Does size really matter?

[wetone]

Store size that is. If you were/are shopping for a spa would you find it easier to shop for a spa in a large store that sells multipule brands with 30+ models on display, or... would it get confusing?

We recently expanded our showroom from 8 - 10 spas on display to 30 - 35. Would like to hear your comments thoughts, dealers, consumers all welcome.

[HotTubMan]

I think overall it is a positive.

There are those that you will confuse, absolutely. That said I find the most intelligent shoppers confused after their fourth store anyway. By offerring varied product you get the opportunity to address design and feature differences that may be left for the competition to expose/misrepresent.

You are more likley to sell a spa to a potential customer with variety of construction and price points.

HTM

[jcmsrv]

Hi Wetone!
We are comparing the coleman 480 to the artesian Island grand cayman. Any advice!
thanks
john

[salesdvl]

My store is about 50,000 sq ft with about 1/4 of it devoted to spas. ( spas stays the same yr round but the rest of the store switches with the seasons.. pools & patio to  Christmas & billiards. )

Anyway, we carry Freeflow that start at $1888 and go all the way up to about $10,000.  We currently have about 25 models on the floor.  We do have some customers that find it confusing but in the long run it is a good thing.  I have at least one model of each brand/line filled so it is easy for a customer to test soak and feel the differences in jets etc...

[wmccall]

Back in my shopping days, many places had tubs similar to what I wanted on the floor. In many cases it wasn't close enough to what I wanted to make a wet test worthwhile.   Many dealers were too quick to say that I would learn what I wanted from a different tub.  I stood my ground and only tested models the same size and layout.  I think it was a huge factor in my final decision that when I  was made an offer on a  Dynasty model I was interested in they had that model with the exact features in the exact color.  Not having to wait 8 weeks for a custom tub to be built was a huge factor.  Anytime I have ordered anything from the factory it has always taken twice as long as I was initially quoted. (Non-spas)

[NightOne]

Store size that is. If you were/are shopping for a spa would you find it easier to shop for a spa in a large store that sells multipule brands with 30+ models on display, or... would it get confusing?

We recently expanded our showroom from 8 - 10 spas on display to 30 - 35. Would like to hear your comments thoughts, dealers, consumers all welcome.

I think it really does make a difference. One of the things I think about when it comes to buying a big ticket item is whether or not the dealer is going to be around to support that warranty. Financial stabilty has a lot to do with that. My thought would be that the more tubs you have in the showroom, the more money you have and the bigger the operation. It therefore is more likely that you will be around to support it.

Of course, even big outfits can go out of business, but it is less likely.

As far as confusion goes, I say no way, the more the merrier.

[Cgar]

Hi Wetone!
We are comparing the coleman 480 to the artesian Island grand cayman. Any advice!
thanks
john

Hi jcmsrv!  I work with wetone so I'll chime in on the Coleman/Artesian question.  I have to   say that both are excellent tubs.  Depending on the jetting package that you choose (Coleman - Standard, Deluxe, Premium or Artesian - 29,38,48,56), the pricing should be very comparable.  Available features are also very similar, so that doesn't help to choose one above the other either.  The Artesian (with 56 jets) would have more jets, and one more pump than the Coleman, but the 480 that we have running in the showroom is INCREDIBLY quiet.  Seating is a bit different as the 7th seat available on the Grand Cayman is replaced with a cooler on the Coleman.

So, I guess what it boils down to is choosing which of these features give you the greatest benefits.  In other words, is an extra seat more important than an icebox, or quieter operation than an extra pump?  Only you can answer those questions.

And finally, I do believe that a wet test may make the decision easier for you.  I think that you'll find that the jetting feels quite different between the two, and one will most likely appeal more.  Good luck!

[Vinny]

I've been to large stores and small stores; I purchased my tub at a small store (family run business) but I would have purchased from a large store if I found the right tub and dealer.

I like the idea of seeing different tubs and how they differ. In any tub line, there are many differences in the different models - size,  jets and lounger to name a few.

Are the tubs that your selling complimentary or competing with each other? If they're competing this may get confusing, as a consumer I don't know the "good differences" between Brand A and Brand B and what I need. But I may want a TV and Brand B doesn't offer it, if you consider all things equal. Tubs come in all price ranges (I found this out early in my search - LOL), some people need and can afford a $10,000 tub others need or can afford a $5000 tub having both is to me complimentary.

Overall, I think the most important thing to me is the customer service I receive from the store. Are they helpful? Do I feel they were honest? How did they treat ME? These are the most important thing that I look for.

As I looked around at MANY stores, I asked questions and listened and watched the salespeople: some were comfortable with the questions, some couldn't answer questions, some bashed the competition, some were arrogant and some were just duds. I bought my tub at a store that listened to what I wanted and my price range, I felt they were honest, answered all my questions correctly (at least correctly as I know it), opened a tub up so I could see inside the equipment cabinet (did so with a smile), assured me that the tub that I'm buying will give me years of service (I questioned them IF I should buy the higher end tub series for the longer warranty) and ultimately I had a "good feeling" about them.

Anyway, this is one consumer's opinion!

[Mendocino101]

I think it really does make a difference. One of the things I think about when it comes to buying a big ticket item is whether or not the dealer is going to be around to support that warranty. Financial stabilty has a lot to do with that. My thought would be that the more tubs you have in the showroom, the more money you have and the bigger the operation. It therefore is more likely that you will be around to support it.
.

I think that size as far financial stability has nothing to with it...meaning that a larger store has much greater overhead...more empolyes....more turnover...that is not to say that it is going to fail but a poorly run business no matter the size of its building...will not be around long...also you are more likely not to be dealing with the owner of the store where in a smaller place there is a reasonable chance that you will...You can control quality easier in a smaller place.....that is not to say that both the larger super store vs the smaller retailer do not have their own advantages....here is another question when a larger store like one here around me carries....Hot Springs....Sundance and Jacuzzi as well as Bull Frog....it is great to see them all in one place....But how well do you think the salesmen really know all of those lines not to mention the free flow that they also carry....but again it is nice to have it all under one roof...

[poolboy34]

Does size of store matter???  That's an excelent question.  It certainly doesn't hurt, but a good salestaff and support staff can make up for the lack of show-room display.  Also it won't matter how big your store is if it's not run properly.  That's been evident with Ameas, Builders square, hechinger, etc....  Now, I work for a locally owned dealer, we have two 10K + square ft showrooms.  Now keep in mind we also sell patio furniture, in-ground pools and above ground pools as well.  We try to have 12-15 spas on display at all times.  Now granted in the winter months we have more then that on display b/c we don't need all of the pool displays.  For me, I like both of our showrooms, but I'm partial to our old showroom which was about 1/3 of the size of our existing showrooms.  The smaller store just had that warm, cozy feel to it.  It was more intimate, more personal for all of the customers.  Plus we had a great pool park with in-ground and above ground pool displays, and the service center was right there if we ever had questions that went beyond our front-end staff's training and knowledge.  The newer, bigger showrooms are nice b/c we don't we can display more product, and we are also able to show a wider range of spas in a variety of sizes, colors and models.  It'd be interesting to get the customers perspective on this.

Jason,
Store Manager for a D-1 and Caldera Dealer

[Vinny]

To jcmsrv,

I looked at both and did end up buying the Artesian Island Grand Cayman. They actually have some similar features: both have down shooting neck jets and both have different size "captains chairs" - one for taller people and one for shorter (actually HotTubMan and Rick explained that about the Coleman to me here).

I did like the 2 - 2 speed pumps on the Coleman and they seem to be nice tubs. I didn't pick it only because I felt the dealership didn't know the product as well as it should and when I emailed Coleman (Maxx), they never responded - it didn't give me a good feeling. Otherwise I may have bought the Coleman (here's that customer service I was talking about in the previous post).

As far as the Island, it was in my budget and seemed to offer more for my money than the rest that I looked at (and I looked at a lot). I bought the 56 jet model and got a circ pump and ozone with it (I forget if the Coleman had a circ pump). I believe with ozone the pumps only run at high speed, it was a trade off. They seem nicely built and my dealer said they use some of the components as the Platinum and Gold series. It was sitting next to both and honestly I couldn't tell them apart besides looking at the controller.

I would say the if the you like the dealer either will be fine. A lot of people say wet test and unfortunately I didn't because the dealer only had the Piper Glen availabe to test and it's a totally different tub. If you can test both and let your body tell you which one to buy.

Good Luck!