West Marine, one of the largest retailers for boating products in the world, has announced the date for this year's iteration of their New Product Review Day. Set for March 20, 2015, the day is a chance for enthusiasts and inventors to convince the brass at West Marine to sell their wares in both West Marine's retail establishments and online at www.westmarine.com. So if you've got a knockout idea for something that you just know pontoon and deck boat owners will go nuts for (like that robot deck scrubber idea you've been sitting on for a few months), now's your chance to pitch it.
"New product review day is a fun way for us to see creative innovations in boating, fishing, paddling and sailing gear," said West Marine CEO Matt Hyde. "Our category managers get introduced to new companies and new products and some end up being added to our product line."
Anyone wishing to participate in New Product Review Day must schedule an oppointment by shooting an email to the merchandise team at vendorinfo@westmarine.com by March 9, 2015. Doing so will net you an application as well as additional guidelines you'll need to follow. Successful vendors will receive their appointments by March 13. So it's a lot like that show Shark Tank, except WAY less stressful (but maybe with actual sharks? It is for a boating company, after all). Better get those ideas submitted now, as you'll have to wait 6 more months until the next New Product Review Day in late September of 2015. Good luck to any applicants, and hopefully we'll see your creations soon, either here on the site or maybe even in the pages of the magazine!
