So I went in ready to shop these bozo's and they were indeed out of Seattle, probably had 130 spas set up none running.
Phoenix,keys backyard, LA spas,Clearwater spas and Artesian. When I walked in with a light coat over my Jacuzzi shirt,I felt like a deer walking into a group of lions that hadn't ate in a year, very strange feeling and not comfortable at all from a consumers view.
Anyway onto the shopping, didn't work! Right off the bat, a guy that use to work for NDS and also works the Sundance booth right across from us every year at the fair was there so the jig was up,
He came up and we talked for awhile. All 15 yes 15 of the guys were from California to Florida and 1 from the Seattle store that set the show up.
It was impressive with all the spas set up in a row,but the salesman waiting to pounce was overwhelming.
We ended up selling 5 at our 3 day event, we had way more fireplace,AC and wood stove action than we had spa customers. The 5 we sold had all been up at the big spa show and felt the same way I did, and was not going to buy from an out of town company. They all said it was dead there, I am sure they sold a few to some, time will tell as they will need help with chems so we shall see.
Anyway not quite what I wanted to accomplish by shopping, but I don't believe they sold nearly what they needed to to meet the cost they shelled out.
Lets see??
Ads on every local radio station AM and FM at least 30 times a day for 6 days back to back.
Full page newspaper ad everyday in 2 different papers
The cost of transporting 100 plus spas from Seattle to Bellingham 100 miles to and from
labor to do so, also airfare and hotel rooms for 15 guys for 3 days, plus commissions for them at probably 7% and a guarantee of a daily rate if they sold nothing?
My guess is, they would have to have had sold at least 50 plus spas if not more to break even.
Seems like quite a gamble to me the good thing is maybe they learned a lesson and wont be back.
