I know, I know....

[dasein668]

But I can't help it.... Has anyone put the 2004 West Marine catalog next to the 2004 BoatUS catalog? Amazing. It must have taken all of 6 or 8 hours to layout and prepress the BoatUS catalog after they finished with the West catalog.

What's the point? Why didn't BoatUS just send a note saying "See West Marine Catalog"

Man-o-man.

Reason number 896 to patronize your local marine establishment...

[Tim]

It must have taken all of 6 or 8 hours to layout and prepress the BoatUS catalog after they finished with the West catalog.

As one who is not in the printing business, I'm assuming that's a startlingly short time, right? In other words, the Boat/US catalog must be the same thing with only a different cover? (I don't have either 2004 version yet)

Boat/US and West Marine...two companies that I once loved back in the day, but it's now clear that all either one cares about is GROWTH for the sake of GROWTH, not for the betterment of the industry or providing for consumers' needs. West Marine used to have low prices. Now, it's often the highest, and you can almost always find the same item for less (often drastically so) elsewhere. With their incredible buying power, shouldn't it be the opposite? Only if they cared about anything but the bottom line (which obviously they don't).

Why every entitity feels this need to continue getting huger is beyond me. Why isn't offering good service and a good product for a fair price good enough anymore? No, no...must expand, even if all it does is enhance the CEOs' bank accounts. Must every single market be saturated? Does every consumer besides me require one-stop shopping for everything? Why does West/Boat/US have to offer insurance, financing, house-cleaning, car repair, and whatever else? Focus, people! Make enough money, no more. Why isn't enough enough? Why must it always be about excess in this society?

{sigh} Fortunately, I think it's all cyclical, anyway. The days of conglomerates are here now, but the movement is afoot for the return to smaller, more local-based businesses. It may take a while, but lots of people (like me) are sick of the seeming everpresence of Wal-Mart, 4 huge nationwide banks taking over every local branch, and the like. People like me avoid these places and head for the local-schmocals by choice. Smart local businesses know they are catering to this attitude, and offer the service, selection, or other perks that people like I need, and therefore seek out.

Obviously, many feel differently, or these "hugities" (I made that up) would not be proliferating. It rarely gets my dander up, but then something sparks the fire. (Thanks, Nathan, for that! hehe)

Who needs West when there's Lewis, anyway? ;<)

[dasein668]

Yes. Startlingly short. I estimate that the West catalog would probably take something on the neighborhood of 800 to 1200 man-hours if you were starting from scratch (which, obviously they arent). In reality it probably takes about 200 or so man-hours to take the previous year's files and update and prep them for the new catalog.

The boatUS catalog is exceptionally close. Color scheme is different, as are the headers. But all the images, basic page layouts and price blocks are identical. Literally cut an paste from one catalog to the other.

Boat US is about 150 pages shorter. I haven't looked closely enough to see what accounts for that difference.

Just shaking my head. Yeah, I think we should stick with Hamilton and Lewis!

[David]

West has the contract to provide the BOAT US online ecommerce site, so you may notice that the prices online are exact to the penny between the two company's websites. Because of that West may also be producing the BOAT US catalog. Simple enough to do out of a database using FrameMaker and conditional text.

David

[Figment]

Scuttlebutt is that West is catching a LOT of grief from a number of their suppliers for errors in the current catalog. Images depicting out-of-date models, inaccurate dimensions, prices, etc.

My other gripe with West is the HUGE variation in expertise from one staff member to another. I know that some variation is to be expected, but lately it's gotten to the point that I don't believe a word that ANY of them say, because I know that if I go and ask the guy on the other end of the store, he'll have a different answer.

Maybe that's just a regional thing? over the last 3 years, 5 West/BoatUS stores have opened within 15 miles of me, so maybe they're spreading the knowlegeable staff rather thin out of necessity.

Anyway, I partook of the "everything at wholesale for 6 months" deal at BoatUS when I first bought figment, but that overexposure really soured me on the whole organization. Nowadays the West catalog is usually the LAST place I look. I start with Jamestown, then Defender, then Hamilton. Sadly, there are no small chandleries left around here.

It's cold, rainy, foggy, wednesday morning. A good day for a Rant!

[Tim]

The best thing I can say about West is that (at least historically) they have the best catalog. I often look in there first to find an item or manufacturer part number, and then buy it elsewhere. For couch-type browsing, the West catalog is certainly the most user-friendly.

Our local West store is an absolute joke. Their stock is pathetic, and the "help"...well, I won't go into that. Fortunately, I never require "help" anyway, but I feel sorry for people who are actually looking for advice when they go in there. They may get advice, but in many cases I bet it's unhelpful, and very likely even inaccurate, "advice". Scary, really.

Given that West now owns the merchandise side of Boat/US, it's not surprising that the catalogs are nearly identical. The main question, as Nathan said, is why do they even bother to keep the Boat/US "brand" out there? Streamline it and send out one catalog. The duplication makes no sense...but then so much fails to make sense in Corporate America, doesn't it?

[dasein668]

West has the contract to provide the BOAT US online ecommerce site, so you may notice that the prices online are exact to the penny between the two company's websites. Because of that West may also be producing the BOAT US catalog. Simple enough to do out of a database using FrameMaker and conditional text.

David

Yup, that was exactly my point. I think its a horrible marketing decision though.

Framemaker.... shiver. I always hated that program! ;-P Great for automation and handling of large documents, but miserable as a design tool! Maybe that was the real reason I was so miserable at my last job! hehe

Nowadays the West catalog is usually the LAST place I look. I start with Jamestown, then Defender, then Hamilton. Sadly, there are no small chandleries left around here.

Actually, its often the first place I look, but not as though I were going to buy from them, but just because it is probably the most comprehensive catalog out there. Decent starting point for research, if taken with a grain of salt!

[heartofgold]

West has the contract to provide the BOAT US online ecommerce site

I hope I am not out of line by adding this, but it is my understanding that West Marine BOUGHT Boat US (sometime last summer/fall). At least that is what the manager at one of the local WMs told me last year. To support that offering, just yesterday, I went to WM to buy 3 cans of 5200-Mahogany. WM was out, but they looked up on their computer and told me that the Boat US (5 blocks up the road) had 3 cans (exactly) in stock. I went to Boat US and sitting in the bin were 3 cans of mahogany 5200. Being contracted to provide online services is one thing, but being able to access rival stores inventories is another level entirely.

[Tim]

The quote below is from a Latitude 38 article from some time ago (January 2003) about the West/Boat/US purchase. Yes, West definitely owns the Boat/US stores and catalog operation, but not the Boat/US insurance/advocacy/etc. portion. This happens to be the first article I found during a quicky Google just now looking for the "proof". There's no speculation--this happened, it's done. It's been over a year now.

West Marine Buys BoatU.S. Retail Stores for $72 Million
January 15 - Watsonville

On Tuesday West Marine announced that it would acquire all 62 BoatU.S. retail stores and its catalog and wholesale units for $72 million cash, including the assumption of some debt. The BoatU.S. name will remain on the stores. Boat/U.S. will continue to offer services to boat owners, such as towing, marine insurance and boat financing. Under terms of the deal, West Marine will promote membership to the association, while BoatU.S. will point its members to West Marine to buy supplies.

[Guest]

If you want to talk about mistakes in catalogs, Denfender is the reigning defender in that area. I like to use West's catalog as a reference tool to staart researching a project. But it has problems too. Even the Port Supply price list is wrong in many instances and requires a confirming call to clear up discrepencies.

David