Original > Hot Tub Forum
I hate hot tub shopping.
ejj:
"I find myself with cognitive dissonance in terms of this.
There will always be some form of bias and people are in this business to make money. He is a private citizen doing what he feels is the best. He has a business model and he utilizing his experience, skills, and capitalizing on a deficiency in the market. And he seems to be doing quite well. He has positioned himself as an expert and lays out his credentials. All of this is fair and seemingly above board."
It is tricky since there is no Consumer Reports for tubs. The best advice seems to be "Buy the Seller,"
Hot Tub University claims to make money purely on their buyer's service, but it also seems that they do affiliate deals. And when they recommend a certain brand--say PDC, you wonder if PDC is compensating him in some manner. He liked Marquis for a while--did they quit paying him? Cynical ideas I know.
Some brands trumpet that their parts are available everywhere--others trumpet the opposite--that their "proprietary" parts and system are designed in harmony (har-money?) with each other. I realize I am looking at a pretty bare-bones industry standard tub, but I like to learn about my big purchases. Don't get me started on full-foam, foam over, which foam, etc...
castletonia:
--- Quote from: cranbiz on February 23, 2021, 03:41:45 pm ---One method of determining if a dealer is good is to call their service department and make up a service call for a tub that doesn't have a dealer nearby. See if they are willing to answer questions or give advance troubleshooting tips. See if there is any issue with getting a service appointment. You don't actually have to set one up but you want to see if they will, whats the lead time between call and potential service date.
If the service department balks at coming out to service something like a Dr Wellness X2, ask why? Is it because they won't work on it, is it because they may not be able to get prospective parts, is it simply because they only will do their brands. That may actually be a big deal. Why, you ask? Because what if they change a line of tubs. Now they don't sell them and could possibly, not service them.
--- End quote ---
I would disagree with this line of thinking. I am a Hot Spring / Caldera dealer and for 2019 was also a Marquis dealer. We only service Hot Spring / Caldera and the Marquis' we sold. Doesn't make my service department inferior, it just means we take care of our customers. I also do not have parts accounts with anyone else that would allow me to get parts for other brands. I will give advice if I can over the phone and I will direct those with other hot tubs to my competitors who might be able to service them.
A reputable dealer will take care of their customer after the sale even if they no longer represent the brand.
cranbiz:
--- Quote from: castletonia on February 24, 2021, 12:56:01 pm ---
--- Quote from: cranbiz on February 23, 2021, 03:41:45 pm ---One method of determining if a dealer is good is to call their service department and make up a service call for a tub that doesn't have a dealer nearby. See if they are willing to answer questions or give advance troubleshooting tips. See if there is any issue with getting a service appointment. You don't actually have to set one up but you want to see if they will, whats the lead time between call and potential service date.
If the service department balks at coming out to service something like a Dr Wellness X2, ask why? Is it because they won't work on it, is it because they may not be able to get prospective parts, is it simply because they only will do their brands. That may actually be a big deal. Why, you ask? Because what if they change a line of tubs. Now they don't sell them and could possibly, not service them.
--- End quote ---
I would disagree with this line of thinking. I am a Hot Spring / Caldera dealer and for 2019 was also a Marquis dealer. We only service Hot Spring / Caldera and the Marquis' we sold. Doesn't make my service department inferior, it just means we take care of our customers. I also do not have parts accounts with anyone else that would allow me to get parts for other brands. I will give advice if I can over the phone and I will direct those with other hot tubs to my competitors who might be able to service them.
A reputable dealer will take care of their customer after the sale even if they no longer represent the brand.
--- End quote ---
And your honest answers would be a huge plus in my decision. A dealer that would offer simple troubleshooting tips over the phone and gives me an honest reply as to why you don't service brands other than what you sell and then would refer me to someone that can service it gets higher marks than one that won't do that.
Having been in the computer service business for over 20 years (now in a different line of work in the computer field), I also couldn't always get parts for certain manufacturers. I would do exactly the same thing, refer them to a competitor that I knew could service their item. Therefore, you are the type of dealer that I want to work with.
Unfortunately, there are dealers that don't have your philosophy and that's where the problem is.
ejj:
Lol the problem is that we can’t all buy a tub from Castletonia!
Went to HS dealer last night and looked at the Rhythm. Nice looking tub. But $9300 puts it at the top of the range when shopping that category.
Maybe check out the Marquis dealer this weekend.
Sam:
--- Quote from: Spatech_tuo on February 23, 2021, 11:51:00 am ---1) The distaste for the Master Roadshow is both for the way they sell/pull up stakes after the show and that the Manufacturer does not have a great reputation for Quality and backing of their product (plus in this case its double troubling since the Manufacturer runs the road show).
--- End quote ---
What's really messed up is that it is not the manufacturer actually doing this. It's master pool and spa out of MN. Yet, they tell people at the shows that they are indeed the factory and then show the bbb page and "consumer affairs" reviews (bought and paid for) as their credentials. However, when someone who got shafted by the show makes a complaint about the factory, their response is that they purchased from an independent dealer and that is who they should take up their problem with. They want it both ways. As a manufacturer, they know that this stuff is happening, however they make so much money from these shows that they turn a blind eye.
Look up the reviews/complaints of "master pool and spa" and bbb of "master spas" the manufacturer.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/master-pool-and-spa-minneapolis
https://www.bbb.org/us/mn/saint-louis-park/profile/hot-tub-dealers/master-pool-spa-corp-0704-96001920
29 complaints closed in last 3 years. That's insane for a dealer.
The road show sales guys show the following bbb profile and say that they are indeed the factory.https://www.bbb.org/us/in/fort-wayne/profile/hot-tub-manufacturing/master-spas-0352-10011179
Here's a really good blog post that I found about them:
https://coloradocustomspas.com/2017/05/pool-spa-bbq-expo-legit-hot-tub-sale-scam/
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