2007 Sales Stats

[Vanguard]

I just got the information from PK Data on sales for 2007.  Not a great year for hot tubs or pools.

Hot tub sales were down 18% from 2006.  That represents an industry sales total of 307,500.

PK Data seems to have reliable information.  Although numbers are a closely held secret, PK seems to get a pretty close number.

In-ground swimming pools, by comparison, were down 11.8% for a total volume of 147,000.  

I thought the information pretty much showed what everyone felt.  But this kind of puts it to actual numbers.  Of course, all their numbers are estimates.

[Zep]

Vanguard....
my brother is having a pool built and the largest pool builder in Dallas
http://www.riverbendsandlerpools.com/home.html
told him they have had to lay off several crews.
They still build the most pools but their business is way off.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Sales for us were up in 2007, not so much his year, March came in like a bang, first couple weeks in April were good, but its now like someone turned the water off.  Just nobody looking right now.
  For us we need a stretch of nice weather, when it is nice 1 or 2 days a week people are out playing,gardening GOLFING ect,ect.  We need a couple of really nice week to get the blood flowing.

[Swell-Tub]

I'm not a dealer, but my Jacuzzi dealer says she is selling about 3 spas a week. Spa dealers went out of business in Las Vegas in record numbers during 2007. I talked to my realtor yesterday and she said things are near bottom and turning around. Homes are selling again for the first time in a long time. Granted they are selling for about half what they did 3 years ago. From what I read the economy will be down this year and then near the election in November things will start to take a turn for the better. Do you think it is planned that way so the new elected politicians can take credit for the turn around?  

Scott

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 One thing for sure the traffic on the board is pretty slow these days,except for you proud Jacuzzi owners.  

Chrisi???

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Our sales were WAY up last year, but I attribute much of it to new international business (the good side to the dollar dropping like a feather in a vacuum).

Normally domestic sales are slow from about the middle of January to April 15th (seriously, April 16th the phone starts ringing off the hook). This year, it didn't start ringing off the hook till the beginning of last week. And it's ringing HARD. I can live with things being a week and a half off  

Someone, somewhere, mentioned that in a recession, companies tend to introduce new, lower end products? Well, we're actually introducing a new HIGHER end product to the US market (any day now, if I can finish these dang web pages and entire site update I'm working on)  :-/

[Vinny]

I think the recession is hitting certain areas of the economy. I think the people that have the money to spend and if they work in an area that isn't feeling the recession then they spend it. I doubt there are too many realtors spending tons of money. Walmart is showing increased earnings because people who wouldn't shop there are shopping there now.

Everyone who I talk to is complaining about the price of gas and what they aren't doing vs what they used to do. I would imagine with the price of utilities going up then someone who might have been able to afford a tub at lower costs (me) may not be able to afford the tub with higher energy costs (me again). So, it may stop them from buying something like a pool or a tub.

What you said Doc is true about the weak dollar ... every big company is saying what you have said - overseas is booming.

[Vanguard]

Vanguard....
my brother is having a pool built and the largest pool builder in Dallas
http://www.riverbendsandlerpools.com/home.html
told him they have had to lay off several crews.
They still build the most pools but their business is way off.

Not to mention the news they made when the Constable seized their property and locked their offices up.

They have a $1mm lawsuit judgment against them for a leaking pool.  They have appealed the suit, but the constable decided to shut them down anyway.  Since then, they have gotten a stay and are doing business again.  This has caused them major financial issues.  It really is too bad because Riverbend/Sandler is a great builder.

[Vanguard]

There is NO recession.  The economy grew in the first quarter. The media really didn't bother to report much about it.  They'd rather put out bad news.  Jobless claims were down more than expected as well.  The economy is slow.  That is for sure, but there is no recession.  Spread the news.  Maybe people will start spending again.

[Vinny]

There is NO recession.  The economy grew in the first quarter. The media really didn't bother to report much about it.  They'd rather put out bad news.  Jobless claims were down more than expected as well.  The economy is slow.  That is for sure, but there is no recession.  Spread the news.  Maybe people will start spending again.

When Dan Quayl was the VP he stopped at a McDonalds where there were jobs available and stated something to the effect of "see there are jobs available for people" . Making $7.15 and hour doesn't support much. The government does maniplulate the data and someone losing a $20/hr job buys a lot less at $7.15/hr. The manager of that McDonalds had to tell him that.

My son is looking for PT work and can't find it ... last year was a different story. We went to buy a dozen bagles and it was $11 where the last time it cost $7.50. Gas in NJ is $3.50 a gallon which is fairly cheap compared to other states around us and as I said it I hear everyone complain and they aren't doing the trips they did before.

Is the WHOLE economy in a recession - no. As Spahappy and Term said they are seeing a boom. Is Detroit booming? I don't think so. I heard most of Michigan is pretty bad. I think we have to take what is being fed to us with a grain of salt ... remember it's all about the money on Wall Street. Theroretically, I should be able to get a mortgage below 5% since the Fed lending rate is 2% now ... try finding one; as a matter of fact since the dollar became a little stronger the rates have increased. Again its all about the Wall Street money.