Just Curious?

[Guzz]

As a sales trainer for a spa retail store, I am curious and would appreciate some input on what was the most important factor in making you final purchasing descision.
Here are a few suggestions though I'm sure there are many more.
a) Size
b) Seating style
c) Comfort
d) Quality of construction
e) Type & placement of jets
f) Bells & whistles
G) Ease of operation
h)Price
I) Value
J)Dealership
k) Sales Person
l) Referal
m) Warranties
n) Other
What would be  your top 5, 1 being the most important

[PackerPaul]

Here's my .02 worth...

1. Comfort....If it doesn't feel right, what's the point!!
                    Wet test is crucial. If you won't let me try it
                     I won't buy it!!

2. Quality/warranty...Go hand in hand

3. Dealership/Salesperson...hard to separate the two

4. Price....Has to be affordable

5. Value...Has to be a good value for the price

[Vinny]

For me it would be:

  I & H as 1 and 2, and they are interchangable.  I can't afford a $10K spa but I'm not looking for a $10K spa for $7K (OK, If I came across one I would have bought it).

 D - 3, J - 4 & C - 5 with seating and size being part of the comfort portion too! I knew I didn't want a lounger.

[fletch49]

In this order:

1) Quality of construction (I don't want to have to worry about using the warranty, and need the spa to last min 15 years).
2) Warranties (meaning length and type)
3) Comfort (must suit the whole family)
4)Price/Value (I have to feel that I'm getting good value for my $ or I'm not going to enjoying it.)
5)Dealership

[salesdvl]

For me it would be:

   I & H as 1 and 2, and they are interchangable.  I can't afford a $10K spa but I'm not looking for a $10K spa for $7K (OK, If I came across one I would have bought it).

  D - 3, J - 4 & C - 5 with seating and size being part of the comfort portion too! I knew I didn't want a lounger.

I always hated algebra.  But I'll try.  

So you are saying that    

7K<(D-3)+(J-4)+C-5)<10K  

with I =1
   & H =2

   

[Vinny]

I always hated algebra.  But I'll try.  

So you are saying that    

7K<(D-3)+(J-4)+C-5)<10K  

with I =1
    & H =2

     

You got it right!!!

Now are you ready for Calculus?

[salesdvl]

Wasn't Calculus one of those bi-sexual Roman Emperor dudes??  

[Vinny]

Wasn't Calculus one of those bi-sexual Roman Emperor dudes??  

Hey, is that a crack on my Italian heratige?



OH, Wait ... we had Caligula!!

[salesdvl]

Hey, is that a crack on my Italian heratige?

I dunno, I can't see your Italian heritage from here.  We once had an Italian vase and it had a crack on it.  

[PaulMc]

  d c i j m

 d and c are probably interchangeable, but if by comfort you mean "do I feel comfortable buying one at all, buying this particular tub, from this manufacturer, from this dealer" then it becomes number one by a landslide and is made up of the rest.

 No calculus in my answer, but some of the answers are Roman numerals so I guess I'm keeping on theme. paul

[salesdvl]

As a sales trainer too I would say that MY choices are prob not the same as what I would teach my salespeople to look for.  In the last few years I have found that customers seem to like the bells and whistles as much as anything.  In years past construction and manufacturer reputation meant alot but the past few years I have seen a ton of people go for the 8 footer with stereo, waterfalls, SS jets, & LED lighting rather than the 7' energy efficient, better made brand because they were the same price.  (I'm resisting using brands by name here so there isnt a brawl.)

[Vinny]

... but the past few years I have seen a ton of people go for the 8 footer with stereo, waterfalls, SS jets, & LED lighting rather than the 7' energy efficient, better made brand because they were the same price.  (I'm resisting using brands by name here so there isnt a brawl.)

I think I know WHO you're talking about ... where's that rotten plum tomato?

[PaulMc]

  Hey Salesdvl. I hear what you're saying. You may want to have your sales guys try and recognize the evolution of a spa shopper as well.

 When we first started the family was looking. I had been interested in one for years and had started saving. I told them I had 8K to put into a tub, all in including hookup, deck etc. Knew it was a little light. Realized it was probably 4K light. We saw little tubs that were inexpensive, ok, cheap. We saw big tubs with all the bells and whistles and were impressed, but I was reluctant to get excited about anything until the family showed more interest since they shot me down for years. We also saw tubs that we thought were pretty good for less money. So we created our base list of things it needed to be/have. That became our baseline. And it priced out at about 8k for the tub and they were really interested now.

 I was a changed man and if your sales guys saw the new me, they would have been more excited as well. After a few weeks into the search I got more interested in a stereo, it just seemed cool. But it didn't change my base requirements. This is what I'd guess is a value item. Waterfalls and such... no value to me. A stereo at 1K or so... value. Now if the stereo was 2K it wouldn't have had enough value. So if a tub didn't have a stereo option, it wasn't rejected and since most could have a stereo at about the same price point for the value I gave it, none could really be rejected. If it meant an extra month or two to get one with a stereo or without, then it's value dropped because of the delay and I could reject that one.

 Initially we just wanted a tub and had no idea what was available and what we might want except some intelligent info. The dealers who recognized that got return visits.  We evolved from just wanting a decent tub to being a little smarter about our needs and wants. It still came down to wet testing and the comfort of doing the deal for the tub we liked. But it made it a lot easier for both us and the dealers to weed out the good, bad and indifferent. The dealers who recognized that had a chance at our business.  

[salesdvl]

I think I know WHO you're talking about ... where's that rotten plum tomato?

Shhhhhhhhhh.  

[salesdvl]

Paul,
The evolution for my store was this.  We carried a top 2 brand since 1984.  We always carried a secondary line with the thought that we would present the "Lexus" as the best, most energy effiecient...yada yada yada, but if someone wanted something other than white (oops) or couldn't afford it then we had another "plan B" brand.  What happened about 5 yrs ago is that our consumer started drifting away from the lexus when they realized that they could get a bigger spa with many more features for less money.
I, as a trainer, struggled to maintain the "Top Gun" type training we had from the "lexus" companyr and continue to pitch the better "Quality" but then came to realize that if we worked the program and explained why the smaller, less powered spa with less jets and no radio was a "better" spa many people got confused and walked.  

So I think it was that we started listening to what the customer wanted, not trying to sell them what we wanted to sell them.