Costco Spa for $3K

[ndabunka]

Are you guys familiar with these "Infiniti Spas" being sold by Costco?  I expect that Costco's liberal return policy (you can return anything for any reason at any time) someone should go pick one up, do a write up and then return it so that the Spa-buying public can get an idea.  Hey, it may even be a good idea to bring it into a high-end show room to demonstrate the dramatic differences between the low end Spas like these and the name brands some of you sell.  You know, kinda like Saturn parking a Toyota and a Honda on their lots so that buyers can compare.  Any volunteers?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11198537&cm_mmc=BCEmail_212-_-Quad-_-3-_-InfinitySunPeakSpa_BCEmail_212

[104 degrees]

Are you guys familiar with these "Infiniti Spas" being sold by Costco?  I expect that Costco's liberal return policy (you can return anything for any reason at any time) someone should go pick one up, do a write up and then return it so that the Spa-buying public can get an idea.  Hey, it may even be a good idea to bring it into a high-end show room to demonstrate the dramatic differences between the low end Spas like these and the name brands some of you sell.  You know, kinda like Saturn parking a Toyota and a Honda on their lots so that buyers can compare.  Any volunteers?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11198537&cm_mmc=BCEmail_212-_-Quad-_-3-_-InfinitySunPeakSpa_BCEmail_212

My Nordic/sundance dealer had two hydrospas on the showroom floor and they both leaked. they where removed. they had them there to sell. they where very


john 104

[hottubdan]

We work with an independant spa delivery company.  He says he picks up several Costco spas a month for returns.

I have heard numerous stories of service issues and extremely high cost of operation.

An energy efficient spa will cost several hundred dollars less per year to operate.

[Nosher]

Having the salesman let you wet test an inferior tub first is devastatingly effective.......

We tried the St Lucia first (Sunbelt), stayed in ti for 6 mintes as no seats fitted me (!) and then the Tiana (another Sunbelt) which we liked a lot and almost bought it, and then we tried the Chelsee at his urging....

....talk about chalk and cheese - the tub was deeper, the seats were much more comfortable and the jets.....well....what can I say!

We stretched our budget and plomped for the Sundance Chelsee......

Any hot tub salesman would be foolish NOT to stock a 'inferior model' - you need to allow any prospective customer to benchmark the best against the worst.....

Nosh.

[Spatech_tuo]

Are you guys familiar with these "Infiniti Spas" being sold by Costco?  I expect that Costco's liberal return policy (you can return anything for any reason at any time) someone should go pick one up, do a write up and then return it so that the Spa-buying public can get an idea.  

I agree; go for it and let us know what you think!

[Gomboman]

Good idea. Plenty of juicy Costco threads on the other spa sites. For some reason, we don't get the HS Platinum Elite crowd here. Just for the record, it seems like a decent spa for the money.

[Zep]

I doubt Costco/Sams have become the giant successful companies
they are by selling junk that produce unhappy customers.

However I prefer the personal touch you get from building a personal
relationship with a dealer. If you are a "do-it-yourselfer" on a very
tight budget maybe you are in the Costco & Sams target niche.

If in fact Costco/Sams are having thousands of their tubs returned by
unhappy customers they won't be in the tub business long.
They are both way to business savy to allow that.

[Spatech_tuo]

I doubt Costco/Sams have become the giant successful companies
they are by selling junk that produce unhappy customers.

If in fact Costco/Sams are having thousands of their tubs returned by
unhappy customers they won't be in the tub business long.
They are both way to business savy to allow that.

I highly doubt the Costco buying group has even a semi-firm handle on the industry and what the quality of the tubs are that they are getting. They care about the price point and how dolled up it can be to look good in a catalog and on a spec sheet. There have been SOOOO many different tubs sold through Costco over the years. There were many that were junk that they sold (and some decent ones) and they certainly would have been aware after the fact of some that may have been poor quality but they make the manufacturer pay for it so they really don't care too much. They move on from one manufacturer to another depending on who wants to sell and for what price. I'm sure there are some that look back and regret the quick cash route they took to sell through Costco but I doubt Costco has any reservations about anything they sold because they have it easy, they are the middle man with very little risk so why not sell it if it looks like a reasonably good value on paper.

[ndabunka]

I doubt Costco/Sams have become the giant successful companies
they are by selling junk that produce unhappy customers.

However I prefer the personal touch you get from building a personal
relationship with a dealer. If you are a "do-it-yourselfer" on a very
tight budget maybe you are in the Costco & Sams target niche.

If in fact Costco/Sams are having thousands of their tubs returned by
unhappy customers they won't be in the tub business long.
They are both way to business savy to allow that.

That may have been the case in the old economics 101 classes but times have changed and these "big box" companies now can throw their weight around.  Costco does have a few (minor) business cost of returned tubs (paperwork, etc) but the manufacturer of the tub is the one who takes the hit, not Costco.  It's part of their contract they agree to when they sell through Costco. Sure, they can move 'em but if the Costco Spa owner isn't happy with the product and is proactive enough to return it to the store he bought it from, I am pretty certain Costco will refund 100% of his money up to a year later.  Let me see ANY small Spa retailer do THAT!

[Zep]

re: "the manufacturer of the tub is the one who takes the hit, not Costco"

We can "agree to disagree".

I think Costco would pay a price in very bad PR and customers would place at least partial blame on them.

IF the scenario presented were in fact true the average consumer is going to say " I bought a hot tub from Costco and it sucked".

Again I would not by a hot tub from them because I prefer the personal touch from a dealer. Costco is not perfect and probably have had their share of mistakes but in my opinion Costco is not a retailing powerhouse because they create pissed off customers by selling junk thats going to fall apart.

[hottubdan]

re: "the manufacturer of the tub is the one who takes the hit, not Costco"

We can "agree to disagree".

I think Costco would pay a price in very bad PR and customers would place at least partial blame on them.

IF the scenario presented were in fact true the average consumer is going to say " I bought a hot tub from Costco and it sucked".

 Costco is not perfect and probably have had their share of mistakes but in my opinion Costco is not a retailing powerhouse because they create pissed off customers by selling junk thats going to fall apart.

Costco is a retailing powerhouse and, in the spa category, they sell a lot junk.  When negociating with spa manufacturers they are pretty clear about what they are going to pay.  So, manufaturers need to cut corners to meet that price.  

[Zep]

Junk compared to what?....A ten thousand dollar spa?

Of course a spa costing thousands less is not
the same as a spa that costs thousands more.

Just like a Nissan is not a Lexus.

But that does not mean that the Nissan won't
work perfect for years and fill
that consumer's need.

People know what they are getting....a lower costing spa
that may not last 100 years.....but they factor that in.

Many people knowingly purchase items that may
not last forever and they have reasons for doing so.

Again....we can "agree to disagree".

[104 degrees]

Are you guys familiar with these "Infiniti Spas" being sold by Costco?  I expect that Costco's liberal return policy (you can return anything for any reason at any time) someone should go pick one up, do a write up and then return it so that the Spa-buying public can get an idea.  Hey, it may even be a good idea to bring it into a high-end show room to demonstrate the dramatic differences between the low end Spas like these and the name brands some of you sell.  You know, kinda like Saturn parking a Toyota and a Honda on their lots so that buyers can compare.  Any volunteers?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11198537&cm_mmc=BCEmail_212-_-Quad-_-3-_-InfinitySunPeakSpa_BCEmail_212

Did you get a spa at costco??


104 degrees

[hottubdan]

Junk compared to what?....A ten thousand dollar spa?

Of course a spa costing thousands less is not
the same as a spa that costs thousands more.

Just like a Nissan is not a Lexus.

But that does not mean that the Nissan won't
work perfect for years and fill
that consumer's need.

People know what they are getting....a lower costing spa
that may not last 100 years.....but they factor that in.

Many people knowingly purchase items that may
not last forever and they have reasons for doing so.

Again....we can "agree to disagree".

Many people think they are getting a $10,000 spa for $3,000.  They respect Costco for their (usual) good quality and transfer that good feeling to the spa.

And, of course we can agree to disagree.

[rick_in_cleveland]

Costco does sell a Hotsprings model only on their web site

Highlife™ 6-Person Spa
by the Makers of
Hot Spring® Spas
24 Jets Including 1Moto-Massage® Jet, Wavemaster® 7000 Jet Pump, Led Light
$5,699.99
Item # 999704
Shipping & Handling included

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11112486&search=spa&Mo=134&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=spa&Ntt=spa&No=3&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1