To answer Jay, which I think is important,
"I guess my more pertinent question is why Rick's web-store isn't performing as expected. I doubt it is due to pricing. Is the format out-dated? Is it being marketed to the wrong demographics?
"

A bit of history is required, I suppose. We started the store in the early 2000s with software that was not easy to use, but were doing excellent revenue and had a staff of three to work it. Not much profit, but doable.
At that time we were sending out a similar newsletter which was well received and enjoyed. Consequently, good revenue.
Then I invested in much more sophisticated store software, and quickly were able to put up around 17,000 items in the store with graphics. It has lots of bells and whistles.

Then in the late 2000s the bottom dropped out. I blamed the economy, the government, or whoever. But, I had also stopped doing the newsletter.
About 2 years ago I made the discovery that Search Engine Optimization was required to get internet biz. No longer did Key Words do the trick. So, hired at least 4 companies that promised the moon, but cost to high heaven, and no response.

Last year it was down to just me and not much income. My niece is in the internet sales biz and got me started on Wordpress and blogging. And sending out newsletters. I did a few, but let it go, and now have started again.
By the way, I did a complete face lift to www.OnLineMarineStore.com and the landing page is quite impressive.., or at least I have had folks so tell me. It is easy to navigate and has a great search engine.

And indeed, revenue is beginning to come back, albeit not like in the early 2000s. Again, with 96 million unemployed people in the USA, there a far less buyers than before.

Also, this latest thing is not a whim.., this is a MUST.., this is now survival. Times have been very tough and my resources are very thin.
The store and this Forum need to survive and that is what I am attempting to do.