Another local chandlery-Lynall boats has decided to close. I have used them in the past; excellent service. How long before the over-rule of internet shopping comes into effect?

I dont think the internet can be blamed for the demise of small retailers. (Awaits Scathing)

I still use my local chandlers, although they have changed hands a couple of times in the last year!

Maybe the problem is that modern boats only need the gear that they come with when new.  Also there is so much choice of fittings and lines now it is hard for a chandler to stock everything.  Plastic boats don't need paint either.  Carbon masts can be repaired rather and bought direct, rather than terminally breaking ally masts.

My experience is that it can be blamed!

Me: "Have you got an XX?"
No, sorry. But I can order it for you: it should be here next weekend.
Me: "That's OK, I will get it elsewhere, as I need to have it fitted by next weekend".

Have a look at the Lynall Boats website and read their explanation for closing - as sure you will sympathise. Is a loss of an excellent local service - some thing you can not get online . . .

Yes there's the "need it now" factor that mail order next day delivery satisfies and there's alo the pricing, as it can be cheaper on the net than at a chandlers. 
We tend to buy a lot of our fittings, ropes, fibreglass kit, paint and varnish at Beaulieu boat jumble and especially stainless screws as these seem to be a rip off in the chandlers with very small quantities in plastic packets at inflated prices. Typical bargain was RWO tiller extensions complete with both parts of the detachable joint for £5 when the chandlers wanted at least £20 for them.

I don't think we can blame the internet for giving us what we want - I agree it's a real loss of many years of in depth knowledge when a specialist of any sort closes, but for me it's a 100 mile (£15 aprox) round trip to the closest dinghy chandlers and time off work or time on a Saturday - not worth it for a single bock or two when I can order on the internet, have them delivered next day for a couple of quid and get on with the more important stuff. The majority of people are moving over to the 'want it now and want it cheap' mentality - regretable but inevitable,  and I think that chandlers without the benefit of a steady flow of passing trade  will have to move to the internet to stay in the running. Lets hope the ones who are struggling find a way to continue trading.

Having seriously thought about buying and running a chandlery for more than a decade I now think the moment has passed.

The original concept was a boys toy shop, none better than Robin Webb's where if you were lucky you could wander the backstreets of his shop running ones fingers through the pots of stainless nuts and washers.  Hmmm.  The shop was also the venue for ideas, especially for early Merlins and other craft where variation was commonplace.  I still have masses of stuff ready for the day when I need to make a weird rigging plan.  That is unlikely to happen as I am now unlikely to move from the Winder layout.  Maybe I should buy a another boat to use up my bits?

The internet is a clinical way of buying standard stuff.  Not so much fun as "S-retail" but now "the way".  Even in Big Brum we now have to travel a long way to our nearest s-retail whereas we used to have a selection of at least 4 within striking distance.  The goods are pretty standard and prices seeminglyly within pence of each other. I hate those plastic packets. Finding the USP is difficult.  Internet does rule.  But there are still toy shops around for holiday times.

Hence no toy chandlery for Steve.  Sad. (Happy Missus tho)

Those blaming the internet may not have noticed the biggest recession in 60 years. Trust me, it is real

The demise of local chandlers and sailmakers is a sad fact of life of too many people chasing too little work. If we look at the number of sailmakers making sails for Merlin rockets and as a class how many sails a year do we buy, 75 sets a year with perhaps six main sailmakers. The true threat to sail makers has to lie with the one design class. With more people sailing lasers, toppers and the ever popular RS classes. These classes only have one sail maker so the number of sails from sailmakers decreases.

What strikes myself is the lack of enthusiasm by some sail lofts and repairers to take on work. I recently emailed three sail lofts asking for a price of a new sail bag since the old one blew away one day last year. Only one reply was received so that got the order. I wanted a small repair done to the boat. again contacted a couple of  repairers one did not answer the other when I called in to see them did not want the work. 

Is it any wonder that loyalties are not maintained and when in the market for a dry suit or similar items one looks on the internet.

I understand the frustration of the local chandlery.   With the overheads of providing a shopfront they struggle to match Internet prices and then they get the double whammy of serving customers who come into the shop to try and and size the gear and then once decided, they go home to order it on the Internet even for a minor saving!   Our local chandlery eventually gave up as he spent most of his time and effort becoming a testing/fitting service for the internet sites! So he closed the shop and now only sells on-line.