Hot Tub & Swim Spa Scene SECOND HAND HOT TUBS
a bit of wear and tear, they may be more inclined to trade in and upgrade rather than patch it up. A few years after that, they’ll trade- in and upgrade again, facilitating natural repeat custom if a dealer is savvy about customer relationships. Whilst some hot tub dealers experience great benefits from offering trade-ins, others don’t see this option as being so positive. Jamie Giles, owner of The Hot Tub Man, believes upgrade sales happen naturally, and that the enticement of a trade-in offer makes little difference. “If you’ve got to change the pump or the control unit, if the tub needs a new lid or it’s leaking, you’re talking about customers spending a lot of money on repairs,” he says. “Most will say, ‘Let’s not bother, let’s just get a new one’,” says
Jamie. “It’s like buying or repairing a car: if your car is only worth £1,000 and you’ve got to have £800 of repairs done to it, you’re probably not going to bother repairing it.”
WET TESTS
When Giles has the tubs in his store, they aren’t there on a ‘look, don’t touch’ basis. On the contrary, he encourages customers to get comfortable and make sure they know exactly what they’re buying: “I put them in my shop so people can press the buttons, touch it with their hands, test it out if they want to. Jamie adds: “You need to talk them through it, let them see how it works. That’s the best way to sell.”
Much like cars, once you’ve traded in a customer’s hot tub, you’ve got to sell it on. And again, like cars, some models are more likely to sell than others. Big brand names like Jacuzzi are, of course, a lot easier to shift than the less prestigious ones. Yet in Jamie’s 20 years of industry experience, he’s found that different types sell better in different parts of the country.
“Which hot tub models sell best varies hugely,” he says. “Here in Southampton is where Spaform used to have a base, so we get loads of old Spaform hot tubs. “We’re not too far away from the Catalina Spas showroom in
Salisbury either, so we get a fair few of those. It all depends on where you are and what tubs are sold there originally, because often those will be the ones being traded in.”
No matter what make or model the trade-in tubs may be, though, they’ll all have one thing in common: they’ve been used. When an item is sold second hand, customers and dealers alike might find it risky to estimate how much life it has left in it. So how should you go about offering warranty on a pre-loved item, and what do customers expect?
PEACE OF MIND
“Offering a warranty is vital, because otherwise you’re just selling a second hand spa with no guarantees,” says Smith. “With us, they’ll get a year’s parts and labour warranty, delivered, and all the extras included. That’s the part that people really value.” Providing a warrant offers customers peace of mind and reassures them about making their purchase.
Chris Bell, managing director of Hot Tubs Northwest, agrees that providing customers with a warranty is good for business. But over the years that he’s worked in the industry, he has seen too many throw caution to the wind and buy their tubs from dealers that offer absolutely no warranty.
“I offer a generous warranty on second hand hot tubs, but in this market, many people will buy privately on eBay or similar sites,” he explains. “They take a punt and buy from a seller who doesn’t offer any form of warranty. Sometimes this results in success, but sometimes not!”
Selling second hand, pre-loved hot tubs is all about building the trust of the customer. The inherent human fear of the unknown always makes buying a second hand item tricky – but the power of a good bargain can definitely outweigh this.
Offering a warranty of any kind, and encouraging customers to see the product in person before they purchase, builds confidence that will help even the most sceptical person take the plunge.
18 Hot Tub & Swim Spa Scene SECOND HAND HOT TUBS ABOVE: Jamie Giles encourages customers into his showroom to make sure
they know exactly what they’re buying.
ABOVE: Like cars, some hot tub models are more likely to hold their second- hand value than others. Pic. Aquasun
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