Never has the phrase “you get what you pay for” ever been more true than buying cheap hot tubs on the internet. In today’s market, the internet is being used more and more as a research tool for buying high-end products that used to be purchased and researched locally. When a consumer goes out to the web to look for cheap hot tubs, they are bombarded by sites offering “quality” hot tub spas for under $3,000. We thought it might be valuable to discuss some of the things that can be forfeited when buying a cheap hot tub. Consumers must remember that the other old saying “there is no such thing as a free lunch” still applies. It’s not like the internet is a magical place where products have no cost. Something must be sacrificed to lower the price. Most of the spas on the web are using Chinese-built components…some sites even offer complete spas built in China. They aren’t required to advertise this by law. The power and wiring on the cheap hot tubs haven’t been approved by UL testing facilities. At Recreation Wholesale, we are not willing to hope it was done correctly as our customers sit in water connected to 220V power!!!
The second-place cheap hot tubs get cheap is delivery and service. The cheap hot tubs on the web show up in a freight truck on your driveway…it’s your job to get the 1,500 lb beast in the back yard where it belongs without damaging it (voiding your warranty). If something goes wrong with the spa, the cheap hot tubs company doesn’t have to worry about it. It’s not like you can go to the shop and speak to anyone!
The last place cheap hot tubs lower cost is ongoing support and warranty. We get approximately 50-100 calls per year asking us to come out and service cheap hot tubs that were purchased online and the company is no longer in business. It’s impossible for us to get parts so we have to decline. One cheap hot tub company is currently selling the 8th brand of the same tub! They just go bankrupt or close the brand every 2 or 3 years so they dodge the warranty liability. You won’t have to look online long to figure out which one this is! Make sure that you look to the BBB for a long history of customer service. Another site that is helpful is ripoff report.com. Come into our local shop anytime and we’ll explain why we are worth a few more of your hard-earned dollars! We have quality spas starting at $1,500 with local support.