www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
Editor’sLetter FEB 2012 SPN
5553
spn incorporating Pool & Spa Industry is the official trade magazine for the UK wet leisure markets and is the only trade publication that invests in the industry it serves.
POOLS | SPAS | HOT TUBS | SAUNAS | CHEMICALS | ACCESSORIES & MORE
WWW.SWIMMINGPOOLNEWS.CO.UK
Swimming Pool News incorporating
Pool & Spa Industry is the onlyofficial trade magazine of
letter
Editor and Co Publisher: Alan Lewis T: +44 (0)1823 431767
E:
alan.lewis@gopublishing.co.uk
Feature Writer: Karen Witney T: +44 (0)1865 422089
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Co Publisher and Sales: Tony Weston T: +44 (0)1474 813433
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t started as a casual chat during a coffee break at a hot tub dealer’s conference. A dealer was telling colleagues that in the early autumn he’d ‘lost’ at least three sales and £20,000 worth of business to cheap internet purchases.
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Printed in the UK by The Manson Group Ltd
Go Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in Swimming Pool News. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable and reputable, Swimming Pool News can give no assurance they will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. The views expressed in the articles in Swimming Pool News are the contributors’ own. All rights reserved. Copyright for all materials published in spn remains with the publishers. Material contained in this publication is not to be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior permission of Go Publishing Ltd.
They were products the dealer knew were rubbish, where it was almost certain the warranty wouldn’t be honoured – but the clients had been tempted by the price and by the company’s glitzy, respectable looking website. They had listened to his pitch about the quality, warranties and service he could offer but went for the internet option anyway. Just before Christmas one of the customers came back to the dealer. He couldn’t trace the person he’d bought the tub from which wasn’t working and this was the point of the conversation, he then proceeded to damn the whole hot tub industry as crooks. There’s two points to the story.
The first is that it is one small example of how the internet is good news and bad news for the specialist trade.
What is clear is that people will start to look online as the first move towards buying not only a hot tub but pools, pool chemicals and
•Why SPATEX 2012 is a must attend event
•A record number of new products on show
Boom time for water wellness | Magical and futuristic pool cleaners | Project showcase Las Vegas show report |Water treatment - it’s time to get it right | 17 pages of news
WATER TESTING KITS Which products to use and why
POOL ENCLOSURES Who cares about the summer?
HOT TUBS
New gadgets – a key trend for 2012
accessories. It is where people start looking. And that’s where it becomes a lottery. In last month’s Swimming Pool News, John Scott who next month takes over as President of the BSPF, won lots of industry praise by condemning companies that corrupt the name of the industry where with a small investment and some creative design, an impressive and influential website is ready to seduce customers. Difficult as it may be, the presence of rogue traders is not going to go away.
The solution to what the reputable trade can do about this isn’t easy. But it puts pressure on the legitimate pool and spa industry to do everything to take control of the message to the buying public that there are great, reliable products in the market from experienced, trustworthy companies with the highest service levels.
The second point about the conversation is one to do with people meeting together, talking, discussing, sharing problems and opportunities and communicating.
This in itself seems a good enough reason to warrant a trip to SPATEX in February where for the only time of the year the industry gathers under one roof.
The trade event of course offers a lot more than just networking and there’s been real efforts to ratchet up the three day show and make it more essential to visitors.
Rogue traders aren’t the only problem. The Part L building regulations which focus on reduced energy consumption and its far reaching effects will have a real impact this year; low maintenance costs and energy savings are a priority for every pool owner; the trade needs to sell more, sell earlier and make the most of the high tech innovations and quality new products on show. In 2012 there are some pretty substantial issues around worth discussing.
Alan Lewis – Editor
Go Publishing also publishes: What Pool & Hot Tub magazine – our sister publication – is the only consumer magazine in the UK that provides the complete and crucial information that potential buyers are looking for! For more information visit the What Pool & Hot Tub website at
www.whatpoolandhottubmag.co.uk
FEBRUARY 2012
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