Consistency in customer service is key, especially for large corporations. I've visited this store several times and every employee ive interacted with has been a positive experience. 1) identifying products - I was looking for fishing supplies / goods for fishing and the 2 guys that helped me were so helpful with their opinions and differentiating the benefits between multiple products. 2) professionalism and empathy - Josh (I believe he's assistant manager) was extremely patient with my inquiry. He communicates effectively and understands how to tailor service to different individuals and is solution oriented. I am so grateful that Josh was in the store to support me! Thank you to the San Carlos management team for staffing the store with rockstars. read more

I went into the store a few weeks ago, and it was a disaster . I just called today 8/26/25 and recored message says The store is NOW permanently closed. Forwards you to Sausalito store. read more

I go there because its convenient, close to where I live. I just wish they would be fully stocked on fishing gears e.g. Hooks, Sinkers, Lures etc etc etc.. most of the time I go there and the shelves are empty, they dont have stuff COMMONLY used by surffishing people like me.. Im lucky I dont live to far from the store or else I would NOT waste my time. read more

I came here for a fishing license, but left with some supposedly waterproof socks, waterproof boat shoes, some shorts, and a jacket. The fishing license with steelhead/salmon cards is pretty standard, not much to report there. Same for the shorts and jacket, you know. Standard stuff. The boat shoes, well, I didn't end up spending as much time on a boat as I intended. The shoes do need to be worn in a bit, and the style is not exactly trendy, but if you need shoes for a boat then I guess these are fine. I wouldn't wear them like hiking boots though as the tread is very shallow. The Sealskinz socks I got, which were supposed to be waterproof, are not waterproof. They are water resistant for a bit, but if they stay wet for a few hours, your feet will be wet too. Or maybe they are to prevent splashes rather than to actually stay submerged as I thought. In any case, they feel decidedly strange but you can get used to them. The fit is a bit loose and the socks are thick, so you may want to try on boots wearing them to make sure the boots will still fit. Everyone who works here was nice and helpful, and there's plenty of parking, and they take credit cards. read more

Employee knowledge of boats is almost non existent. Do not bother trying to order parts or ask any advice about motors. Customer service was fine - employees were honest and admitted they know "very little" about motors. But why not train your employees to be knowledgeable on what you are selling? I will probably never come back to West Marine read more

I want to commend this stores employee Jared who provided excellent customer service over the phone in helping me locate an item I had been searching for. (safety flag). Not only was he professional, he was articulate, listened well and when he found out his store was out of the item he said he would call a store that came up in the system as stocking and i stock. He didn't want me to drive there until he confirmed. He took the extra steps to insure a customer would have a great experience. He called me back and found out they too were out of stock. i do appreciate good customer service and when the time comes again to need something that this West Marine location carrie's i will not hesitate to buy it there. Keep up the good work Jared . read more

I use this store occasionally because it's the close to me. While trying to order something over the phone with a store rep, he was first, audibly annoyed to take the order over the phone, then, when he was having a hard time getting my email address to work, he he was snarky and rude, he put me on hold, without telling me. After several minutes of being on hold, I called back, he answered and I asked if he put me on hold, he said " I told you hold on". I hung up and said I would go elsewhere. I only spend a hundred or $two a year at this store, but won't anymore. Maybe no big deal to a big store, but I will advise others to go elsewhere as well. And people wonder why store-front business is dying. Customer service. And oh my lord, look at these other reviews! WOW read more

SAVE YOUR SELF! Do not go here unless you want an entitled young passive aggressive employee to deal with. I came here. I came here to look at some fishing supplies, rods, and reels hoping to get some feedback and help. Instead, I got a young gentleman who was super passive aggressive the entire time he came off as if I was bothering him giving me extremely short answers, not paying attention to me as a customer. I just felt as if I was the most annoying person on earth in that store. On top of that this same employee was yelling at other employees in a very disrespectful manner. This new generation unfortunately has no work ethic and the employers are the ones that will have to suffer. with that being said, if you're looking for any kind of fishing supplies, I would suggest you make the drive down to San Jose to coyote bait and tackle the employees are super friendly, extremely helpful and answer all your questions. The day I went to West Marine, instead of giving them money for a new real and Rod I went down to San Jose and bought a new real a new rod and had them fill it with line for me super satisfied in San Jose . Will never in my life go to West Marine or any West Marine for that matter they are as good as dead in my book they should close the doors and reopen. read more

We just ordered an inflatable kayak from REI. Now what brings us to West Marine? It's the fact that they have more items in their stock, whereas REI was so back logged, we cancelled our paddle order, and moved over to West Marine. Not only that, we purchased our life jackets, and rope to secure our kayak to the dock. It's always been a win-win experience here. And the staff who work here are very kind and knowledgeable. Yes they are very busy, you need to wait your turn to ask a question. The shop is busy mainly with fisherman. There is a bathroom within the store. 1-2 cashiers at the front. Usually air conditioned inside. read more

Visited this location with my cousin yesterday Monday 5/25/20. We came to look for simple boat upgrades parts and did some browsing since the location impressed us with all types of products(such as all boats marine essentials, fishing & tackle, clothing and safety gear). But our 1st time experience visit quickly turned into unpleasant, discriminating, racial profiling and wrongfully accused theft visit. After browsing around my cousin and split into two direction. My cousin went to look at clothing/shoes and I wonder to look at marine stereo systems. My cousin was then approached by the store's associate and confronted my cousin of stealing, the associate stated that he has everything on tape and wouldn't notify police/law enforcement if would leave items he might of stole. My cousin responded back and said he did steal anything , he then requested to go ahead call law enforcement and would like to see recorded footage of him being wrongfully accuse of theft. My cousin the walked away from confrontation and tracked me down in the marine stereo department, which then told me about the incident after calming down and wanting to leave store immediately. After listening to what happened to my cousin being wrongfully accused of theft. I stormed to the sales register to confront sales associate "Maurice" to tell him that I'm not purchasing the item I was holding and would like to speak to a manager about the accusation of theft on our visit to the store. The associate stated that there was no manager, he was an assistant manager and he was the only worker in the store. I then grabbed a business card and requested a customer service contact number to file complaint. Long story short, the confrontation of my complaint about false accusations of theft to associate "Maurice" that accord at sale registers. Between Maurice, my cousin and myself we would all agree on our confrontation it that yes the associate did respond in the nicest way to confront my cousin wether if was stealing or not. I then stated, "yes I would put that last statement on my complaint which we all agree on." Then I stated to associate once again, "regardless how you approach, confronted or just mentioning theft to a customer like my cousin and myself is still accusing someone of theft and you should be 100% confident and never loose eye sight contact with them before making that accusation of theft." read more

West Marine - Sales Associate - Boating Near Me - San Carlos, California

Went to the store today to buy an item that was on sale two days after the sale they do not have the item sales person told me to go online and order the item went online to order the item they do not ship the item they do not know what they're doing there or what they're talking about read more

Blocking handicap parking with stupid kayaks dumb dumb dumb. Dumb . The manager on duty Saturday told the crew that agreed not to move the boats. Not a very good manager read more

West Marine - Blocking handicap parking - Boating Near Me - San Carlos, California

See all

Hours are completely off. Does not match their online info. or google maps. Closes too early in my opinion. Good all around store with the same kind of service. read more

West Marine - Store hours - Boating Near Me - San Carlos, California

Excellent service! Les was as helpful in person as he was on the phone. =) I had to load a CO2 cartridge on my PFD & wanted to ensure it was correctly done. I also wanted to buy a spare CO2 cartridge & replacement gloves. (BTW the Gill gloves I bought got shredded after about only 10 light uses). I went on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Les showed me what to check for to keep my PFD in working order & showed me how to correctly load the CO2 cartridge. I was very appreciative. Also price matching was easy peasy! read more

I was in West Marine for the first time in a long time and I am definitely coming back really soon. This is mainly because of the way I was treated by three people--Maurice, Josh and Ali. Their customer service was above and beyond. Maurice personally took the time to walk me to several different areas of the store to show me the products I was looking for. Josh and Ali treated me with respect and professionalism as well. In a time where customer service is taken for granted, I am very impressed. Thanks. Mike Markwith, Redwood City. read more

I have been shopping at this store since they opened the doors and it has been hit and miss. In the beginning it was a well run store and there were product knowledgeable people manning each department. Then for about the three or four years past, they had a tough time keeping staff for any time long enough to train them well on products or procedures. Fast forward to now. The management is getting the store back to its former "glory". I had a great customer service experience there last week, and thought that Maurice especially deserved to be singled out and thanked for his follow through and overall service excellence. Thanks Maurice. read more

Just getting into fishing and with all the lures, rods, reels, and the crazy amount of fishing products out there, it can be hard for a beginner angler like myself to find what they need. I went into the store with a somewhat list of items I needed, as I haven't been catching any fish in the past 5 fishing trips I've been on! I was pleasantly surprised by an employee named Steve, who gave me great advice on not only what I should buy, but also how to fish with the lures he helped me pick out and where to go fishing! Steve provided some of the best customer service I have ever experienced! Look for him if you need advice or access to a boat because he also takes people out fishing! Honestly could have not had a better experience today and would give 10 stars if I could. Keep up the good work Steve! read more

West Marine - The Lures Steve helped me pick out and showed me how to rig. - Boating Near Me - San Carlos, California

While I'm very grateful to have a Marine store located only 10 miles from us, it's frustrating when I try to call them and no one picks up after multiple tries. While I was waiting today, the phone system offered me option one for store hours, however when I pressed one the system responded with 'invalid entry'. I know West Marine can do better, I have been to the Newport Rhode Island store which had many staff eager to help. read more

I bought a marine radio 30 days ago. It never worked properly. No reception on several channels and some features don't work. It's a standard horizon HX890 which costs $200. It is advertised as having 3 years warranty on the product box. Therefore, I did not buy the extended warranty. So, WM will not replace it. They sold me a defective product. They acknowledge that they sold a defective product. But they don't accept reaponsability for it This is the worst customer service I have ever seen. ZERO STARS read more

I shop here because sometimes I need things that I can't get elsewhere. They added "budget friendly" to the Yelp profile. That could not be further from the truth. First of all every time I interact with the staff, they have an attitude that I cant' figure out. Once I asked about an outboard motor fuel connector and the tried to tell me they don't carry those things.. when they clearly did... because I could see them on the shelves. Instead of descending into an argument with the person claiming to be the manager I tried to get them to help me what what I needed (fuel tank connector, which they clearly carry).... he constantly kept telling me they didn't carry it. Flash forward (I've been in many times ... just providing the relevant bits)...I walked in wearing New Balance sneakers, jeans and a ski jacket. (and also a face mask because of covid)... and I got the 3rd degree like I was a homeless person who wandered in off the street. Prices are high, service sucks, but not many places to get marine gear nearby... so it is a take it or leave it proposition. I love that there is a place to get marine gear near where I live... the place just tries really hard not to be loved. read more

Stopped by location because I saw they carry fishing gear. They had a very good selection of items. Decent on price. Picked up what I needed quickly but still stayed for 2 hours looking at everything. Staff was great. Asked if I needed help without being pushy. Talked to Stelio 415 about fishing. Good place to go if you can't find time to go "somewhere" else. No many stores on the peninsula. read more

OMG! I love these guys & gals! They all deserve a raise. Anytime I have a question, they are there, even if it's a million of them. Maurice knows everything about fishing and has helped me SOOOO much!! He isn't keeping any fishing secrets to himself like other fisherman I know. He wants to share his knowledge and has helped me become a better fisherwoman. I was intimated to come in at first being a newbie but now with his help I actually know a thing or two. I also want to shout out the other manager Larry P. He's super great too! Always recognizes me even with a mask and helps me anytime I need. I am very grateful for the staff at WM! Thank you for not judging my lack of skill and knowledge, instead guiding me to landing some fish!! read more

The staff were all so incredibly knowledgeable and kind. You could tell they all knew what they were doing. A smart and knowledgeable young man named Cody helped me with some fishing advice, and you could tell he was a real pro. He helped me with the rods, lures, bait, and told me the best places to go for each type of fish. West Marine really shocked me and the helpfulness of the staff will make me recommend it to anyone who hasn't discovered this San Carlos gem already! read more

This is the best store in town anything you need they got you with it. Employees give you tips or any type of situation your in

Went just to look and some fishing advice. Brian, would give 10 stars. His colleagues the same, these folks rock! The best advice, some great deals and my favorite stopping place for the weekend. Thanks for the great help ! read more

Bought a Yeti cooler bag here last summer. Got it home and discovered it had some dirt and stains in the bottom. I brought it back 5 days later and they refused to accept it, saying I probably had caused it (absolutely not true). Eventually, I had to escalate to their corporate office, who said the return should have been accepted and told me to bring it back in and it would be taken back. During each interaction, the manager was a complete jerk and accusatory. I have a ski boat and two seadoos. I will NEVER buy anything from West Marine. read more

They helped me buy a fishing pole and get my fishing license. Took a while to get the license but overall they had what I needed - Big 5 can suck it. read more

Do not shop at West Marine. They will not take back defective products they sell. I bought a water pump and within a week it stopped working. So I came back on the evening of 7/8/19 or 7/9/19 to return the water pump. An older gentleman with long hair helped me. I told him I wanted to return the pump and he asked me if I installed it. I said yes but it stopped working. He told me he would not do the return and didn't give me a reason. DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THIS COMPANY. read more

I thought I would give this location a try after my bad experience at the SSF store. Just as bad. Clerk said hello, I was shopping for sonar and checking them for 15 minutes, NO one asked if I need help! I think this is because West Marine doesn't have employees now a days that know what they sell! Guess I shop at Johnson/Hicks or another Store. read more

West Marine is NOT jet ski friendly. Do NOT buy their West Marine store brand SeaVolt wet batteries, they don't work for more than a week, poor quality batteries don't hold a charge are sold for 130$ is a RIP OFF (Not tryin to waste that kind of money on a sh**y battery that you have to put on a tender when not in use when I can get a long lasting battery from Odyssey that is 0 maintenance required for the same price). Poor service, these people don't know anything about PWC or PWC maintenance and accessories. Looking for assistance with your PWC? Stick to PWC forums cuz this place is BUSH LEAGUE. read more

My review is for the aggressive behavior experienced when entering the store. Don't get me wrong I get that you have watch your store but, the way in which they profiled us was absolutely disgusting. Mind you we spent $800.00 in there so money clearly not a problem. We were approached right away by what seemed like a manager and then he called someone over to also watch us. We were purchasing some pretty expensive stuff however, not even close to stealing it or anything of the sort. The whole experience was ridiculous and if we didnt forget what we needed for our deep sea fishing trip we would have never even given them our business or our money. Overall just a bad taste in my mouth and profiling people heavily tattooed is just not ok. read more

West Marine competes on service, not price. That being said, you can find some great deals when they have sales on selected items. More importantly, they often have just the right thing to save your trip. This isn't one of their bigger stores, but they can order anything quickly. read more

West Marine - Outside of store at sunset. - Boating Near Me - San Carlos, California

Came here in search of a fishing pole and reel for my son - Great sales experience! Jim knows his craft. He asked questions about where we fish, what we like to catch, our experience and then recommended a practical solution. Learned he also leads fishing seminars (including crab) ~ 2 weeks before each season. Shopping event exceeded expectations! read more

Just called this place at 9:20am today, October 3rd 2020. First call, no answer. Called again, guy answers and asked him if he has a certain part I need. I told him I have the part number and he says they open at 10 and to call back then because he just got in the store. Looked at yelp and they updated their hours 2 months ago and they're supposed to be open at 9am. For a big shop like these guys, they're so unprofessional. Change your hours on your website or yelp. It's a waste of time for people to come to your store and your hours are wrong. read more

We were looking at fuel stabilizers, and Les spotted us and gave us some really good advice. This isn't the first time, and he really knows his stuff. read more

I like the new store. Well laid out with lots and lots of really nice items that you wont find at Macy's and Target. I bought some fiberglass resin and a spray that stops battery cable connections from growing white powder. Unfortunately the store was not too busy. I would like to see them succeed. However I did not like the burger world drive thru headseat the stalker guy at the door was wearing. He grilled me about what I was looking for, then broadcast it over the wifi to some other dude prowling the aisles. I got what I came in for but would have liked to look around but felt like I was being electronically tracked like a great white shark for the Hewlitt Packard Monterey Bay Aquarium and pony & penguin show. read more

The manager here (Maurice) does a great job running this location in San Carlos. Always has the best selection and its clean. Definitely stop by the fishing department too! read more

the website says they sgut at 7. i checked it 5 minutes before leaving the office Drove over an hour through the rush hour to arrive at 6:45 West Marine employee: "we're closed" me: "your website says 7" WM: "we close at 6" me: "then why does your website says 7? i checked before leaving to make sure i would be able to get her before you closed" wm: "we close at 6" me: "then you should change your website" wm: "dont know what to say. We're closed" I returned to my car.. another car drive up na diwthing 5 secinds they let them in.. and didnt even bother to call out to me.. INSULTING for a company that has "rewards" for customers. I WILL use my rewards so that they don't keep the money.. but will BLACKLIST WM San Carlos - atrocious attitude. Not even apologizing for the fact they have wring info on the wen that causes people to waste miles and time! read more

Well, I went back. Less rude but nonetheless not much more helpful. Come on, West, give it your all! I've been using this store for 20 years. However, I received such terrible service there today, it is unlikely I'll go back. One associate, let's call him James, made it clear at every interaction that he did not care at all about anything related to boats, and particularly to the people who come to the store. Another associate, whose name I didn't see, wanted to show me that his knowledge of the part I was asking about was so superior to mine that he could not be bothered to look at the picture I took (which was related to my question). He made a scowfing sound and walked away, leaving me with James. I decided to buy something anyway, and James made it clear he wished I hadn't, that it would have been much better to leave him alone. I feel sorry for West Marine but ensuring real customers are pests is not going to help. read more

Poor inventory and not enough helpers. Just wanted a common co2 cartridge. First visit they didn't have it. Said it would be on the wed truck. Came the following Monday still not there. Walked out today after waiting 10 min for assistance. Amazon here I come. read more