Prices

[J._McD]

Soakin, I appreciate your input.  When people walk in and ask a price we give it to them.  An hour later when the ask what is the real price, it is the same, but we have had that time frame to establish a relationship and an impression of each other.

Our response about the real price is that it is the same.  If the price was different, then obviously I lied to you to begin with.  But, everybody, let me change that, some people seem to think either they can or should get a better price than the other guy.  They seem to feel they can "negotiate" the price.  The truth is we want to sell the spa and they want to buy the spa.  If the guy down the street plays that game, they seem to think everyone does when we don't.

There is a point when you have to let them walk.  

If you put pricing on the spa and they don't know what that price includes, they make judgements, maybe more than they expected, or more than they want to pay, maybe it is more than they want to afford, at any rate they try to find out if the price will move.

The only time we will move on price is when an out of town seller, or a bordering dealer is willing to undercut us and sell into our area, we will attempt to match a price to keep the deal or get the business.  More often than not, this is not the customer you want.  They feel their dollar is almighty and they turn into the customer from hell and they are extremely hard to please as they always want their problem to be your problem.  

Sometimes you gotta let em go.

It is really hard for both of us, the buyer and the seller.  And, if I can learn one thing here in this forum, it will be how to communicate with the MIND of the buyer.

Price is always important, it is how we measure things.

Quality is always important, it usually performs better, last longer, has a better warranty and is usually represented and supported by a more professional dealer which is what you are looking for.  

BUT, where does service enter the picture.

If I don't have to put service into my price and be responsive to your needs, I can sell to you at a lower price and service you when I get around to it at my convenience.  

This we find unacceptable and we PRIDE ourselve on our service and availability to our customer.

Obviously, it disappoints us greatly to loose out on a buyer that buys from a lowball dealer who just wants the business and doesn't necessarily have the same committment to service.

So then, Quality, Price or Service how would you number them in order of importance.  1.)   2.)   3.)   ?

[Mendocino101]

I will add that "most shoppers" do not have a real appreciation of a good or fair price....as much as people participate on this board in the big picture you/we are the excpetion... most come into your store and depending on the area in which you live only have heard of one or two brands of spas ...those who spend the time researching are for us the easiest people to deal with because they know when something is a fair or good value.... most come in and to them a spa is a spa ...they all hold water and have jets ....how different can they really be ...... how different ......lol leaps and valleys between certain manufactures .... my reason for this post was, We price things for the product we sell.... among the very very lowest of the mentioned deals here ....yet most everyone who walks in still want to deal and it does not leave us much room to work with and as sad as it might seem most people..... simply don;t care about that treating everyone the same and with integrity ...most simply say give me more than the last guy got.......BUT FOR LESS... ...

[J._McD]

sad as it might seem most people..... simply don;t care about that treating everyone the same and with integrity ...most simply say give me more than the last guy got.......BUT FOR LESS... ...

AMEN bretheren, what ever happend to honesty.


Moderator edited to allow quote function to work.

[alwaysperky]

I've got a twist/question on this issue.  As I walked through Home Depot I spotted the Weslo spa's on display.  Though I could hear the voices of the forum in my mind "stay away from the evil big box store spas, you will regret it, you will melt if you........."  I looked anyway. I wondered, what could make the prices of those tubs half of the "name brand" spas? Excluding the whole, "who's going to service you" discussion, is it just that the components they use are that much cheaper? $3000 or $4000?  Does it really add up?

[Brewman]

Some of the cost difference may be HD being able to sell on a lower margin- they're a big box after all.  
Then there's the lack of any type of showroom.  They just plop them on some small open floor area next to the toilets, don't need a specialized staff, don't stock parts, don't hire and train service people, etc...., totally different business model.  
 Then there is the spa itself.  The factory must be cutting corners somewhere to contribute to the lower cost.  Probably a lower line of pumps, controllers, heaters, fewer option choices, less insulation.  
Your higher possible heat bill will also eat away at the savings on purchase price.  
Add it all up, and there you go.  
Brewman

[kvnlaw]

Well said J. McD & Brewman.

[Michigander]

So then, Quality, Price or Service how would you number them in order of importance.  1.)   2.)   3.)   ?

If there was an easy formula of 1 2 and 3 you would sell more hot tubs.  Beacuse at each price point people's perception of what they are willing to trade off changes.  Walmart has amassed their fortune on Price.  Is that number one.  I like to buy quality regardless of price.  If I perceive an entry level product as good quality then I am not going to step up on features (necesarily).  If I have to be sooooo concerned about service when I am buying quality, am I really buying quality?

For Me

Price and Quality Number 1.  Service distant 6th.  Sales environment, how did the product show.  Wife Approval Factor (WAF).  My pereceived value.


I bet most of you delears on here that justify your "high" prices by saying you deliver service shop at Sam's Club or Costco on the weekend.  Why not buy all of your everyday purchases at specialty stores.

[jsimo7]

Hi Everyday purchases do not require quick service as a spa does in the winter when the heat goes off. I will shop for everyday purchases from discounters and save money there. I want a dealer I can count on if there is problem in the middle of winter.  That is the value of your extra money spent form a good dealer when buying  a spa.

[East_TX_Spa]

I bet most of you delears on here that justify your "high" prices by saying you deliver service shop at Sam's Club or Costco on the weekend.  Why not buy all of your everyday purchases at specialty stores.

Sam's is my favorite store!  I load up on food, drinks, toilet paper, DVD's, etc.  No way in hell I would buy a spa there.  We haul many, many of their 2 and 3 year old spas to the dump.

Terminator

[Mendocino101]

Sam's ..Costco....Home Depot are great stores for certain things .... First the real reason besides  the buying power they have, is....the SPAS are BUILT CHEAPER ....they are designed to hit a price point but in order to do so corners are cut to get there .....the bottom is poor as is the cover ...the insulation is neither a TP nor FF style and is very lacking ... most of the time it is one or two spas they carry...and  like many things that are built for them ...they can list of things like jet count ..seating positions ( not real number of people that fit in the spa) pump size all that can listed on a marketing sheet and  will look good but the way it is put together and the components that are used are not the same nor is the warranty .....one of the company s that builds for them also makes exercise equipment ... a stepper from them is a stepper but is nothing like a say Nautilus Stepper ...and that is the real difference the quality of the product simply is not the same .....

[Brewman]

Also- anyone ever wet tested a SAM's Club, Costco, or HD or Menards spa?  Who'd buy a spa without testing it first?

I shop at SAM's club, but that's because the products they sell are commodities in nature- One gallon of milk to me is about like another.  

You want a spa from there?  Be my guest, it's a free country, but don't kid yourself that the reason those spa's are cheaper is because of excessive retail markup at the spa dealers.


Brewman

[poolboy34]

Also- anyone ever wet tested a SAM's Club, Costco, or HD or Menards spa?  Who'd buy a spa without testing it first?




Brewman

Honestly, any dealer will tell you that less then 10% of their customers who buy a spa wet test it prior to purchasing it.  

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

[shabba34]

If they don't wet test in my showroom, I just grab their neck and hold them under water till they say yes! Seems to work 90% of the time.

[J._McD]

Michigander,  Walmart has amassed their fortunes by stocking their goods without payment until sold and on the backs of small business’s that they have caused to go out of business.  They have ruined the economies of rural regions as they take jobs away with low prices and some DON’T want them in their community, but I guess it is what some of us want.  Price is King.

“I like to buy quality regardless of price.”  Does that mean you buy “brands” at the upscale malls or price at Walmart’s.  That is not to mean Walmart doesn’t sell quality.  It seems to me price is most important to you.  

You say “price AND quality are number one”.  That doesn’t work.  Which one is #1, which is #2.  Then, I see you put service a distant #6.  Even Kmart sells quality and price, yet look at where they are.  It's obvious these retailers don't concern themselves with ongoing service.

BTW Costco stands for Chinese Over Seas Trading Company.  I believe they have some of the best prices in town, but there are a lot of things they don’t sell.  Hospital & Medical Equipment, Branded Quality Power Equipment, parachutes, diving equipment, cars, boats, etc.  They sell volume consumables to price conscious consuming masses like you and me.  We all shop there and there is nothing wrong with that.  

On the other hand, with all the profits of our capitalist consuming society going to China, we are watching our quality levels drop as auto manufacturer’s and industry are being forced to lower the cost of goods to us so they make cheaper goods going to other countries who accept lower wages.  Needless to say, the unions are upset.

Nobody here is expecting Costco to come out to service or help you with your spa.

“when I am buying quality, am I really buying quality?”  You can get quality seconds at the outlet and that is branded quality but you don’t always get the same thing do you?

If you were shopping for a parachute, or scuba gear or fire extinguishers would you buy #1) Price #2) Quality………#6) Service.

I asked you a few questions in an earlier post that you haven’t answered “for a fee I will provide consultation” how do I evaluate what you sell for what you get?  And, why do you charge a fee?

[J._McD]

Jisimo, well said.  It is apparent you are covering your backside just in case.  Maybe you have been there before.  As said before, that is cheap insurance and it supports the American enterprise system.  When it is not there for lower end price shoppers and their problem gets bigger because it freezes, they get grumpy and they don’t know why.

We have all saved a buck or two when we have bought on price alone and we have lived to regret it.  This we call experience.