We are only a month into 2024, and it’s already been a busy one for the hot tub industry. In addition to the usual flurry of dealer events during the winter, my inbox has been filled with news of retailers selling their businesses, people moving from one company to another, retirements and new products. There seems to be a lot of energy right now.
Though not the same type, energy is something we cover quite a bit in this issue. It’s not a topic I hear retailers talk about a lot; manufacturers do so much more frequently. But energy is something I think retailers would be wise to pay close attention to. Whether it’s understanding solar power, efficiency standards or rising energy costs, this will likely be a conversation we will be having more within the industry and with customers.
I don’t often talk about specific products in my welcome, but I’m going to this time because I think it’s an exciting move forward for our industry. Watkins Wellness, to my knowledge, is the first manufacturer to finally integrate water testing into its spas. No longer tied to test strips, customers can check the water balance on the control panel and be told how to fix it. Watkins may be the first, but I’m sure they won’t be the last as this is something customers have been asking for. And as we know, making water care easy helps overcome a major barrier to ownership for many people.
Also, don’t miss our first succession planning installment of the year. We will be starting our webinar series on transitioning business ownership in February. Join us to hear from experts and your peers on all the options available to dealers and how to work through the process.
And if you have never listened to The SpaRetailer Podcast, now is a great time to start. We’ve released several episodes talking about the history of the hot tub industry. It has been a fun trip down memory lane.
Best,
Megan Kendrick, publisher