If anyone from West Marine is following this thread suggest:
Play to your strength. You are one of few brick and mortar store chains left in this market.
First cashier and stocking help could be anyone but floor help should have personal experience as a seasoned mariner. All to often I go into a West and spend 15- 20 minutes explaining to the help what I want and why. They are mostly clueless as to what the things in the store do or have no useful knowledge of which is the best product for a given application or problem. Use retired boaters/sailors or others who have actually used/installed the products you sell. I loved the now disappearing small , privately owned chandleries. Walk in with a problem they tell me how to solve it and collect the things to buy. Walk me through the installation. Your advice on your internet site is nearly worthless.
Second, as stated here people go into your store for a “I want it now” item”. Basic marketing tells you once you have them in your store it’s more likely they will buy another usually unrelated item. I’ve given up on going to your stores for fasteners, stainless, line, electrical fittings, wire, hoses and the various small items needed on a boat. Similarly have stopped buying lubricants and filters from you. Rather go to a fastenal, auto/truck supply, cordage store because they actually will have the needed part/item on the shelf. Don’t pay attention to what you have sold in the past when restocking as your only measure. Pay attention to what may possibly bring in foot traffic. When the bride comes with me we seem to always buy the part(s) I need and the stuff she wants. Think about rethinking your stocking policies. If you don’t bring anyone into the brick and mortar stores they will close. Change to the “go to”store not the first have a 15-20 phone call to see if you actually have it. Then half hour drive to your store only to find out floor help had no idea about the specifics so the parts on the shelf are worthless to you. That happens a few times customers stop calling first and stop going at all.
Have had Port Supply for decades. Now told I’m no longer eligible. Change your discount policy. Think of customers as three groups. Low volume and spending, medium and high. Taxing is a separate issue. Discount accordingly. Your current discounting doesn’t incentivize people to differentially spend money with you. Rather the incentive is to buy at the best internet price given its all to commonly not available in your store to buy on the spot.
Offer next day free shipping on small weight items and discounted shipping on heavy items. If you reach a certain threshold of spending all shipping is free.
Brick and mortar has several advantages. It’s right there. You can see and hold it. You can talk to someone about it right then and there. You’ve minimize those advantages and maximized opportunities for the customer to be disappointed with the experience of taking the time and effort to go to one of your stores. End of day that’s what this thread is about. Many salient comments above from many posters. Listen to your potential customers. You are losing them becoming a store only for the casual, small boat owner rather than those dedicated to boating and willing to spend the bucks involved. That’s not a recipe for success. Then you’re competing with Walmart and the like. Given their sales volume you will lose out on price and margin.