"The Salesman"

[lilly]

i want to take my time and find a hot tub that suits me. every time i walk into a store to look at what they have to offer, they pretty much push me away by how aggressive they are. i'll never buy anything the first time i look at it, i need time to think about it and campare. how can I actually find what i'm looking for without being so pressured the second i walk into the door of one of these "used car sales lots" so to speak.

[Rayman]

Samething happened to me when I first started looking and I hated it too.  Then I started going with my wife or a friend and it seemed to be alot less pressure for some reason, then I started to get more knowledgable and was able to challenge salespeople.  This lead to being confident in telling them I was just comparing and I will call them over if needed.  Trust me when they see you coming into thier store for the 5th or 6th time and they are calling you by name and have coffee ready for you (the way you like it), you realize that you have the money to spend and they have to earn it with a quality product and great service.


Try have fun shopping, pretend it's expensive shoes.

Ray

[wmccall]

Since you mentioned having to look at something more than once, I'd think they would get the hint the 2nd time you come back.

[East_TX_Spa]

Welcome to the board lilly!

I just had some first-hand experience with what you're going through.  It is like the savage hordes have been unleashed when you walk through the door.  I do not envy your task.

Rayman has some good advice for you.  I would also like to add some suggestions.  Use this forum (and others) extensively to learn about the different brands of spa.  Discover for yourself what is true and what is pure fluff.  Many spa companies run fly-by-night operations with a great deal of employee turnover.  After doing some research, you will know more about spas than many of the salespeople you encounter.

Always remember, you are in control.  You have something they want ($$$).  You can always take that ($$$) and move on down the road if you do not like the way you are being treated.  There are also a lot of good guys in this industry, sometimes they can be hard to find.  Good luck!

Terminator

[orlandoguy]

Working in the timeshare business, I thought my industry was the king of, "pitching heat," until I started shopping spas.  The only exception was my local jacuzzi dealer who actually said take my time and let him know if we needed anything.  Vita Spa was on me like a fly on  s***.  I can handle it, but my wife gets really uneasy, which then makes me uneasy.

The problem with many salesmen is that they take "just looking" to mean, "we want to buy but need to be pushed."

Never have I seen anything like the pressure and competition bashing I experienced as a newbie to the spa industry.  It left me with a bitter taste.

[Brewman]

Our experience wasn't too bad.  Our Sundance dealer was very hands off, and absolutely no pressure.  Other places the staff was a speck higher pressure, but nothing close to the "used car" style, which pretty much shuts me right down.  I will not buy something as expensive as a spa on the first trip into the store.  

[vlady]

I took my boyfriend with me.  Everyone assumed that we were married and most of the sales people directed their sales pitch at him instead of me.  It left me free to investigate and ask my own questions.

When sales people asked for his contact information or when it came down to writing up the order, the saleman asked my boyfriend for his information.  He said "Oh, I'm not buying it, she is".

Best of luck in your search!

[marks]

Same kind of thing happened to me.  My wife is the one who wanted the spa (I actually use it more now), at the store with the spa I liked I told the sales guy to sell her on it not me.

[jcmsrv]

Orlandoguy, Are you still selling timeshare?? We just bought from Westgate Resorts. I believe they are down your way

john

[orlandoguy]

yep, Westgate is around the corner.  I work for Marriott and feel it is my duty to tell you you have a 30 day right to cancel your Westgate contract and come see us.  Wait, we're talkin about pushy salesmen so let me stop and wish you the best with your ownership.

Actually, Westgate Lakes is a fantastic property, just not Marriott service wise or exchange wise.

[jcmsrv]

We bought at Las Vegas because Planet Holloywood is building a high-rise on the strip and Westgate is selling the timeshare. 99% of the strip is hotel, on thenorth end is Hilton timeshare, this will put new timeshare units on the southend of the strip. We locked in two two bedroom units for New Years eve. (Week 52)

John

[fatman]

The best salesmen don't need to intimidate people into a sale. That being said, it's hard to get past the feeling of intimidation if that's the technique being used by the salesman you are with.  I think you have to make the decision within your own mind before you go into the store that you refuse to be intimidated. That may not be easy depending on your personality. Most people don't want to offend the other person no matter what the scenario, hence, "politically correctness".   I still maintain that the best salesmen I have encountered  use adult conversation as their sales pitch.

[orlandoguy]

John,

You made a good purchase all thuings considered.  We are about to pen Grande Chateu off the strip in November.  No casino, nor will Marriott ever build one.  Walking distance to Paris though.

Sorry to drift off topic.

[ArcherC]

It's amazing to me that sales people feel they need to be aggressive when talking to customers. Whenever I go to buy something, I am always most comfortable with the guy who just wants to answer my questions and help me find what I am looking for. As long a he takes an interest in my needs and can answer my questions, I will usually buy.
Here is a way that you might be able to find a salesman that will really look after your needs.
I would start by calling each of the spa stores that you are interested in buying from.
Make sure to have a few questions ready about there spas. It also helps to be looking at their website.
If the salesman is helpful and willing to answer questions over the phone without pressuring you to coming in to the showrooom before he will talk to you, then get his name and go in to the showroom and ask for him personally.
This will let him know that you are interested without him having to spend a lot of time qualifying you. It will also give you an indication of how he/she will be after the sale if you call with any kind of problem or questions.

I don't know if this will help you out at all, but for me, working six days a week in retail, I don't get much time to go shopping, so I use the phone and the internet to find the company's that I want to deal with. And as a salesperson, I really appreciate it when customers I have talked to on the phone ask for me by name, it puts me at ease and helps me focus on finding them the right spa.

[Vinny]

It's amazing to me that sales people feel they need to be aggressive when talking to customers. Whenever I go to buy something, I am always most comfortable with the guy who just wants to answer my questions and help me find what I am looking for. As long a he takes an interest in my needs and can answer my questions, I will usually buy.
 

I agree with this! I tend to like to talk ... it is my opinion people who know their stuff about anything like to "educate" people and talk a lot about that subject. As I spa shopped, I talked and listened to what they were saying. What I found that for me I felt more comfortable and got more info from family run businesses vs chains of dealers.

Usually when a sales person gets agressive, they lost me. I figure that it's my money and unless they forge my signature they can't get it.

It does get easier to wade through the stuff as you shop longer.