Please....at least use some KY!

[L124C]

The seat on my head broke. It is 3/4 the size of a house toilet, made of MDF and plastic, just like at regular seat. But WM and every other vendor I have found want $80.00 for a replacement! The most expensive (full size) seat you will find at a hardware store is $30.00 (with brass hinges), and most are $10.00 to 15.00! This is the best example I have encoutered of how vendors screw boat owners. It's an excellent example, because there is a direct example in the real world. I did find a reasonable seat listed here: Whale Point Marine & Hardware Co.. Sadly, I already got ripped off at WM.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by L124C

I did find a reasonable seat listed here: Whale Point Marine & Hardware Co.. Sadly, I already got ripped off at WM.

Did you know that WM does price match - just print out the page from the site or bring in the catalog, and bring in your receipt they'll discount the difference....

[sailingdog]

Only if they're the exact same item... which may or may not be the case here.

Originally Posted by artbyjody

Did you know that WM does price match - just print out the page from the site or bring in the catalog, and bring in your receipt they'll discount the difference....

[sailortjk1]

I make some purchases at West Marine for the convience of it.
When I have time and the energy to search for stuff to try and save some bucks I will, but in a bind and short on time, West is usually a whole lot easier.
The OP found the price they wanted after searching, but had made the purchase prior at West because they had it and it was convient. Your paying the extra dollars for the convienince of having it on hand, in stock, readily available, no shipping, and easy access with hundreds of stores all across the country; usually minutes away from most major ports.
The other side of this, the seats you find at your typical hardware store are not going to fit on your marine head. Same material yes, differnt size made for the marine market means the are produced in much smaller quantities. The runs form the manufacturer on your household seat is probably in excess of thousands a day. The run on the seat for a marine head is probaly around 1000 every 5 years.
My example is just a guess, but I think you understand what I am trying to say. It make a huge differnece in manufacturing cost when you are only producing 1/1000th of what the other guys are.

[brak]

$58 at Defender. And I recall buying a seat for our head even cheaper after search around the net (something like $40, ebay might be the place to try)

But obviously there is no way to sell marine products for the same price as household - scales are vastly different. How many toilet seats are sold for houses each year and how many for boats?

[timebandit]

Make your own from wood---custom fit

[L124C]

Originally Posted by brak

But obviously there is no way to sell marine products for the same price as household - scales are vastly different. How many toilet seats are sold for houses each year and how many for boats?

A toilet seat 3/4 the size at over 300% the price? C'mon guys, the scales are not THAT different! How is the little marine hardware store selling it for $30.00 (their "scales" are the same, and sales volume would be far less than WM)? I used to have a Port Supply card and many items are 50% off, and WM is obviously still making a profit. I also worked at a dive shop and 100% (and more) mark up was common. It's the "sports" industry and they seem to have a license to steal. I've always known it, but this item just snapped me out of my Stupor. But, if you're happy....

[sailingdog]

The problem with WM is that a lot of the stuff there is marked for sale at retail or higher than retail prices. Buyer beware.

[brak]

Originally Posted by L124C

A toilet seat 3/4 the size at over 300% the price? C'mon guys, the scales are not THAT different! How is the little marine hardware store selling it for $30.00 (their "scales" are the same, and sales volume would be far less than WM)? I used to have a Port Supply card and many items are 50% off, and WM is obviously still making a profit. I also worked at a dive shop and 100% (and more) mark up was common. It's the "sports" industry and they seem to have a license to steal. I've always known it, but this item just snapped me out of my Stupor. But, if you're happy....

Well, so you realize then that a price at WM has nothing to do with the price for the item. If you buy at WM - you should really accept that you will overpay. When I talk about "price of the marine item" I mean the price that you would pay at any reasonable marine gear outfit (which at this point essentially means "online" and, for my own purposes - Defender). WM is just not a point of comparison. They prey on people who did not properly prepare and "need it now" or just have too much money and don't care.

[xort]

What does Kentucky have to do with toilet seats at WM?