Glad I am not a HOt Springs dealer

[loosenupspas]

Hot Springs knock offs at Costco, with MotoMassage.  The Hot Springs association at Costco is ok but to include the MotoMassage seems harmful to dealers.

[hottubdan]

Old topic.  Most dealers have embraced it.  Some have not.  I would not be surprised if it goes away.  I don't believe (having no facts) that Costco or Hot Spring have done the volume either forecasted.

[Wisoki]

I'm actually happier to be a Jacuzzi seller, and NOT a Sundance guy. Jacuzzi '07 price increase, standard 2-3%, Sundance LMAO, get this.....12%!

[Chris_H]

Might want to check your sources on the Sundance prices.

[East_TX_Spa]

Much ado about nothing.  Haven't even had a sniff of one in these parts and it's been close to a year.

BTW, I'm tickled pink to be a HotSpring dealer:


Another day, another 4 spa deliveries to happy customers!

Terminator

[Jacuzzi Jim]

While I am glad Jacuzzi quit selling to costco, it really didnt hurt our sales here that much,as far as price you cant beat the big box stores but you can beat there customer service/sales people.   Most of the big box stores dont have sales people that know chit about spas nor how to do chemicals or sevice them for that matter.

 Did I lose some sales to them yes but most of those people were btm feeders looking for a low price for what they think is the same spa I was selling, sorry to say but they were mistaken.

 Correct me if I am wrong here but I would think the hot springs you can get at costco is not the same spa you would buy from the Terminator nor the same service one would expect from a dealer.

One question to the Hot springs dealers are you required to service them??  We were asked by Jacuzzi but I always made the customer pay an $80.00 dollar trip charge enev if they lived across the street and only for a period of 1 year even though they were quoted a 5 year warrantee, hey buddy read the fine print. they also had to have proof of purchase not more than 1 year from that.

 The one thing I did gain from costco selling Jacuzzi brand spas is chemical sales if I found out they had a costco spa and didnt get any chems well I would sell them a whole shelf full of stuff and give the advice on how to use the spa.

[Zep]

But Terminator thats easy to say when there are
no Costcos within 50 miles of you!

I know I wouldn't be pleased to be in direct competition
selling anything against with Sams, Costco, or Walmart.
Those guys can be brutal.

You may feel different if you had a giant Costco sitting
across the street selling HotSprings knockoff spas alot cheaper
than you can. Yeah you'd survive and prosper, but it's probably
not something you would cheer about.

But I can tell you without a doubt if Terminator Spas and Costco were
on the same corner I would purchase from you because I want the
"hand-holding" delivery, set-up, expert advice, repair, and long term
relationship even if it costs a few extra dollars.....but alot of fools
don't think that way....they look for the cheapest humanly possible way.

There is no doubt that there is still a huge nitch for independent dealers,
but I would assume most dealers would prefer that Costco selling spas
would "just go away".

[shabba34]

But Terminator thats easy to say when there are
no Costcos within 50 miles of you!

I have 4 or 5 Costcos within 50 miles of me, and I haven't felt them one bit either way.  And remember, the Watkins spa available at Costco is only available "Online".

[Zep]

re: I have 4 or 5 Costcos within 50 miles of me, and I haven't felt them one bit either way.  And remember, the Watkins spa available at Costco is only available "Online".

And how is it you know that every single spa sale Costco has made in your
area that the same customer would not have possibly bought from you if
Costco did not exist?

I have seen spas inside Costco and whether they are Wakins or not,
I know if I was selling spas I would prefer they not be across the street.

Of course I wouldn't "fold up my tent and cry".....I would find a way to survive
....but if my choice was "they are across the street or not across the street"....
it's pretty obvious what the answer would be.

[Ehizzle]

You guys would have hated being me then. When I sold HS in Idaho our store was in a Home Depot parking lot. Granted they don't sell a watkins spa. Sometimes they would even set up a tent in the parking lot with their junk under it. Now that's not cool.

[hottubdan]

re: I have 4 or 5 Costcos within 50 miles of me, and I haven't felt them one bit either way.  And remember, the Watkins spa available at Costco is only available "Online".

And how is it you know that every single spa sale Costco has made in your
area that the same customer would not have possibly bought from you if
Costco did not exist?

I have seen spas inside Costco and whether they are Wakins or not,
I know if I was selling spas I would prefer they not be across the street.

Of course I wouldn't "fold up my tent and cry".....I would find a way to survive
....but if my choice was "they are across the street or not across the street"....
it's pretty obvious what the answer would be.

We know if Costco.com is selling any Watkins spas because we have contracted to deliver and service the ones in our area.  We have delivered 1.  We have sold spas to people who were comparing our Sovereign to the Costco/Watkins Highlife.

The equipment warranty for the online spa is only 1 year.  Should we do service on that spa, we would charge a trip fee.

[Reese]

And how is it you know that every single spa sale Costco has made in your area that the same customer would not have possibly bought from you if Costco did not exist?

This board and Doc's are about the only ones I frequent when I have time, so I'm not real up on "netiquette", but I always assume the bold fonts or all caps are the equivalent of shouting, or at the least imply "this is important".  Neither seems appropriate here.  What am I missing?

[Wisoki]

I checked, same story.

Might want to check your sources on the Sundance prices.

[Richs100]

I don't think the Hot Spring/Costco tub is hurting my dealer either.  When the truck pulled in the driveway, the first thing out of my mouth was "Hey, I only ordered ONE spa!"

(BTW, Term, you really need to get some of them fancy HS trucks like HotSpring of DC uses rather than using that little cart dohicky in your photo.  I bet you could load up 10 spas on one of those trucks!)

[sledjunkie]

I would have bought a HS or Jacuzzi spa from a big box store in a heartbeat, that is if they were offered in my area, and I liked the configuration of the spa.

Can't beat their prices. And after all you are getting a quality spa from a reputable retailer.

As far as hand holding, service,  and expert advice that you wouldn't be getting from your honest friendly spa dealer... Well.. you all know my feeling on that load of #@$%