Where do you all live that you can wet test?

[Kaisermust]

Looking to buy our first hot tub.  I agree, wet testing sounds great but where do you all live that your dealers offer wet testing?  We live in upstate New York and spa shopping has been a huge challenge.  First of all it's very hard to find even a dealer around who might carry a particular brand of spa you are considering--we've traveled over 75 miles to view a certain make.  Then all the dealers in our area only have a few tubs on their salesfloor.  If you're lucky enough to find and see the exact model you want you can only sit in it dry.  The dealers might have one tub (usually a 7-8 person model) filled with water but how does that help me when I'm shopping for a 4-5 person tub?  All of you say wet test before buying but I was wondering where you all live that you have had the opportunity to wet test?  Many of you have even said that when you narrowed your choice down to one or two you wet-tested them both then decided which one to buy.  Can't do that in our area.  We're lucky if we can sit in it dry after being lucky enough to find the model we think we want to buy on the salesfloor.  Have any of you asked a dealer to fill a tub up so you can wet test it?  Have other new spa shoppers been as frustrated as we are trying to even get to see the models they're potentially interested in, let alone have an opportunity to actually try them out with water in them, running???  Our only hot tub experiences have been at hotels we vacation at.

[countryboy]

where in upstate are you?

[Brewman]

Wet testing is a good idea, but many people get a spa without doing it, according to a lot of posts here, and discussions I've had with some of our local dealers.
 If you can't do it, you can't do it.  Do what you can to at least view your actual model up close, and even dry testing.  Lots of spas get sold that way, I'm told.

[Chad]

I live in the STL and wet testing was only denied in 1 of the 8 dealers I visited.
I personally wouldn't buy a spa w/o a test soak or two but that's just me. It's like buying a car w/o test driving it. No way.

If I were you I'd let them know that you're extremely serious about buying a spa and that you refuse to buy one from them if you can't wet test. If they still deny you, you probably don't want to do business with them anyway. It's really not that big of a deal for them to move spas around to make things happen. They do it all the time.

[hottubdan]

Probably less than 10% of our customers wet test.

[Steve]

Not all dealers give you the ability to wet test. It makes it a bit more difficult to determine which spa is best for you but as an alternative, I would suggest to ANY dealer that doesn't give you the chance to wet test prior to the purchase, that they give a full 30 day exchange or refund gurantee in writing.

Selling a spa which isn't right for you personally, doesn't provide any benefit to you or the dealer. Word of mouth is a tool all dealers rely heavily on and if you're not satisfied with your purchase, it can be a costly mistake for all involved.

Not many of us will purchase a car without a test drive so the thought of buying something so focused on personal comfort and therapy without trying it first seems crazy. As hottubdan said though, very few do it and that is a reality even though you read it here all the time that you should. When I was in retail, the number was closer to 3-5% if that.

Steve

[jfish63]

I had no problem wet testing in Orange county New York

[96SC]

Probably less than 10% of our customers wet test.

I am extremely surprised to see that.  Wet testing I always thought was the norm. :-/

(Another day, something new learned)

[104 degrees]

Probably less than 10% of our customers wet test.

So are the 90% happy with the tub they picked out??

[hottubdan]

So are the 90% happy with the tub they picked out??

By and large, yes.

If people get a good brand they are usually satisfied.

People like warm water and jets.  People like reliability and energy effiency.  People like ease of operationand care.  If they haven't wet tested how do they know they might have liked one model vs. another?

They love what they have at home!

[104 degrees]

By and large, yes.

If people get a good brand they are usually satisfied.

People like warm water and jets.  People like reliability and energy effiency.  People like ease of operationand care.  If they haven't wet tested how do they know they might have liked one model vs. another?

They love what they have at home!
[/quote]


Thats true.  

[East_TX_Spa]

We probably have about 2-3% of customers actually wet test.  I always have 8 or 9 spas that are hot, wet, and ready.  I have a private room, towels, swimsuits, hidden cameras, robes, beer, wine, and bottled water available, but most folks just don't feel the need to try them out.

These folks bought a HotSpring Jetsetter without wet testing:


These folks just got back from Hawaii, came straight from the airport (still had their swimsuits on), tried out the Grandee, Vista, and Envoy....and bought the Grandee:


I wish more people test soaked.  I'd sell a whole lot more spas!

Terminator

[pg_rider]

We probably have about 2-3% of customers actually wet test.  I always have 8 or 9 spas that are hot, wet, and ready.

So I have to ask -- does it make economic sense to keep all those tubs hot and clean?  Must cost ~$200/month?  Lets say you just had them on the showroom in a dry configuration -- do you think it would change your sales numbers at all?

[Spatech_tuo]

So I have to ask -- does it make economic sense to keep all those tubs hot and clean?  Must cost ~$200/month?  Lets say you just had them on the showroom in a dry configuration -- do you think it would change your sales numbers at all?

It may only be single digits that wet test but the salesperson always wants to show off one or more of their spas running in their sales presentation so the customer can feel the jets from outside, see the lighting effect, waterfalls etc. If the customer only had dry ones to look at you'd loose a lot of sales IMO.

I’ve done sales before and you can go over the different spas and talk about features, sizes, etc. but when you say “and we have 3 spas running in our mood room if you’d like to see what we’re talking about” you often see people perk up with the knowledge that they can see one in operation. Often that’s enough for them to make the leap from interest to decision. I think half the reason people don’t wet test is humility but everyone wants to see it running.

[East_TX_Spa]

So I have to ask -- does it make economic sense to keep all those tubs hot and clean?  Must cost ~$200/month?  Lets say you just had them on the showroom in a dry configuration -- do you think it would change your sales numbers at all?

I believe it is one of the biggest advantages we have against the competition (that, and having the very best spas in the world).

Here in good ol' East Texas, people wanting to buy a spa can go to the swimming pool store down the road and see 4 or 5 Bullfrog Spas with one of them running.  Or, they can go to another swimming pool store and see 2 CalSpas and 1 Nordic spa with no water in them.  Or, they can go to another swimming pool store and see 3 Sunbelt Spas with only 1 up and running.  Or they can go to the swimming pool store in Kilgore and see 5 Dynasty Spas and a Coleman Spa with 1 up and running.

When they come through my door, they detect a light scent of Lime and Coconut essential oil wafting through the air.  Seven beautifully lighted and accented spas are arrayed before them in a convenient pattern which allows them to peruse the merchandise in a comfortable manner.  Their charming and debonair guide appears from behind the door with a warm smile and affable demeanor, welcoming them to his establishment and imploring them to make themselves at home.  They are encouraged to step out onto the spacious deck and view our larger spas, to feel the power of the jets and the reassuring embrace of perfectly sanitized and temperate water.  A beverage of varying potency is offered for their refreshment and the shopkeep regales them with tales of happy customers and life events.  They are invited to visit the Mood Room and sample the pleasures contained therein, surrounded by the melifluous tones emanating from the SpAudio II soundsystem and the dulcit, honeydripped voicings of the proprietor.

My gosh, need I go on?

Term