The store's inventory is slim... lots of empty spots on shelves. The crew there is very friendly & helpful, but they can't sell something they don't have. The online store has great inventory & good prices, but they should be ashamed of their customer service. Real people are not available (only the chatbot). The chatbot can connect you to a real person (via chat only) but the real people don't work weekends, and they only "open a ticket" for your issue. Nobody ever got back to me about the ticket I opened. I was ignored. I placed an order online of around $5k, and a significant portion of that order arrived incorrect - missing parts where it says the part was delivered - double counting/delivery (& double charging) of other items - item descriptions that are misleading (chairs that claim to ship with mounting hardware but arrive with nothing). The online store also made a big mistake with my bank causing about $1900.00 of my money to be held by W.M. for 6 days after the order was cancelled. If I had a good alternative to W.M. with as large an inventory, I would not use W.M. at all. But I don't have another good option that I know of (yet), so I'm stuck with W.M. for now. I guess they know that, and that's probably why they don't care about good customer service. read more

As a life-long boater, I've patronized several West Marine locations from coast to coast over the past 30+ years. The offerings and pricing are all pretty consistent, but some stores excel in the critical areas of cleanliness and customer service. After shopping the Panama City store several times over the past half dozen years or so, I'm confident that this one is above average for the chain. The store is always clean and well merchandised. The staff are visible, knowledgeable and most importantly, helpful. If you're a boater, you'll eventually need something from West Marine. They've got it all, from boat and trailer parts, electronics, safety gear, cleaning supplies, fishing gear, shoes and apparel, etc. I wish the prices were a bit more competitive, but that's boating! read more

Absolutely RUDE. The on-call "manager," Caitlin, has ZERO respect for customers and is disrespectful.

Unless you go to a small Marine parts store this is the place to go . And they just might have the part you're looking for. They probably have every water sport toy and accessories available in their store, all the way up to kayaks and canoes. They have a full on clothing and shoe department also. Some of their stuff is pretty pricey but they have some very nice products and quality merchandise. Very nice and informative people work there also. Surprisingly , this store always seems to be very quiet. read more

See all

I'll give them a one star upgrade. I had to stop in today to get something for the boat. Yes I HAD to, after professing I'd never step foot in there again. I was greeted by a young lady upon entering the store and was asked if I needed any help. Nice change! Although, when I get to the department I needed the item from, NOTHING! There was at least three employees that walked right by me several times but never asked if I needed any assistance. (I actually did). I eventually found what I was looking for, but the customer service at this location is still lackluster at best. You would think a huge chain like this would be on top of their game. It's a shame because they have most everything you need! Maybe after another year of spending thousands of dollars for my charter service elsewhere I'll try them again.... Maybe. read more

I was on hold for a long time. I actually ask for the manager and he took care of business. If you run into trouble here and then ask for the manager read more

We've been shopping at this West Marine for years when we're on vacation in Florida. Employees are always helpful and friendly, but we noticed a few standouts this year and want to share our appreciation. Don helped us when we came in with an old reel that we wanted to replace. He asked us if it was okay if he took it apart to look at and admired that it was an older Made in USA Penn reel. We're going to look into replacing a broken part he identified for us. He showed us new reels and explained the differences that mattered to us. His customer service was outstanding and in addition to buying a new reel, we also picked up a couple of other items he recommended. On an earlier shopping trip to WM, I had admired the display of fishing lines and discovered that Don had put it together. Good initiative and excellent way to view product differences. On that same earlier shopping trip, Sewell helped us choose a rod/reel combo and suitable line for our use. I'm loving my Penn Battle III LE with braided line. It gives a great, smooth cast. After Don helped us and we were checking out, the cashier, Alyssa, offered to find us a discount and sold us on an upgraded membership which actually saved us more than what it cost in that one purchase. Had she not offered, we'd never have known. More initiative. We will definitely be continuing to shop here as long as the customer service continues to be this great. Thanks West Marine for allowing your employees the flexibility to show initiative in helping customers like us. read more