Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: sputnik on October 13, 2004, 12:49:55 am
-
i ve been reading how people are good @ getting the dealers to go down on the price of spas .and still get extras how does one be so smooth enough to do that.
any help would be great. :)
sputnik
-
i ve been reading how people are good @ getting the dealers to go down on the price of spas .and still get extras how does one be so smooth enough to do that.
any help would be great. :)
Sputnik
Sputnik to answer your question have a look at this thread:
http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=wtb-hottub;action=display;num=1083041622
It is currently on page 11
Regards Zz
-
i ve been reading how people are good @ getting the dealers to go down on the price of spas .and still get extras how does one be so smooth enough to do that.
any help would be great. :)
sputnik
Here are a few tips (my opinion):
1. Get Educated - the best way to get a bad deal on something is to not know enough about what you are buying. This forum is a good place to learn a lot. There are other tub forums as well. In addition, go visit all of the manufacturer's web sites and troll through all of their literature.
2. See what other people are paying - Check online using search engines. For example, go to yahoo and/or google and search for "Hot Springs Grandee price". Search the forums here with the same search criteria.
3. Go to more than 1 dealer - I usually make my first visit to a dealer that I think that I am not going to buy from. (be it location or whatever) I then ask as many questions as possible and do a soft negotiation on pricing (i.e. "what's your best peice on this guy delivered") I then usually visit the dealer I picked as my primary and see what he has to say. Visiting a 3rd dealer doesn't hurt either. By this time, you will know any huge deviances in prices and can eliminate at least one of the 3. I then usually focus on dealer #2 and play the other dealers pricing off of him (more on this in a second)
4. Don't get in the ether - It's going to be fun and exciting imagining how great it is going to be in one of those tubs, but don't show it at the dealer. Act partially disinterested, yet let him know you are a serious buyer (and be one at this point - don't jerk them around for fun). Let him know you are definitely buying a tub it just depends on where you get the best tub for the best deal. You want to come off like you've been to 50 different hot tub places already and you know exactly what is going on. If you're not getting treated this way, you need to make it clear that you are an informed shopper.
5. Use your knowledge/pricing to work for you and against the dealer - Your goal here is to get a fair price.
Now that you know what other dealers are charging, you know what is in and out of the the ballpark. When negotiating with the dealer understand that the prices are all marked up in anticipation of the customer talking them down. When using other dealers pricing against the dealer, be vague and round to your favor. Example: "If I remember right Dealer #1 said he could sell me the Vista for $8000 delivered with a bunch of options, but I don't remember exactly." A lot of sales guys will go great price early if they know that are competing against a legitimate deal and they have a buyer that will act now. Ask for freebies before you commit to the deal. "Can you throw in the steps with it?" Once you agree to the deal, most sales people won't throw in extras because they know you'll pay for them at that point.
6. Be courteous and fair - Finally, even though I have been direct about some of these points, you have to be polite and reasonable in your dealings with the dealers. Also, in my examples I kept mentioning Dealer #1 and that I was never really intending to buy from them, but if in the end I felt that Dealer #1 had the best price, service, etc., I would definitely go with them without regard to my original intent. Sometimes the 1st guy will be the best, but you have to find that out by checking with more. Remember this is a big ticket purchase and you want the dealer you buy from to be around to support you to a high level. If Dealer #3 is $8000, but you feel in your heart that he would take care you better than Dealer#2 at $7500, then even though it is $500 more, it is a BETTER deal.
Just my 2 cents....
I'm a network engineer and have absolutely nothing to do with the spa business.
-
Well said NightOne - some of the best tips I've seen. It's all about being educated...
The only thing I would add is that after you've done your research and have a good handle of what a "fair" price is for the tub you want to buy - enter into the negotiation knowing your price. Be prepared with the price you are willing to pay and the accessories you want before entering what you would like to be the final negotiation.
Good Luck!
-
NightOne,
Very well said.
I would also add that you really want to have a list of questions ahead of time but the reality is your visits to the dealer will only add to your list. Don't hesitate to go back to each dealer more than once to ask more questions and to get a better idea of how each compares to the other.
Also, go over those warranties with a fine tooth comb. The salespeople will verbally state what the warranty is but in looking you may find some prorate the warranty so that after at some point its only partially covered, others have "lifetime" warranties that are really only good for 7 years, etc.
-
WHat they said above. But I would also add, keep a list of the questions and the answers that you got from all of the dealers and the models. Also include your personal thoughts about the Wet tests that you undertake. It's amazing how you forget your impressions about the tub.
So document everything and kkep notes is my added recommendation