Accessories increase the average sale
A hot tub on a barren concrete slab doesn’t paint a very enticing picture. But pair it with a hydraulic cover lift for ease of use, a table for convenience and a set of wide steps for more functionality and you’ve just created a scene that helps a customer envision the possibilities in their backyard.
When it comes to hot tub accessories, there’s an endless supply of covers, cover lifters, tables, towel warmers, steps, surrounds, pillows, exercise equipment, umbrellas, chemical kits, lighting ensembles and more to entice customers to spend extra on their initial purchase — given the right information from a knowledgeable sales associate. As sales have slowed, raising the average sales price of a hot tub with key accessories is more important than ever.
Let the customer do the talking
Andy Tournas, president of Hot Tub Products in North Branford, Connecticut, says staff who let customers “do more talking than the salesperson” can learn which add-on products might appeal to them.
“To guide [customers] more effectively, the sales staff needs to be more engaged in asking important questions,” says Tournas, a supplier of accessories sold to dealers nationwide. “Find out their reason for wanting a hot tub to know what features they’re looking for, and if they’ve had a hot tub in the past.”
Whether it boils down to necessity, aesthetics or function, these talking points provide an opportunity to upsell. Casey Flynn, store manager of Pool World in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, says the first question sales members should be asking is what a customer intends to get out of their hot tub. Not only does it lead them to the right model but it’s also an opportunity for an immediate upsell depending on the features they want.
Complete the vision
Questions about the vision for the surrounding space can help raise your average selling price.
Ryan Landwehr, owner of A&B Furniture and Outdoor Accessories in West Fork, Arkansas, says his customized products solve storage problems.
“When people get into the real usage pattern of their hot tub, they find, ‘Hey, where do I put my phone? Where do I put my drink? Where do I put my towel?’ Then, suddenly, it’s ‘I wish I had this. I wish I had that,’ ” Landwehr says. “We really serve the industry on that side. We’re trying to add a more complete offering to every backyard hot tub out there.”
A&B manufactures custom tables, steps and complete decking platform surrounds from high-density polyethylene or 100% resin-based recycled plastic, with a lumber like look. The material stands the test of time — and the elements — and comes in 12 colors.
Among the most popular add-ons, Landwehr says, is a wider set of steps that accommodate anyone from small children to older adults, giving more “landing space” to enter and exit the tub.
And once they’re in, they realize they need a place to put their personal items like cellphones, towels or drinks.
“You’ve got to have a place to put it that keeps it dry, that keeps it close,” Landwehr says.
Ultimately, Landwehr says homeowners are on the hunt for a “more fulfilled look” when it comes to the perfect spa oasis.
“We get a lot of feedback about real-world usage, and they always wish that the retail seller would have asked more about their design because they feel like this hot tub just sitting out in their backyard or next to their house looks relatively incomplete,” he says.
But not every accessory has to be extravagant.
Flynn says chemical kits and extra filters go a long way in creating additional sales and making maintenance easy.
“Our whole idea is just making it more convenient for people,” he says.
Practicality sells
When it comes to usefulness, Tournas says there’s always an opportunity to dress up the cover with a cover lifter — a product Hot Tub Products has improved with its ConvertALift automatic cover lift system.
“Nobody likes going out there and having to lift, remove the cover and replace it,” he says. “No matter how easy lifters make it, it’s still a chore.”
Flynn agrees the lifter is integral in making hot tubs more convenient, which ultimately means more usage.
“We try to package [hot tubs] with lifters, especially the kind with hydraulic shocks to make it easier to use,” Flynn says.
Optimize your showroom
To truly engage, customers need to see and experience the product, especially when it’s presented in a setting that mimics a real backyard.
“Customers are unaware,” Landwehr says. “They’re walking into your showroom for the experience and education. If we’re not showing it and they can’t touch and experience it, they never even know it exists, nor will they justify the cost.”
Enhancing your showroom may require a thorough review of the floor layout and a willingness to rearrange items. Landwehr suggests starting with the basics, like steps and tables, to make a hot tub setup appear more complete and appealing.
Additionally, your sales team might need to adjust how they interact with the products and customers to create an immersive showroom experience — something online shopping can’t replicate.
“Our biggest competitor is not the dealer down the street,” Tournas says. “It’s the online shopper. So focus on having more spas on the floor. Train your salespeople to climb into the spa when they’re talking to a customer, and then get out and encourage them to get in. Demonstrate the bells and whistles so they can see what they’re getting.”
Adjust your selling mindset
Landwehr stresses that slowed sales don’t mean customers are unwilling to spend. With fewer sales, it’s more important than ever to reclaim lost revenue by maximizing every hot tub sale.
“You can see customers sell down in their mind, justifying a lesser hot tub — but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the money for a $20,000 hot tub,” he explains. “It’s still discretionary. They still have the money. If they’re buying that middle-range hot tub, there’s no doubt that they’re willing to spend more [on add-ons] to make that hot tub a more complete experience.”
Don’t bail too soon
To increase the average selling price, it’s vital that retailers continue the sales conversation after the customer chooses a hot tub.
“We sometimes stop the conversation short because we don’t want to give anything else up and we’re afraid we’ve reached the top,” Landwehr says. “But as we’ve learned in sales training for years, customers will tell you when they have enough. They will literally shut down and say, ‘I think we’ve got everything we need.’ And until we get that closed signal, discussing more options to optimize their experience is the right path to a good sales close.”