Why People Buy a Certain Spa

[wmccall]

Do really want me to mention names, some might get offended.

I understand Gary's point.  I bought my tub soley on its hydrotherapy benefits, the lights and waterfall came with the model.    As for naming names, I will have to see if I still have the Coast spa picture with the waterfall at the front of the tub.  It was the dumbest looking thing I've seen on any kind of product ever.

[windsurfdog]

There is no way to do it politely, there just some spas built for sex appeal but as soon as you take their clothes off their boobs are hanging past their knees.


MS
CS
CP
SS

Yet another stab from a dealer on this board.  When will you learn to concentrate on your own products and leave the rest behind?  Pipe dream on my part...

[Zep]

re: Yet another stab from a dealer on this board.  When will you learn to
concentrate on your own products and leave the rest behind? Pipe dream
on my part...

LOL @ windsurfdog
Don't hold your breath buddy!

[Zep]

My "2Cents"....

People/consumers are motivated by all kinds of different reasons.

It's funny....some people just wanna "stay put".
They have the "keep it simple" or the "I don't want nothin
fancy that can go wrong" attitude. Good for them!

But as discussed before...some people thought electric power car
windows were "fluff" and just something else that could go wrong.
Now power windows and power locks are pretty standard on most
new cars. And OMG yes they may go out or beark every once in a
blue moon unlike the old manual crank windows but in my mind if
they go out every few years it's still well worth it.

There are alot of people that are interested and enjoy
bells & whistles.....for example they don't just buy a car to
"get somewhere". They like a fancy stereo, IPOD, heated seats,
moonroof/ect...A Toyota will get you there, but some like the Lexus
because it offers more options.

I entertain alot.....my hot tub is one "piece of the puzzle" I offer
my guests....and when they walk out into the yard and see
the hot tub water-fall and the LED lights....there is a certain
"wow factor" that makes the experience more enjoyable. I love
my waterfall....for me it adds to the moment and creates a more
relaxing experience. I have a fountain in my yard and I have
a wall fountain in my house....I love the sound of water!

But then you have people on this board that seem to think
everyone's life is exactly like theirs and for the life of them
they just can't understand why anyone would want the "bells
and whistles".....ya know..."it's just something else that can
go wrong"...."a waste of money"....blah blah blah.

And there are some that are in the spa business that hate the
"bells & whistles" because those are items that are more likely
to maybe break down and they view them as a nuisance. Of
course the window repair guy at car dealers probably didn't
like it when we switched to power windows...."heck boss now
I gotta repair electric windows that go bad under warranty".
Ya know the old "gosh if the customer would just leave me
alone I could get my job done"!....LOL

Now they are going to run for cover by saying...."oh there's nothing
wrong with bells & whistles" it's just that "Joe Public" is too impressed
by the fluff and not as interested in the fact that my brand of tub may
not need a repair for 9 years and his "fluff tub" may need a repair after
6 years. Alot of people say "WHO CARES?"!

Some people are not obsessed with "never needing to call a repair man".
It's a trade-off. Some people's sole motivation is not just "will it last longer?".

Some people will buy a product they like knowing it may mean more
maintainence, but there is something about the brand they particularly
like. It's not dumb.....it's not weird.....it's called I have different motivations
and needs than you do.

Sometimes beautiful women are "more trouble" but that doesn't mean I am
going to run try to find me an ugly one that is maybe easier to deal with and
another guy will never flirt with.

I own a Lexus...I know Toyota makes one of the most dependable vehicles
in the world, but I might next time choose an Cadillac Escalade because
I think it's better looking, has a certain ride, and offers some different options
even though I know in my heart the Escalade would probably not be as dependable
as the Lexus SUV.

I suppose in the end it always boils down to the "2EachHisOwn".
but there are always those that feel the need to imply
"2EachHisOwn-But your choice is stupid".

 

[Steve]

Hmm.  Some good points in this thread.  Ultimately, I agree that a quality spa is much more important than a glamorous one, but if you can get both... ?

I'm just a consumer, but one thing I've noticed is that many, many buyers (including myself when I started) are looking for a spa around the $4000 mark.  I know everyone in this forum has seen lots of newbies posting about spas that cost in that price range or stating up front that that is the most they can spend.  My question is, why don't more dealers try to cater to that instead of fighting it?

Thoughts/counterpoints?

First off, I agree 110% with Gary's observations. When we put 10 different spas side by side, there hasn't been much to differentiate them and consumers end up going with the least expensive, comparable spa because of it. The result is building a product that has visual differences that appeal to the consumer at the time of first viewing. These differences are often "fluff" that has no real value in a long term aspect for "most" consumers. The difficulty in this industry is that 99% of the "quality" (or cost that makes up a spa), can't been seen just by standing over it.

The problem with quality manufacturers making a less expensive spa is that most aren't willing to give up that quality to get into a certain price point. Yes, we can put in less jets and smaller HP motors but the overall quality and craftsmanship that goes into each spa is most often the same throughout the line when it comes to the overall construction and the materials used. This in turn, provides a challenge to the manufacturer. Do they lessen their overall quality or do they build a product that is going to last and not apologize for providing a quality spa that they are willing to stand behind?

There's items that we purchase that we are willing to give up some quality on but my personal belief is that when buying a spa, we want something that is going to provide us with comfort, energy efficiency, therapy, quality and a company willing to stand behind it. At -25, I want to know it's going to be just fine! We buy a spa to relax... not worry about it because we opted to save a few bucks.

$4000 or 5000 is still a LOT of money to spend on something that is sub par...

There will always be the “cheap” spa out there and consumers have access to these throughout the country. I don’t believe for a second that this price point represents the average spa purchase in any way or justifies the quality companies to follow suit. The reality is that the average purchase price here in Canada in 2006 was $7500- 10,000. It’s been that way for a few years now so the need to build cheap stuff is not essential by any means.

Steve

[Steve]

I suppose in the end it always boils down to the "2EachHisOwn".
but there are always those that feel the need to imply
"2EachHisOwn-But your choice is stupid".

You make some great points Zep!

The issue is not "is it worth it to YOU", but rather "does the avaregae consumer get lost in the fluff"?

You have to realize that many consumers first question is.. does it have LOTS of jets and big pumps and flashing lights and stuff?  

The concern is that these items often overshadow the real reasons we buy a spa. If you've done the research, wet tested and determined which is the best spa for YOU at the best value and THEN add on the glitz, then that's perfect! For YOU!

Steve

[Zep]

Yep Steve....I see and appreciate your point as well.

A YUGO with fancy flashy wheels is still a YUGO!

I agree consumers need to balance out all the
pros/cons, not just look at bells/whistles and
see what works best for them.

[Spatech_tuo]

Yet another stab from a dealer on this board.  When will you learn to concentrate on your own products and leave the rest behind?  Pipe dream on my part...

I think Gary might be an independent tech so I don't think he's looking to pump up a certain product or bring a certain product down. He's just giving his opinion and even masking it somewhat. I really think you need to let these things slide. No one is knocking the actual spa that is sitting in your backyard and if they aren't a fan of it's manufacturer why do you think they shouldn't be able to give that opinion, especially if it's based on service expereince? Not everyone is going to love your spa brand, no matter what brand it is!

[windsurfdog]

I think Gary might be an independent tech so I don't think he's looking to pump up a certain product or bring a certain product down. He's just giving his opinion and even masking it somewhat. I really think you need to let these things slide. No one is knocking the actual spa that is sitting in your backyard and if they aren't a fan of it's manufacturer why do you think they shouldn't be able to give that opinion, especially if it's based on service expereince? Not everyone is going to love your spa brand, no matter what brand it is!

And I think there is PLENTY of room on this board to make a point without, as Zep so adroitly said,

"I suppose in the end it always boils down to the "2EachHisOwn".
but there are always those that feel the need to imply
"2EachHisOwn-But your choice is stupid".

[Micah]

, I will have to see if I still have the Coast spa picture with the waterfall at the front of the tub.  It was the dumbest looking thing I've seen on any kind of product ever.

I was selling at the Del Mar fair about 5 years ago when coast had a booth there. (I was not selling for coast)  That spa with the vanishing edge was the spa that got the most attention.  It may not have been the top seller for them but it brought the customers over to the booth in droves.  What we consider dumb, they used to break the ice with many customers and then sold them the more conventional hot tubs.  What some see as "Dumb", others would call marketing genius

[tanstaafl2]

It would seem to me that if dealers/manufacturers (I am neither) want to emphasize the "value" of their product then perhaps they would want to try to display them that way.

Do any dealers here have a spa in the showroom with the panels off really showing what's "under the hood" and explaining why their spa is a better, and thus perhaps more expensive, spa than the big box competitor or the brands with the "lesser reputation"?

I bought from a long established dealer because that was important to me. I went out of my way to ask to see the "guts" of the product at a number of dealers. Some were willing to play along (and got points from me for doing so) and others were not as interested. But I didn't see a single dealer who made a deliberate selling point in their showroom of showing how well their spa was made "under the hood" in addition to the "bling" of the spa.

And that may be a reflection of the sophistication, or lack thereof, of the shopper.

Does any dealer here put any emphasis in there showroom on the quality inside their brand in addition to the features on the outside? Beyond saying that they sell a "high quality" spa of course.

All the dealers say they have a quality spa on the inside but I really had to work a bit to see it for myself when I was shopping. And I am far from mechanically sophisticated so I had to work hard in my research to have any idea at all about what I should really be looking for in the first place. And I certainly am still not an expert!

[Spatech_tuo]

I was selling at the Del Mar fair about 5 years ago when coast had a booth there. (I was not selling for coast)  That spa with the vanishing edge was the spa that got the most attention.  It may not have been the top seller for them but it brought the customers over to the booth in droves.  What we consider dumb, they used to break the ice with many customers and then sold them the more conventional hot tubs.  What some see as "Dumb", others would call marketing genius

Youre' right, I remember it and it did seem like a big white elephant but I can definitely see it catching people's eye and getting them in to look around. We all know you can't sell anything if you can't get the customer in the door (though you then need to give them a reason to stick around).

That somewhat reminds me of what a friend of mine told me about stereo spas. The dealer she was selling at had just gotten stereos in their spas (a few years after some of the other brands were selling them). We both think/thought steroes in spas wasn't a great value or very reliable but her point was "Its not that I plan to sell a lot of stereo spas, the key now is when someone calls/asks 'do you have stereo spas' I can at least say 'yes' and then they can learn in MY store whether they really want one and they can see what they truly are paying for because if I don't have one and I try to educate them it just looks like a bias coming from someone who has no stereo spas".

[hottubdan]

It would seem to me that if dealers/manufacturers (I am neither) want to emphasize the "value" of their product then perhaps they would want to try to display them that way.

Do any dealers here have a spa in the showroom with the panels off really showing what's "under the hood" and explaining why their spa is a better, and thus perhaps more expensive, spa than the big box competitor or the brands with the "lesser reputation"?

I bought from a long established dealer because that was important to me. I went out of my way to ask to see the "guts" of the product at a number of dealers. Some were willing to play along (and got points from me for doing so) and others were not as interested. But I didn't see a single dealer who made a deliberate selling point in their showroom of showing how well their spa was made "under the hood" in addition to the "bling" of the spa.

And that may be a reflection of the sophistication, or lack thereof, of the shopper.

Does any dealer here put any emphasis in there showroom on the quality inside their brand in addition to the features on the outside? Beyond saying that they sell a "high quality" spa of course.

All the dealers say they have a quality spa on the inside but I really had to work a bit to see it for myself when I was shopping. And I am far from mechanically sophisticated so I had to work hard in my research to have any idea at all about what I should really be looking for in the first place. And I certainly am still not an expert!

We have the equipment door off of one spa.  Hot Spring, Caldera, D1, and maybe others have a finished looking equipment bay.  I was surprised to find that with Jacuzzi and Sundance, a company with a good reputation, when you remove the door (many wood screws later) you are looking at equipment with the insulated shell right there.  Did not look finished to me.

Have they changed?  Do other brands have the finished look? :-?

[Tom]

Do any dealers here have a spa in the showroom with the panels off really showing what's "under the hood" and explaining why their spa is a better, and thus perhaps more expensive, spa than the big box competitor or the brands with the "lesser reputation"?

I'm not a dealer, but Arctic stresses "total access", the ease of "getting under the hood" in our products, and it's common to have one in a store or at a show with the doors off on all four sides.

[Steve]

Other than removing the door to the equipment area, how would you suggest a full foam spa retailer do this?