Buying a spa online or at a big box store is a gamble. Once it is delivered, customers may find out the hard way that it’s too big, too small, uncomfortable or just hideous. The Goldilocks effect isn’t fun, and it’s not often everyone in the family agrees “This is just right!”
Do you give your customers a “try before you buy” experience? Having a broad selection plus knowledgeable sales and service people gives you an edge and customers a better chance to buy the product that is right for them. Although having a filled spa or swim spa adds humidity to the air, additional maintenance tasks for staff and the need for a dressing room nearby, statistics have shown almost 80% of the customers who try will buy.
With the introduction of cold plunge tubs, there’s a great new reason to have a “wet” area for a hot tub, swim spa and cold plunge.
Restroom changing area
If you’re using your restroom as a changing area, make sure there are sturdy hooks on the wall for clothing as well as a chair for customers to place items.
Dressing room
If your layout requires a dressing room, it doesn’t need to be large but should be spacious enough for someone to be able to bend down without their head and rear hitting walls. It should include a door that locks, sturdy hooks on the walls for clothing, a bench for a handbag or folded clothes, a clean waterproof floor, extra towels and a full-length mirror.
Consider using luxury items like heated towel racks to not only improve the experience but also prompt add-on sales.
Wet Test Area
Maintenance and privacy are vital in a wet test area. To create a sense of privacy, you can add real or fake plants or screens that work with your store’s décor to visually block off the view from the rest of the store. Consider bamboo, which is leafy from top to bottom.
Another caveat when buying fake plants is they often have wired limbs or leaves. Evergreens are always wired and usually tightly compressed into cardboard boxes for easy shipping and need fluffing to look natural. I’ve seen them at stores unfluffed because the staff either didn’t know better or didn’t spend the time — and they are truly pathetic-looking.
- FEJKA Artificial Potted Plant, Indoor/Outdoor Bamboo, IKEA: $70
- Nearly Natural 52-inch Large Leaf Philodendron Silk Plant, Amazon: $116
- Nearly Natural Golden Cane Palm Silk Tree, 6’5”, Amazon: $90
- Autograph Foliages has great fakes at autofol.com.
Whatever greenery you choose, have each plant in a matching planter or pot. One style, color, material and size of the pot will be more appealing and keep people’s eyes on the trees, not on their holders.
If you prefer to create a visual separation with screens, search for decorative screen panels. Ideally, you will want to be able to move the panels easily as they only need to block the view when someone is in one of the tubs or spas. Silicone glides can be attached to the bottoms of panels to help them smoothly move across most types of flooring.
Creating a combination area with a warm tub, cold tub and swim spa can be challenging décor-wise. Painting the walls a different color from the rest of the showroom can help differentiate the space, and murals of outdoor scenes can also transform it, creating a relaxing environment while customers soak.
Developing a wet test area is also good for your social media. Let people know you have this option and encourage them to bring their bathing suits when they visit your store.
You may offer to take photos of people in their new spa or during a cold plunge. If you want to do this for your customers, make sure your store name is visible in the photo.
Yes, this project requires extra work, money and time, but sales prove that allowing customers to try before they buy works.