Wow, Hot Spring Highlife selling at Costco.

[hymbaw]

Repeat:

It is not a Hot Spring Spa.
You cannot get the same spa at Costco.com from a dealer.
You cannot get a Hot Spring Spa from Costco.com.

Most dealers are happy with the program.  After all, we drank the kool aid.

Moto-Massage
IQ2020 board
100% no-bypass filtration
Wavemaster pump
SilentFlo 5000 Circ pump
Same control panel
Same jets

This isn't like a Caldera or Tiger River which are different spas from the same manufacturer.

That my friends is a Hot Spring. Because it's a discontinued shell and they aren't sold by the dealer network doesn't make it anything less.

Hate to break it to you but that is a Hot Spring, and nothing but a Hot Spring.

[MarKee]

I'd be pissed if I was a HotSpring dealer.

[East_TX_Spa]

I'd be pissed if I was a HotSpring dealer.

Why?

Terminator

[Wisoki]

Not true, at least not from my end. We have Caldera spas along side the Jacuzzi product. Any customer interested in Caldera will be purchasing that spa on it's own merits, NOT based on the fact that it is made on the same assembly line as HS. The only time that comes up, is when a customer says it's between HS, and Caldera. At which point I inform them that Watkins manufacturing is the owner of both lines of hot tubs, however places a 30% longer warranty on the Caldera spa. I think Watkins offering this spa through Costo is a VERY bad idea. Regardless if the local dealer is performing the delivery and instalation at a rate of $700 paid to the dealer from Watkins. I'm guessing this whole thing will be short lived and viewed as a minor mishap. Like I said before, only time will bear this out.

EVERYONE that has sold Watkins spas has banked on the phrase "It's made on the same assembly line as a Hot Spring, by the same worker, doing the same task, so you can be comfortable in buying a

If it walks like a duck...  

[Wisoki]

OR, it will be the first step in eliminating the local dealerships. Since hot tubs are rapidly becoming appliance grade in reliability, they will no longer need the local dealer to take care of things. Sell all spas through Sears, Costco, Sams Club, Kmart, wall mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, etc...All you need is a few appliance repair technicians in place to perform warranty service...bye bye local dealer! Is that a good enough reason to be pissed Term?

[Guzz]

I'm pissed.

[salesdvl]

Not true, at least not from my end. We have Caldera spas along side the Jacuzzi product. Any customer interested in Caldera will be purchasing that spa on it's own merits, NOT based on the fact that it is made on the same assembly line as HS. The only time that comes up, is when a customer says it's between HS, and Caldera. At which point I inform them that Watkins manufacturing is the owner of both lines of hot tubs, however places a 30% longer warranty on the Caldera spa. I think Watkins offering this spa through Costo is a VERY bad idea. Regardless if the local dealer is performing the delivery and instalation at a rate of $700 paid to the dealer from Watkins. I'm guessing this whole thing will be short lived and viewed as a minor mishap. Like I said before, only time will bear this out.

I wasn't refering to Caldera in my response.  It does stand alone better than TR or Hot Spot.  However, unless things have changed, I didnt think the Caldera came down the same assemble line.  The last time I was there, Caldera had it's own little corner for plumbing after the shells come back from Mexico.  Whereas, TR does actually travel down the semi automated assemble line.

I do agree though, that it shouldnt be a big deal unless they see some glimmer of response then maybe they'll bring back the ever popular "Summit" .  Maybe they will offer that one only in copper w/ espresso cabinet.  
(Or maybe they will just be Dunn.    )

[Guzz]

I wasn't refering to Caldera in my response.  It does stand alone better than TR or Hot Spot.  However, unless things have changed, I didnt think the Caldera came down the same assemble line.  The last time I was there, Caldera had it's own little corner for plumbing after the shells come back from Mexico.  Whereas, TR does actually travel down the semi automated assemble line.

I do agree though, that it shouldnt be a big deal unless they see some glimmer of response then maybe they'll bring back the ever popular "Summit" .  Maybe they will offer that one only in copper w/ espresso cabinet.  
(Or maybe they will just be Dunn.    )

[East_TX_Spa]

Is that a good enough reason to be pissed Term?

I'm not TO'd (not that it'd matter anyway as I'm just a salesman), but it doesn't upset the owner of our company at all.  He's actually very excited about it.

There is a much bigger plan in the works here.  I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that several big name spa companies are very much in danger of disappearing from the industry within the next 2 or 3 years.  When I read about some of our competitors raising prices $1500-2000 from one model year to the next, that's not a good sign.

The constant turnover of brands at the local dealerships here in East Texas is astonishing.  Just in the last 6 years, there have been 34 brand changes between my 5 competitors locally.  That's not a good sign.

I've heard reports of competing spa companies switching over to cheaper forms of insulation because they can't afford the closed cell foam.  That's not a good sign.

Like it or not, the economy is global and electronic.  The industry leaders are taking steps to insure their continued dominance in the market.  If the Costco situation gets you stirred up, wait until you see what's coming.

Terminator

[Zep]

re: they will no longer need the local dealer to take care of things. Sell all spas through Sears, Costco, Sams Club, Kmart, wall mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, etc

I was at a brand new super walmart center yesterday and they had a whole tub section in their garden department.

They had the typical looking low end couple of tubs but to my surprise they had some really nice looking tubs as well.

I was going to stop and talk to the sales rep to get more information but he was busy writing up orders.

[shabba34]

Not true, at least not from my end. We have Caldera spas along side the Jacuzzi product. Any customer interested in Caldera will be purchasing that spa on it's own merits, NOT based on the fact that it is made on the same assembly line as HS. The only time that comes up, is when a customer says it's between HS, and Caldera. At which point I inform them that Watkins manufacturing is the owner of both lines of hot tubs, however places a 30% longer warranty on the Caldera spa.

Caldera does not walk down the same assembly line.  Actually, for all intensive puposes it is built in a seperate 100,000 etsimated sq ft facility as opposed to HS nearly 500,000 estimated sq ft.  30% longer warranty??  The 10 year structure vs. 7 on the HS?  What about HS having a 5 year cabinet as opposed to 3 on the Caldera.  The warranty on both spas is virtually identical, word for word.  

[hymbaw]

Being that I am the competition.......If I followed up with a customer and found out that they put a deposit on a lovely new HS Sovereign for $7000, I'd be inclined to tell them to check out Costco where they could get essentially the same tub for $5700. The local dealer has a very good chance of loosing the deal to Costco or looking like they are gouging( In which case, I'd be happy to find them a tub )

[shabba34]

Being that I am the competition.......If I followed up with a customer and found out that they put a deposit on a lovely new HS Sovereign for $7000, I'd be inclined to tell them to check out Costco where they could get essentially the same tub for $5700. The local dealer has a very good chance of loosing the deal to Costco or looking like they are gouging( In which case, I'd be happy to find them a tub )

Smaller pump, no waterfall, no color options on shell or ext, standard blue led vs. multi colore led lights, no 220 sub-panel, no ozone system, no stainless steel jet fittings, cheeper cover lifter, 1 year equipment warranty vs. 5, but essentially the same spa.

[hymbaw]

That's why I said "essentially"   But the seed of doubt has been planted and you may not get their ear to explain all the differences.  

If they opted for the Highlife I'd be happy to sell them an ozonator

Oh, and I don't think the Wellspring qualifies as a waterfall

[shabba34]

Oh, and I don't think the Wellspring qualifies as a waterfall

Neither do I.