Dazed&Confused,can I make a suggestion?.?

[stuart]

 

Get serious! Either buy the dang thing, or dont waste folks time here.

Could you imagine being in line behind D/C at the drive-up window of a fast food restaurant?

"Lady, I'm not obligating to a menu item until you tell me what you guy's pay for those chicken nuggets!!"

[doodoo]

Great post chas.

[notafunguy]

why is it that NeedaSpa mysteriously stopped posting about the same time dazed and confused started. Needaspa's post is eerily similar to dazed and confused's about price and options on the optima.

Remeber your not paranoid if they are actually after you.

[dazedandconfused]

Although I agree with some of his points, I am not Needaspa.  Sorry.

[dazedandconfused]

Stuart,

You would probably say here is $4 for the nuggets that cost $0.50!

[huh?]

I am a twit.  

We agree.

[Warkovision]

I think it's either the thrill of the chase/deal that he trys to get lower and lower without purchasing, or the fact that maybe it's the fun of yanking everybody's chain and seeing how many he can get long, well thought out responses from and ignore them. I find it interesting that D/C seems willing to accept that cost to the dealer from the manufacturer isn't grossly overpriced as well, or maybe he just hasn't gone there-yet. Why stop there? I'm sure the price of the raw materials to make the spa are grossly overpriced. How much profit must all these middlemen be making? Go out and make one yourself.

Honestly D/C, you have to decide what having a spa is worth to you and find something that works in your budget. And then after doing all your "research" go out and buy one from the guy with the white van on the corner.

In any case, I think you've exhausted the resources here and need to research elsewhere.

[bodguy]

D/C

I don’t care about you whole post except for this comment: “They do not care about buyers!”
Who the hell are you kidding?  Where do you have the right to say that?  If we didn’t care about our customers we would not have customers.  


Back to the rest of your post:


Let’s use your analogy of the Vista (by the way did you sign up to try to win an Envoy):
It costs $5,000 from the manufacturer (It does not.  I can guarantee you it is absolutely much more expensive than that).  

Accessories:
I need to pay for delivery to my warehouse.  To the east coast it costs $350.  You want an ozonator.  It costs $165.  You want a Hotspring cover cradle.  It costs $225.  You want an LED light.  It costs $130.  You want a starter chemical package.  It costs $150 (took a guess).  

We are now at a total cost of $6,020.

Installation:
We also must include delivery to your house and installation of your options that you purchased (LED Light, Ozonator, Cover Cradle)  Bear with me, I am going to do some math here:
It takes on average 4 people to deliver a spa.  It tends to take about 4 hours to deliver the spa (this includes drive time).  For 4 people, for four hours, making 20 dollars an hour it costs you $320 dollars for your delivery.
It takes 1 person an hour to install an ozonator.  Cost $20 dollars.
It takes 1 person an hour to install a Cover Cradle.  Cost $20 dollars.
It takes 1 person a half-hour to install a LED light.  Cost $10 dollars.
Total Cost for optional features $370 dollars.
We are now at a total cost of $6,390.

Commission:
We have now $3,610 to spend for expenses.  The biggest up-front and noticeable expense is commission.  Most sales people get between a 5% and a 10% commission.  You don’t even want to get into the cost if it is a hit team member selling at a fair or a home show.
Lets use an average figure of 7.5% of the total purchase price.  That now costs the dealer $750 dollars.  

Your profit has now gone from $3,610 to $2,860.  This $2,860 needs to pay for the following:  building, worker’s comp insurance, health insurance, trailer, car to deliver the spa, that person testing your water, advertising, and 4 years of Harvard for the dealer’s daughter.

Oh and I forgot, I just saw on Dr. Spa’s site that a Vista sold for $8,529.  Let see how the numbers work out now.  

$8529       Spa Purchase Price
($1,020)       Accessories
($370)      Installation charges
($640)      Commission (7.5% X $8,529)
(5,000)      Dealer cost for spa (actual dealer cost much higher)

$1,499      Is that a profit I see?  Oh wait I have to pay for my building, worker’s comp insurance, health insurance, trailer, car to deliver the spa, that person testing your water, and 4 years of Harvard for the dealer’s daughter.


Do you honestly believe dealers are ripping you off?

That was my post

My tub was delivered an hour ago, pictures coming soon!

[jaw]

Children

Credibility is lost when you criticize a potential customer.

I am stunned that the beatings reserved for Phoenix and Jim A are now being done to a buyer.

You know, some folks have a very hard time making a purchase - I came from such a place, and it took years for me to realize I was slowly killing myself.

That is why I shoot for fair deals not best deals.

It saves a lot of time and money - and often (if the item is proper) I get better craftsmanship.

Now back off this buyer - either help him or not - that is your choice, but your credibility and your professionalism are shot with each blast.

Dazed buy it when you decide you are ready to, but don't go whining and complaining and trying to fix a system that is set up the way it is, it cannot be fixed.

These people have tried to help you and you have failed for whatever reason to grasp what they are trying to help you with.

If you pay an additional $500 and are done with the search can you attribute the extra money to not stressing any longer, to actually using the product, etc, etc.

Maybe you can them to offer additional stuff instead of any further discounts.

That may be the real solution.

I understand your affliction, my mother had it, and 2 sisters have it, my brother sees only cash value in anything and everything - we have not spoken in over 5 years.

Get over this you need to get some help - it is a problem and it will/may affect adversely for the rest of your life.

I have had to fix numerous problems because my mother needed the best deal - well the best deal often ended up needing many repairs and fixes to be a good deal - I was the fixer.

[huh?]

If someone was asking for detremental information about your industry I am sure you would get a little defensive as well.

[huh?]

This is kinda related.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/07/05/national1332EDT0564.DTL

[jaw]

Whoa.

1.  I am not strictly defending anyone.  I actually understand each side of this.]

2.  My dad (still living WWII vet) was in the shoe biz for around 60 years.  I know what customer service is and learned it from him.

IF this customer is getting too close for your comfort you courtiously back away, and stop - maybe even tell him so.

COnversely, if the industry was not set up in the fashion that it is - with no competition execpt brand to brand instead of multiple dealers sellling the same brand and if pricing was more realistic or more easily obtained, well he'da probably bought whatever he wanted by now.

It is a 2 way street.  Beating on and publically berating the customer does any dealer anything positive - it simply makes the buyer more confused, more defensive and more suspect of alterior motives.  And it kills any credibility you have.

[wmccall]

Whoa.

1.  I am not strictly defending anyone.  I actually understand each side of this.]

At nearly 700 posts, I've been staying out of this one.  

[ttodd1]

Just one question for D/C.  Have you considered removing some of the options to get your price down the $500?  Do you really need the aroma therapy, drink tray, exterior lights NOW.  Could you get them later?  Those things alone should bring the price down your $500.......    Is the price or the enjoyment of the tub the most important thing to you??

[scout045]

My God! I had no idea the complications of spa buying. I just walked into my dealer and asked how much for this one and this one. I was looking at the Cameo, and the Bahia. I got a price quote on both, went with the Bahia due to my budget, got the dealer to throw in some goodies and "TA DA", I owned a spa, and we've been using it almost every night for the past 2 months.  Look at all the wasted spa time D/C. I'd really hate to imagine what your brain is doing as you go to sleep at night.  Mine is relaxed from the enjoyment fo the spa I just got out of.