Retail Swimming Pool Stores 101
Everyone
seems to have widely differing opinions on retail pool stores. Either you love
them, hate them or you fall somewhere in between. With the advent of online
internet pool stores, the retail pool store was supposed to go away a few years ago.
But that is not the case and they have even become stronger I think because of
the internet.
One
reason retail pool stores have gained traction over the online stores is that
the big and small manufacturers want them to stay in business. So, they tailor
specific products that can only be purchased at a retail pool store. Jandy has
effectively “left the internet” as they put and only make their products
available at your local retail pool store or from your pool service provider. Dolphin,
Water Tech, Pentair, Hayward to name a few also make retail pool store only
products.
One
of the benefits of buying a product from a retail pool, the store is the warranty on
the product. Some manufacturers will offer a bonus year and even 3-4 years of a
warranty on a product that you have purchased from a retail pool store. Many manufacturers
limit online warranties to just 30 days or no warranty period whatsoever. Legal
or not, they are punishing you for shopping online. So why are these big manufacturers so keen on
supporting the local brick and mortar pool stores?
I I think the answer is simple. Retail pool stores will advertise a product for a
manufacturer in their print ads and online ads and they also need to stock the
item. If you sold a product wouldn’t you want someone to order 1,000 units at a
wholesale price from you versus you stocking the product and then buying 10
each week to ship out via their online storefront. Yes, some large online pool stores do stock
products but not to the extent that the retail pool store needs to. So, the
manufacturers really need the retail pool stores to thrive so that their
product gets in as many hands as possible.
So
why do so many people tend to hate retail pool stores? I think the answer is
that many will upsell products that are not needed or even wanted by the
customer. You are entering a retail store like Best Buy or Kohl’s so the
employees want to sell you stuff. If you walk in uneducated and looking like a
lamb for the slaughter, you can easily be taken. I suggest doing your research
before walking into a retail pool store. Research what the potential problem is
or the product you want to purchase. Read up on it online first and then walk
in educated and ready to purchase what you need. This is what I do when I am
looking for something new to purchase at Best Buy. If I am looking at a new drone
I will research it to death before I lay the cash down on the counter. You
should be doing the same before you walk into a pool store.
There
are many good people who own pool stores and really want to help you. They live
in your neighborhood and even use the services you provide to them from your business.
I really like the Mom & Pop pool stores and you will find the owner to be
very knowledgeable about all the pool products and services they offer. I think
there is no way to say pool stores are bad and give a blanket rating to all the
retail pool stores out there. Like anything, there are good and bad owners and
good and bad employees.
If
you walk out of a pool store with $400 worth of chemicals, is it their fault
for selling them to you? I don’t think so. You were ignorant of what you
actually needed, and you left your self-open to be upsold a bunch of stuff you
didn’t need. Should they have a good moral compass and only sell you what you
need? Yes, but that comes with the premise that there are good owners and bad
owners and good employees and bad employees. It is up to you to do the research
and purchase what you need.
The bottom line is this. Retail pool stores serve a great purpose of having products,
chemicals, and parts right on the spot for you. You pay more for having the convenience
of walking in and then walking out with the product you need. The manufacturers
need them too and will give customers the incentives of great warranties,
rebates on products and specific pool store only products. This is actually a
good thing and something that will benefit you as a retail pool store shopper.
Good
or bad retail pool stores are here to stay and in my opinion, they are a vital
part of the pool and spa industry.
Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/
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