. A single outlet cannot rely on economy of scale and cut any good deals with suppliers. Also, as in the case of Barton last year, the smaller size blocks were in short supply so the small chandlers were the first to get cut from the supply-chain, loading the dice in favour of the big outlets and on-line.

Everything is stacked against them. Unless they are in the business of supply-and-fit they may as well shut the doors.

To be fair to the chandlery I worked for - long before internet - they had over £10,000 worth of BIG rigging ( cost price ) in the attic, ordered by a famous tall ship in the Azores; as soon as the manager got all this stuff in they got the ' thanks but gone elsewhere ' reply - no chance of returning the kit so the cost had to be shrugged off.

I bet that doesn't happen to Force 4 nowadays !

 

[Seajet]

My favourite moment working in a high street chandlery;

a lady of a certain age marched in wearing tweeds, with ' so obviously not a yottie ' written all over her.

I was standing beside the chandlery owner, she asked us " have you got those half eaten pies ? "

I was already near bursting so handed over to the owner, didn't dare even make eye contact with him but he handled it with aplomb.

' Errr what does Madam mean by half eaten pies ? '

" My son has a cottage in Wales and wants to leave a half eaten meal on the table to infer he's there all week to avoid it being burnt down, so I need those replica half eaten pork pies ! "

' I regret Madam, this is a boat chandlery, our remit does not run to semi-digested foodstuffs ! '

 

[Sailfree]

SIL has a retail shop and was considering opening another 100 mls away. Approx £250k investment. Lease obligations of £100k so he decided to add an internet service to his existing shop.

Less convenient for those where prospective shop would have been, less employment opportunities but less risk for SIL!

 

[DaveS]

My favourite moment working in a high street chandlery;

a lady of a certain age marched in wearing tweeds, with ' so obviously not a yottie ' written all over her.

I was standing beside the chandlery owner, she asked us " have you got those half eaten pies ? "

I was already near bursting so handed over to the owner, didn't dare even make eye contact with him but he handled it with aplomb.

' Errr what does Madam mean by half eaten pies ? '

" My son has a cottage in Wales and wants to leave a half eaten meal on the table to infer he's there all week to avoid it being burnt down, so I need those replica half eaten pork pies ! "

' I regret Madam, this is a boat chandlery, our remit does not run to semi-digested foodstuffs ! '

This reminds me of a tale told to me by a Norwegian pal. Many years ago when Norway's anti-alcohol laws were even stricter than they are today, it was only possible to buy alcohol with food. An English visitor went into a pub and bought a beer and a sandwich, then returned the sandwich, complaining that it was made of polystyrene. The barman was mortified and explained that an eating sandwich should have been specified. The visitor looked around the room and observed an untouched sandwich in front of each drinker.

 

[dslittle]

This reminds me of a tale told to me by a Norwegian pal. Many years ago when Norway's anti-alcohol laws were even stricter than they are today, it was only possible to buy alcohol with food. An English visitor went into a pub and bought a beer and a sandwich, then returned the sandwich, complaining that it was made of polystyrene. The barman was mortified and explained that an eating sandwich should have been specified. The visitor looked around the room and observed an untouched sandwich in front of each drinker.

Don't have to go to Norway. During our 'less relaxed' drinking laws, I used to have a late night drink at an establishment just off the Edgware Road in Paddington. The owner had plates of plastic food made up for the odd occasion that somebody came in in a more "official" role (he normally had some notice!!!). One of his well known sayings was 'you boys only come here when you are drunk' - he was of course right...

 

[pvb]

Anyone else remember Thomas Foulkes in Leytonstone? I still have a canvas bucket I got there 30+ years ago.

Loved the Foulkes store! The way the whole place shuddered when a train went over. The great customer service. And the catalogues - essential bedtime reading!

 

[pvb]

I don't want to have to ask to buy something at the normal retail price. If a local chandler wants business then the price on the sticker should be what they want for the item. If they can do it cheaper they should do it cheaper. It's like calling for insurance quotes - ask for their best price and they give you a number, quickly followed with "but call back if you get a better offer and we'll match it". Clearly the best price is not the best price then, business lost.

I reckon it varies according to what you want to buy. If it's a smallish item, the sticker price could lead you to walk away, or it could lead you to the conclusion that it would cost you more to drive elsewhere to get it a bit cheaper.

With bigger purchases, sticker prices are largely irrelevant. I spent several thousand pounds with a local chandler yesterday - (a) because they're local and I want to support them, (b) because they're local and I'm going to turn up on their doorstep if I'm not happy, and (c) because after a brief negotiation I got everything cheaper than any other internet price. Support your local chandlery!

 

[abraxus]

It is true that they can be cheaper with a bit of negotation, but I did find it annoying when I was quoted nearly £700 for something instore, when even their own online price was only a little over £500. Obviously they reduced the price when pushed, but it seemed a bit opportunist to me.

 

[maby]

The thing is, you see this as a good thing while I and I'm sure many others read it as "When I wanted £2000 worth of nav equipment, my local chandler was considerably more expensive than their competition. So much so, I had to beg them for a discount just so I could justify shopping locally".

I don't want to have to ask to buy something at the normal retail price. If a local chandler wants business then the price on the sticker should be what they want for the item. If they can do it cheaper they should do it cheaper. It's like calling for insurance quotes - ask for their best price and they give you a number, quickly followed with "but call back if you get a better offer and we'll match it". Clearly the best price is not the best price then, business lost.

I almost never ask marine superstore for a discount because I know they are charging a reasonable amount in the first place. My previous local chandler was exactly the opposite, I knew they'd added at least 10% over normal prices and they expected people to ask for 10% off while hoping most wouldn't. I doubt many will regret their loss when they inevitably go.

I'm not talking about them discounting equipment that was already in stock to match internet prices - this was a special order specifically for me and they came in with a price that matched the best I could find on-line. Their stock item prices are generally competitive with the web.

 

[Skylark]

I think that there's a difference between "chandlery commodities" which are usually bought on either price or as a distress purchase (at the boat yard to replace loss or breakage) and those products with some form of added value. On my last boat I up-graded the electronics to the tune of close to £10k. I decided that it was worth paying a premium (most expensive of 3 quotes) to use the chadlery within my marina. To cut a long and painful story short, the service was dreadful and it tooks months to fully resolve their errors and get the kit working properly. I have little sympathy for businesses offering poor service going under.

 

[FishyInverness]

I

Ps Like the new branch fishie but why collect service only from Inverness?

Hi Scottie,

I wish I could like it too, up here in the wilds, we hardly even knew it was opening, communication not being the strongest point around here! (Haven't even been invited to go see it yet!!!)

I'm confused though, collect service only from Inverness? Are you referring to the webshop? Ah yes, if that's the case, indeed all mail order is fulfilled at the mahoosive warehouse here in Inverness, Glasgow and Plymouth are both retail stores so they only despatch mail order if they've got what we up here don't and we ask them specifically to send it out..normally they're just walk in outlets...who knows for the future though?!?!

 

[charles_reed]

It is true that they can be cheaper with a bit of negotation, but I did find it annoying when I was quoted nearly £700 for something instore, when even their own online price was only a little over £500. Obviously they reduced the price when pushed, but it seemed a bit opportunist to me.

In this world - you don't ask, you don't get!!

 

[FishyInverness]

But it's not just the internet is it?

For example you can buy the same screw/bolt/paint brush/thinners/sandpaper/etc. from even the most expensive independent DIY shop and it will still be cheaper than most chandlers.

W.

Try buying Shackles and Rope from B&Q then - I can't believe the prices they're trying to charge, 4 or 5 times more than prices in a chandlery!