Optima Prices?

[Mark_Vee]

Drewstar-

It may help all of us if you would answer the two questions I asked you.  

[drewstar]

lol...Your still not answering any questions...but if you ever do heres another for you... Do you believe in " Free Delivery" if so you must think the guys showing up with the truck and their time are volunteers ....Its great to get a good and fair deal and it should be like that always .....but to really think you are going to get something for nothing is foolish .... You want a free stereo ask the dealer to show the MSRP on the spa and tell him fine throw in the stereo and hes got a deal ...Of course that free stereo may cost you a few thousand extra ....but hey just think you are at that Saturn dealer you mentioned earlier and paying FULL RETAIL is something you can feel good about if its marketed right....

I guess I must be dense. What can I answer for you?

[jsimo7]

Sundance corp has caused this problem. Sundances ad should have said "free stereo but dealer participation may effect consumer cost" The sundance dealers should discuss this with the company they represent. If the free stereo is worth it to drive traffic to the stores then great, but if the cost of the stereo to the dealers is taking all thier profit then tell sundance it will be hard to make profit with this promotion. Sundance is good with CUSTOMER service. Is Sundance that unconcerned with thier dealer base?............?? You dealers are the turn key people for Sundance, remind Sundance of this fact. No spas are sold without you dealers. Promotions like this are why customers are untrusting with dealers. I hope the next promo is not something like get all your money back from a rebate.  

[Mark_Vee]

Drewster,

Just out of curiousity, in your "opinion"  How would you like to see the pricing structured on hot tubs?  And How would you say it is different than most other products we all can purchase today?

[J._McD]

Amazing.

Where did you get "price regualtions?" from? Did you really infer from my comments that I was looking for regulations?  

Let me ask you:  Does everyone who comes into  the store over the course of 2 months pay the exact same price for the tub?

Yes, and as a shopper, I could prove that to you, but, as a shopper, or more likely a shrewd shopper that is convinced you must negotiate a price, you would likely believe that what I would show you was not supporting what you expected or believed it to be.   You would persist for lower pricing than the other guy or something extra for free.  It has happened before.

I would be doing a disservice to others who bought from me at my "firm" pricing structure, if I were to discount the price to one and not everyone.  This is the time where I watch the shopper walk out the door because he is in control and he is firmly convinced he can actually get it cheaper.  He walks out, never comes back until he has a problem with what he did get and we both loose.

I have seen it happen so many times.  Sometime you can not save consumers from their beliefs when they are so doggedly convinced they are being overcharged or should be able to get a better deal than others.

I had one shopper walk out the door because I would not throw in an extra filter.  It was  a petty issue and I was beyond my coping ability, he never let the door close.  He came back in, but he said to me, "well I guess you are at your bottom line."

This is where I say shoppers don't know a good deal when they see one, and no we are not all at the same price, and no, we all don't do the same thing either.  To some it is all about price, not the quality, not the service, not the people you are dealing with, not about the product being better, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PRICE.

This really hurts all of the dealers too, because as much as I wanted his business, I had taken money from others in good faith.  The price they paid was an honest and fair price for the product and services that we delivered to them.  

For someone to pay less, as much as I need and want their business, We can not cross that line, while we watch others lie, yes lie to people about rebates, warranties, and other issues just to get their money.  Sorry to say, we all know that exist and goes on, and there seem to be some similarities that identify them.

It is not just because they are selling spas or in the spa induatry.  So you can not generalize that all spa dealers can not be trusted because all spa dealers "over charge", don't tell the truth, or charge everbody a different price.

What ever happend to honesty, integrity and ethics.

Drewstar, I need to ask what line of work are you in that you have become so cynical, untrusting and judgemental?  I peg you for law enfocement.  And, if that is the case, to what level do you deal with honesty, integrity and ethics.  On your side, yes, ontheir side, no.

Maybe you're a Dr. (but then you wouldn't be hung up on this issue), maybe your in sales, (not likely, you would have a better understanding), you are certainly not in a customer service related industry.  I peg you for an outspoken voice of authority, a protector, someone he sees bad things an a regular basis, one who questions the motives and interests of others.  

Just curious, you need not answer, and I do not intend to irritate or offend you, or even question your intent.  I simply want to understand you along with other shoppers in what they want or expect when they enter my store.  

Please believe me, I want to help them, as well as my business.  Maybe you can help me see this through your eyes.

[drewstar]

Drewster,
 
Just out of curiousity, in your "opinion"  How would you like to see the pricing structured on hot tubs?  And How would you say it is different than most other products we all can purchase today?

Remove the negotiaitng. Price stickered is price paid. Advertise the price.  I can pick up the Sunday paper and see that a Sony Plasma 42 tv is $5K at Best buys. I can see it's $6.5K at Sears. I can buy it at Circuit City with thier price match policy as well as get a 30 day guarentee on the price.  I have a fair amoount of confidence in that price, because next week I can see what the price is.  

I can go on the internet and look up Car's invoice's and also get a kelly blue book. I can compare a Honda amoung several dealers in one area.

[Mark_Vee]

So, items like a lowest price guarantee, 30 day Money Back guarantee, 30 Day exchange guarantee would be some things that you are interested in?  Those are items that we do supply to all of our customers.  

So we can all help our customers better, what else would make you happy?

[Mendocino101]

I guess I must be dense. What can I answer for you?

on Today at 9:30am, drewstar wrote:"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."    

Can you please explain exactly why and how you feel this way.... As a dealer I have no idea as what you mean...?

I asked you about seeing the MSRP for the spa and than offering to pay it as long it included a Stereo and I mentioned would you feel better if you payed FULL MSRP in the same way a Saturn dealer charges since you mentioned them earlier ....If you own a Saturn and feel good about them, that is fine but all Saturn has done is marketed FULL MSRP and because of the way it is presented people feel good about paying it but there is zero discount to it and is the very same thing that every auto sold in America has on it which is a window sticker...

[Mendocino101]

Remove the negotiaitng. Price stickered is price paid. Advertise the price.  I can pick up the Sunday paper and see that a Sony Plasma 42 tv is $5K at Best buys. I can see it's $6.5K at Sears. I can buy it at Circuit City with thier price match policy as well as get a 30 day guarentee on the price.  I have a fair amoount of confidence in that price, because next week I can see what the price is.  

I can go on the internet and look up Car's invoice's and also get a kelly blue book. I can compare a Honda amoung several dealers in one area.

Drewstar,

Do you have any idea of how small the spa market is compared to what you just mentioned....The things you want are not practical because the market is so small....Do you have any idea of the cost of those ads that company's like Sears. Best Buy, Circuit City, run. A mom and pop spa store can not advertise like that .... I think you have gotten  varied opinions on things and from several different people from different parts of the country and they seem to be consistent with each other....

[drewstar]

on Today at 9:30am, drewstar wrote:"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."    
 
 Can you please explain exactly why and how you feel this way.... As a dealer I have no idea as what you mean...?

I asked you about seeing the MSRP for the spa and than offering to pay it as long it included a Stereo and I mentioned would you feel better if you payed FULL MSRP in the same way a Saturn dealer charges since you mentioned them earlier ....If you own a Saturn and feel good about them, that is fine but all Saturn has done is marketed FULL MSRP and because of the way it is presented people feel good about paying it but there is zero discount to it and is the very same thing that every auto sold in America has on it which is a window sticker...

Ok, Today at 12:20 I wrote "Re: Skewed in the salesman favor: When negotiating a price, the buyer does not always get the best price.  It varies. It will however never go below your price point. However it can and mostly sells for more.   "

This isn't unique to spas , this is true for any item negotiated.  

[drewstar]

Drewstar,

Do you have any idea of how small the spa market is compared to what you just mentioned....The things you want are not practical because the market is so small....Do you have any idea of the cost of those ads that company's like Sears. Best Buy, Circuit City, run. A mom and pop spa store can not advertise like that .... I think you have gotten  varied opinions on things and from several different people from different parts of the country and they seem to be consistent with each other....

I fully understand that. But I was specifically asked what I'd like. I tried to explain as clear as possible  that as a consumer what my concerns were.

[Rayman]

Buy what you like, if you believe it was a good deal when you bought it and you are enjoying it then stop looking at tub prices until you need another one in 15 years.  I bought gas yesterday for 91.1 cents per liter, last night it was 79.9 cents per liter, I have no regrets about being ripped off daily so why should I feel bad about potentially getting ripped off aevery 15 years.

Ray

[drewstar]

Buy what you like, if you believe it was a good deal when you bought it and you are enjoying it then stop looking at tub prices until you need another one in 15 years.  I bought gas yesterday for 91.1 cents per liter, last night it was 79.9 cents per liter, I have no regrets about being ripped off daily so why should I feel bad about potentially getting ripped off aevery 15 years.

Ray

Agreed. However, before I buy, like velocity Iwill do my homework to find out what constitues a fair price. Wasn't that what we were doing here?

If a tub without a steroe sells for on average 8500 and the manufactuer promotes free steroes. If I  go into the store and find the tub with a steroe is 9900.  I'd be more than just a bit dispointed, and frankly annoyed that the company would do that.  

[Mendocino101]

Someone guessed what you might do Drew Star...I am going with politician ......based on your answering of questions... ....just kidding....

[obi wan]

boy is this topic getting a lot of "airplay".
drewstar, i'm not a dealer, just a consumer. you can't compare a spa dealer to best buy or your local honda car lots. there is nowhere near the volume. its apples to oranges. as far as i could tell there is only 1 spa dealer for any of the brands we looked at, here in my area. off the cuff, there must be at least 50 different stores that want to sell me a plasma tv, washing machine, or a leather couch. there are at least 8 different honda dealers.
would more dealers lower the prices? maybe.... they wouldn't stay open long though. not enough customers. you know, you could always open a dealer for the manufacturer who makes the tub you want. then you might see the flip side of the coin.

BTW, read the fine print on those price guarentees. it has to be the same model #.for example: best buy and home depot both carry ge washing machines. thay may look the same each store gets exclusive model #'s. thats a whole separate post, so i will say no more.....

as to pricing, where have you shopped?? the majority of all the dealers i looked at, here in se VA, had the prices marked right on the tub.
i live in va beach. there's a caldera dealer in richmond (95 mles away). my comp has an office there, so i had some one i know up there stop in to get a price quote. he was quoted 8600 for the same tub that i pd 8100 for. prices are going to vary no matter where you are...... i stand by my earlier post, is it worth it to YOU??
i personally would not buy a rolex watch. they are wonderful watch, i have nothing against them, but to me, i would not pay more for a watch than i did for my spa. but that is just me.