i'm interested to hear from forum users about where they shop for sailing gear in perth and why? This question has come about as you constantly hear bizaar and wonderful stories about the various proprietors etc. Some more than others........please don't hold back, as maybe some home truths will make them sharpen their pencils or you for you to try someone else....

I work in the shop, i think that this is the ideal place to give us some honest feedback if we have screwed up somewhere alone the lines or to praise us if we did something good.

Keep the feed back honest and reasonable please.
Surely if we did something wrong shouldnt we be the first people to know??

Chad Silver
Windsurfing Perth

Then why do you spend so much time at Garden City Jim?

Doesn't the stock determine where you shop? You want Tush.. see Jez, JP..go to WP, Starboard.. try Cash Converters... and so on.
Mind you that little bloke in XXXX is annoying! [}:)]

I can't believe all the chickens not willing to let go and tell some home truthes. I've heard some shocking stories, that if it happened to me i wouldn't have left the store without giving the owner a black eye. The idea of the original posting was to tell of the good and the bad.....consequently the reader can gauge our/your feelings...then go and make up their own mind. I constantly hear reports that are not favourable about all the stores in Perth, some more than others.......taking into account what i do for a living, if i treated my customers as poorly as some of our shops do at times, i would be out of business (not enough competition)...and probably displaying a black eye. Nonetheless, if i get good/great service i am the first person to pass on the conpliment and let my fellow sailor know. The sword is two sided...
Fence sitting gets you nowhere.....

Ill name names!
Last time I was after some new gear I spoke to Jez and to Reg. They both suggested very similar boards for my needs. Price was about what I expected for both, and neither of them were too pushy.
I ended up buying from WSP, but it was due to the product. I couldnt really fault either of them on service.

Now I will be looking at trading some gear in soon so it will be interesting to see how they go then.

I have never been in any of the northern suberb shops to be able to compare.

I have had nothing but very relevant help and sales advice from all shops I have dealt with given both my experience at time and bulge in my wallet. Keep up the good work Guys!!!!!

I sail with a crew in Bunbury/Australind that get a visit once a season from WSP, and all here are aware of benefits of new technology and riding fairly recent gear.

Conversely I was surprised on a recent Perth visit to Nedlands launch to see the shops letting crew ride such old gear. Surely the bloke trying for 2 hours to uphaul on a 1980's bombora/windrush combo (so many bomboras up there!!) would appreciate a shop fella suggesting another ride or even some rigging help. The poor bugger has probably just spent $300 on this kit.

Drop the prices on the old F2 in stock and get people feeling good about the board they are riding (remember the feeling of rigging your first short board?). Make second hand sails more affordable or provide a used combination at a reasonable price.

As people get further into the sport, they are then happier to experience rigging and sailing a brand new sail/board, or are more fussy about replacing the thick old mast and will bring in their mate to start the cycle again.

Hoops - I can't believe that mentally. We are talking simple customer service here, not profit margins, which if you new exactly how much that treasured equipment cost you might not feel so sorry for the store owners.
So you reckon the following is acceptable service:
1. Letting staff use equipment on consignment
2. Breaking equipment on consignment
3. Not letting the owner know that their equipment is sold on consignment, and then that person goes in to take the equipment off consignment to use and funnily enough is surprise to find it sold,
4. Buying a new board ($2400) by experience sailor, tries over extented period of time(3 weeks), but unsucessful. Takes back to original person he purchased from looking for an acceptable trade, and is offered $500 (board in mint cond)......Just remember we are not spending $20 here.....

Acceptable..........?????????
I would deem not.

I would like those who read this to answer these questions?
1.What were you looking to buy? (what did you think you wanted)
2.What did you buy?
3.Where did you end up purchasing from, why?
4.Were you happy with what you bought? price/quality?
5.Was the service up to your standards?
6.Do you still shop with the store you purchased it from, why?

Thank you
regards

chad silver

'fraid you're comparing apples with pears. If there were as many people in Perth
who owned a windsurfer as there are people who owned a hammer
we'd probably be able to buy our gear at a store
the size of Bunnings. The markets simply can't be compared.
As Simon said earlier Perth is probably lucky with the choice
it has.

I can understand people being disgruntled, probly caused a bit of it m'self but as far as wher I shop and why...
hmmm
I have bought stuff from WSP and SOS Great guys all of 'em really.
But mostly from m'self I give me great prices!

Ian
Pelican Point

It's interesting to see what people think on this subject. Lots of different opinions.

My own two cents based on my personal experience as a windsurfer and a customer for the past 18 years is that people should be looking for more than just products from their retailer. I view it as a partnership. Of course I want someone who is going to be knowledgeable and honest, and give me the right equipment suited to my goals, budget, and current capabilities, but buying the equipment is just the start.

After I buy something, I want to be able to get service and help when I have a problem. I want to get education, be kept up to date on what's happening in the industry, get "networked" in the community etc. Basically, I want someone who is a regular windsurfer and is passionate about the sport. At the end of the day, it doesn't do me a lot of good to buy based on lowest price, if I'm not getting the help to enjoy this sport to the fullest. What is most important is value: the measure of benefit that I get for a given price.

Shops are a key ingredient to keeping the sport healthy and providing us, the local windsurfing community, with the knowledge, products and services that we want and need. When you go to pick a shop, my suggestion is that you meet the owner(s), find out what they're really all about, and then build a long-term relationship with whomever you think brings the most value to you personally.

Alberto
Wind Shack

Hey, I think Alberto makes a lot of sense. The problem is the attitude of expecting to pay $100. People never think about it from both sides.

If this sport had the volume that Bunnings has... then we can expect razor thin margins. The truth is it's a niche sport, and I'd sure like to see the local shops survive. I've run several small businesses over the past 20 years, and I can tell you there's an awful lot of expenses that goes into it. People have no idea. I saw some posts earlier complaining about the markup on windsurfing gear. Well... try to pay insurance, rent, wages, taxes, phone, advertising, stocking, finance charges, display costs, promotion, sponsoring events etc etc... the list goes on. You may not think the markup is so high.

I am from the US - spend time in Perth each year -and this is an unbelievable spot for the sport. The only problem is that it's a bit out of the way. I'd sure like my local shop to keep me up to date on what's going on with the sport and the latest advances in gear.

As far as I'm concerned - I want a superman who owns a windsurfing shop - and I don't mind paying him for that quality.

Where? SOS
Why? Because of the service, service and service. Also, they don't have the "too cool for school" attitude.

I have also bought from Pelican Point and they were good as well.

There is one place that I refuse to ever set foot in again. (Not going to mention the name). I spent a decent amount of money in there, and then they treated me like ****. So easy - they don't get any more money from me.

Interesting to see that things are still going.......I actually found it interesting to see that someone has bought gear from two places that i wouldn't spend more than $30 at (can't go too wrong with harness lines). Don't get me wrong, it is good to hear that you got good service. Alberto seems to preaching/defining the perfect world......you would think good service would win out everytime as you get that return visit every year. If it was all that easy; and every manufacturer produced boards to suit everyone it would be easy(ier).....So how do we make a change, or where do week seek a change? Remember we are not speding $100, generally it is hard earned thousands....Or, unfortunately, is there no chance of a change to our retailers in this small sector (we have to accept this inept level of service)? And as i've already mentioned before it seems we don't have much of a choice.....even considering those points i mentioned about what past experiences.
Are we the product of the distributors as they confine the product range to certain areas and shops, thus dictating to a degree where we shop? Hmmmmmmm.
I mentioned this point as there are products that i like and suit me, but due to the retailer stock levels and previous service from this person, makes me hesitant to visit, thus i purchase elsewhere.

Caught between a rock and a soft pear

C'mon, shuee I think it's time for lawn bowls or something not too
stressful. I mean, it wouldn't be too hard to be a supplier of woods
just round lumps of wood really, same shape size and weight. Just
give us 4 of those mate. You'll be out in 5, and not even have to
think how much you love the toothless geezer behind the counter.