Optima Prices?

[drewstar]

i dont feel any industry owes me a list of standard prices. if i want/need a product, i will shop different makers for quality and price, and in the end , do i want to pay what the merchant is asking for that product? if its worth it to me i do. if not i dont. very simple.

You are so wise obi wan.

So says the Hot tub dealer.  

[obi wan]

let me expound a bit on my buy it or dont philosophy....
i am not made of money and value what i have. when i wrote shop around to different makers, i mean REALLY SHOP. i have been accused of borderline anal frugality. i think of myself as ......very patient. there are many things i would like to have.... once i feel comfy that i have a good idea of what something should cost, i do buy it. BUT, it may be 6 months later, sometimes a year. depends on how expensive it is, and my opinion as to will it be cheaper later, and is it worth the wait? in the case of my spa, i pulled the old one off the deck, in november, to refurbish and move, as we did big back yard make over.
decided it wasnt worth repairing, and scrapped it. didnt see the prices getting cheaper if i waited till the summer, so i shopped and bought fairly quickly(for me) could i have pd less? maybe...could i have pd more? definitely.....bought it, havent looked back. between the wife and 4 kids, it gets used 1-2 hours a day, 7 days a week.(occasionally more)no problems, other than stepping up chem usage. book says average use is 1/2 hour a day 3-4 days a week. i think i am off the usage chart past extra heavy, but it is so worth it!

[drewstar]

Velocity asks if $9900 is a good deal for the tub, stairs cover lifter and a Stereo.

Dealer 1 tells them "Seems to be a fair price.  That sells that for $10,000.00

Dealer 2 claims it seems like good deal considering all the "extras"

I question the validity of the "bargain" given that the manufacturer is promoting "Free Stereos". We then quickly degrade into pricing discussions and how frustrating they are and what really is a sale. Sometimes it gets a bit nasty.

Meanwhile Consumer A reports buying the same tub without the stereo purchased for $ 7891 (no stereo.)

Consumer B chimes in with an advertised price of 8900 (no stereo).

Tell me how these numbers stack up against Velocity's price? No so good. Seems she may be paying anywhere for 1000.00 to 2000.00 for this stereo.

Why is this again a good deal?

[leesweet]

I'll throw in a semi-apple/oranges comparison to see if clears the muddy waters or not.

Someone a few weeks ago had posted a $10,500 price for a SD Max with all the usual stuff and the stereo; this was in NC, I believe.  Perhaps SC?

The original discussion above for the Optima was in MD, metro DC, I believe.

Should we see a lot of difference geographically?  That is, SE VA, vs. Washington DC metro is a bit of a different market...  is that a few hundred $$ difference for a spa at the $9000-$10,000 price point or a lot more?  Should that Max with the strero be $10,500 or $11,000 or $11,500 in metro DC?  (Forget the 'free stereo' "deal".)

I don't care about 'sales' or 'free stereos', I just want to have both myself and the dealer get a good deal!  (When I call for service, I don't want him to think, here's the dude that gypped him out of the last $100.  ).  Of course, I don't want to think the opposite, either!)

So, within regions like the eastern mid-atlantic, do/should prices vary more than a few hundred out of, say, $10,000?

Thanks!

[shabba34]

Velocity asks if $9900 is a good deal for the tub, stairs cover lifter and a Stereo.

Dealer 1 tells them "Seems to be a fair price. We sell that for $10,000.00

Dealer 2 claims it seems like good deal considering all the "extras"

I question the validity of the "bargain" given that the manufacturer is promoting "Free Stereos". We then quickly degrade into pricing discussions and how frustrating they are and what really is a sale. Sometimes it gets a bit nasty.

Meanwhile Consumer A reports buying the same tub without the stereo purchased for $ 7891 (no stereo.)

Consumer B chimes in with an advertised price of 8900 (no stereo).

Tell me how these numbers stack up against Velocity's price? No so good. Seems she may be paying anywhere for 1000.00 to 2000.00 for this stereo.

Why is this again a good deal?
 

Just a stab, but maybe the dealer in SE VA has a 1,500 sq ft store front with one employee, and the store front in MD has 15,000 sq ft with 30 employees.  Overhead determines margins.  That "could" have something to do with the price difference.  Maybe the store in VA has 5 other SD dealers within 100 miles of each other and the one in MD is the only SD dealer within 300 miles.  That "could" have something to do with the pricing.  Only game in town = higher prices.  There is a hundred reasons why the prices may vary: Economic market, population, climate etc...  


PS:  I was labled as Consumer B, when actually I would be dealer 3, I just don't carry the SD product.  

[obi wan]

from what i have read here and the shopping i did, the stereo options ran from $1200 to almost $2000. average 1500, add to $7800 is $9300. add to $8900 is $10,400.
her quote of $9900 is right in the middle. not a deal, but not being gouged either....
anyone know what the official price for the stereo option is?
if the dealer is using the free stereo promotion then its not a good deal. velocity23 ought to keep shopping and look at others to get a better sense of comfort and price......
capitalism is why the price varies(see my above rant....errr post)
all the above, overhead, competion, size/ volume of the dealer. price can and will vary quite a bit. that is not inherently bad, its simple buisness.....i pd $8100 for my caldera 3 months ago. i saw a post where some in sc got the same model with stereo for $8600. here in va with stereo was $9300. i dont live in sc, and im not hauling a spa 300+ miles to save $.plus no local service. thats just life. 8100 for the size, features, and reputation is a fair price in my market. markets vary.

[leesweet]

Huh.  I thought the normal price for the SD 800 stereo was $1000 and there was only one option.  Do you mean there are other options? $2000?!  Ferget it.  I think I will get a boombox.  

[drewstar]

Huh.  I thought the normal price for the SD 800 stereo was $1000 and there was only one option.  Do you mean there are other options? $2000?!  Ferget it.  I think I will get a boombox.  

Leesweet, I wired a pair of Bose 251 environemntal speakersoutside my house.  (The sound quality is stunning) for about $400.  I  can enjoy music in or out of the tub.  

However, if you have neighbors or young kids outdoor speakers playing "margaritiville" at midnight er maynot be appreciated by everyone  

[johnvb]

Just a stab, but maybe the dealer in SE VA has a 1,500 sq ft store front with one employee, and the store front in MD has 15,000 sq ft with 30 employees.
 

You may be close to the facts there. IMO, the SE Va. dealer is a "mom and pop" operation, (though they do have two locations) which is a spin-off of a local pool company. As per the owner, his brother owns the pool company. The wife is on the sales floor and doing orientations, and the husband, along with another employee delivered my spa. He probably does the service work too, and I would guess that they borrow employees from their brother when they get into a pinch.

I imagine some dealers that frequent here started out the same way, nothing wrong with that.

And of course, even though the real estate market around here has exploded, there still is a major difference in cost/standards of living between the Tidewater and DC areas. "What the market will bear" right?

[hottubber]

I think the price you received is fair. I sell the Optima with same equipment for $9995.00. As for the free stereo feature on the Sundance website, we dealers really need to step up and challenge Sundance for some stereo discounts. These so called free stereo units are a huge hit to the dealer. Sundance takes zero hit on the price. They expect all of the dealers to drop their drawers to get another sale for Sundance.
I'm sorry for being so negative about their approach to giving away my margains, but they need to understand that WE are the dealer, trying to survive with absolutely no financial backing on this promotion.

hottubber...

[tstiffler]

This forum has taught me so much...from which spas to look at, chemicals and how to use them and because folks are kind enough to divulge how much they paid for the their spa, it has helped me to get a general idea of what I should pay.

3 weeks ago we ordered our Optima w/stereo and I walked out of the store feeling like I got a good deal on my package.  Now I read that Sundance is giving away stereos.  I think, can this really be true?  Did I pay for a stereo, when maybe I should'nt have?  So I thought about it and realized if I had gotten a "free" stereo,  I most likely would not have received my "free" ozonator, cover w/lifter, delivery, 6 ft wood steps and chemicals.  

But, then I said well maybe not, maybe it is free.  So I called my dealer today to see what she thought and was informed that my local sundance store was not participating in this "free' stereo offer.  The salesperson also told me that those dealers that are participating have most likely raised the price of the spa to cover the cost of the "free" stereo.  

Right now, the current price of an Optima w/stereo in my area is about $9,000 and $7,995 without.  I paid $8,619 w/stereo and other extras.

I do think that price varies depending on where you live in the good ol' USA.  Here in Northern Calif, we're not to far from the factory.  

So, what I guess I'm trying to say, is that there really is no "free stereo", it is probably the package of the week and to watch out to make sure the price is not inflated to cover the cost of the stereo.

Hope this helps you Velocity.  

[leesweet]

Good point on the size/overhead of the smaller dealer.  Anyhoo, no matter what, I'd rather not nickel/dime the dealer to get a 'better' deal when I know I want him to jump through hoops in January down the road (perhaps) when I might have a catastrophe.  

Last thing I need is to make the dealer eat the cost of the stereo because SD Marketing thinks it's a 'good' idea to increase traffic in the showrooms.  I was *leaning* toward one only because of the remote control and the 'underwater' woofer (I think it's a woofer; transducer, anyway, right?

I think if I do decide on getting the stereo (if I ever get a dealer in Northern Virginia this year, darn it...), that I'll say I'll pay the normal price on it and take the usual stuff free.  I don't want any dealer hard feelings because of a stupid MBA Marketing type at the factory.  (And, I'm allowed to say that about MBAs, too, because I happen to have a moldy one of *those* also!    )

Fair is fair.

[J._McD]

As dealers we all need your business to stay in business, 95% of us are honest and reputable and we make dilligent efforts to take care of all our customers in their time of need.  We are what supports the backbone this country and makes our economy work, We are "small business's".  

You on the other hand, the consumer, happen to be what makes the system work with your disposable income.  Although me may call it disposable, that is not what we do with it.  We shop with due dilligence to find the best value in exchange for our money.  To some that may mean a lower price, others may consider it a balance in what you get, what you want and what you pay.  

Regardless of how we individually make our purchase decisions, not everything can be measured by dollars and cents.  There have been countless other threads that have dealt with this issue.


If you as the consumer are not pleased with what "marketing" does to bring you in, don't come in.  If you are interested to investigate, please come in, we do need your business.  If when you arrive, and based on your evaluation, IF it is not a good deal to you, turn around and go out the way you came in.  This is not where you want to be.

God, knows, there are different strokes for different folks.  It has been said that "all" dealers or spas should have "window stickers" like cars so you would know the "REAL" price.  Well that borders on organized pricing, the FTC and the anti trust laws, and you really can't organize a whole bunch of small business's and do that.

We dealers do understand your frustration and the point's of view referenced here on this forum.  We are not in business to cheat you, but to support our families and the families of our employees, while exchanging a product of value in exchange for for economic support to stay in business.  We all represent reputable manufacturers that have a product that has value to the consumer.

If some are in pursuit of the cheapest price, God bless you, look for it, seek it out.  If some of you are in pursuit of the best value for your money, God bless you and shop until you drop take notes, collect information, research the hell out of it and make your decision and live with it.  The rest of you should look for a good dealer, get your vibes on whether he has a good reputable product and check out his credentials, ask for some of his customers to contact.

In the Long of it, and in the Short of it, BUY A HOT TUB, support our families, support small business in America, oops sorry JK, Steve, and others, make that North America.  Get it delivered and lay back and RELAX.  

The WORST thing that could happen is that you could pay a little more or a little less than the other guy.  It happens every day.  We all agree, nobody wants to be taken advantage of.  if the difference is averaged over the life of the Hot Tub, it  really makes this a Petty issue.

[drewstar]

I'm note sure if it's a "petty issue".  In this  thread alone we've seen the price for the same tub vary by several thousdands of dollars.  

It's not about "nikel and dimming" the dealer either.

It's about being a wise shopper and getting a fair deal. As I mentioned earlier,  the current pricing structure is much more heavely skewed in the dealers favor than the consumer, more so than in other markets.  

The fact the people come in here and ask "is this a fair price?" illustrates peoples confusion and frustration.

"price fixing"  good lord. J-McD that's most ridicolous statment you've made here.  Yes Price fixing is illegal, but that's not even remotely what we are discussing, in fact almost the complete opposite.

[mowgli1]

You need to really think about the term "fair price". To me a fair price is one that keeps a good dealer in business and is reasonable to the consumer. Notice I said reasonable, not the lowest price you have ever seen posted on this forum. The confidence you have in that dealer to service your spa when you have a major problem in the middle of the winter or knowing you can call anytime with a problem makes that reassurance as valuable as a good price.
When I started shopping I was all about the lowest price but now that is only one factor,quality of the product and quality of the dealer are just as important. Listen to people who bought four or five years ago alot of them can't even remember what they paid for their spa.  If you find the brand you want and the dealer you like and a reasonable price buy it.  Buying a spa is never going to be like buying a car  or appliances. Break that extra money you may pay down over 10- 15 yrs and it's not much to pay for peace of mind. I would much rather deal with someone like J.McD who  has been in business for 21 yrs. and is totally commited to customer service then some fly by night dealer who may save me a thousand dollars on the initial purchase.