The SpaRetailer Podcast

Truex as his “hot tub salesman” alter-ego. This episode’s guest is NASCAR racer Ryan Truex. Truex drives the #40 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports, emblazoned with Marquis logos. As a Marquis brand ambassador, Truex has done lots of fun promotions and collaborations, unlike what is typically seen in the hot tub industry. He also hosts his own podcast from his Marquis hot tub, with guests joining him in the water. Truex says his Marquis spa is an integral part of his post-race recovery. This episode is sponsored by Marquis. Marquis’ Vector21 hot tubs feature Vector Optimized Laminar Therapy (V-O-L-T) which delivers up to 40% more flow volume, specifically engineered to achieve laminar flow. Variable Velocity Valves (V3) throttles 0 to 100 percent of the available water flow between multiple seats or to only one seat. Conal Jetpods are softer on the skin’s surface. Directional Jetpods offer more targeted sensation into the muscle mass. Orbital Jetpods rotate dynamically to create a kneading sensation. Specialized Massage Seat configurations include: Deep-Tissue, Relaxation, Shiatsu or Swedish Massage. Whitewater-4 jet is high-flow therapy innovation, located in the footwell to enhance the benefits of leg and foot massage. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

In addition to the supply and demand stress that everyone in the industry has felt, BioLab had the added challenge of a factory fire. Hurricane Laura caused a fire that destroyed its plant that manufactures trichlor, one of the main forms of chlorine used in the swimming pool (and sometimes spa) industry. Alicia Stephens and Andrea Chaney from BioLab are on the podcast to help explain what happened and why, besides the fire, you’re experiences chemical shortages and delays. They also give an overview of the different types of chlorine used in the hot tub and pool https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/ industries.

No matter how good or bad you were at marketing and promoting your pool and spa business in 2020, most of the dealers and manufacturers listening to this podcast had a significant increase in sales in 2020 and are forecasting a good 2021. In today’s podcast we talk about the pandemic, but it’s in the context of why some dealers were more prepared and faster to adapt to the changing retail landscape and do so more efficiently and with less stress. Hear Dave on The Spa Pool Marketing Success podcast. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Ted Lawrence, the corporate category retail manager at Poolcorp, brings a global perspective to hot tub and swimming pool retail and supply chain. We talk about setting up buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) and how it’s not as hard as it sounds, as well as other marketing, merchandising and retail trends you should be up on. Don’t miss Ted’s last episode here. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/ Ted Lawrence and the face of a woman who forgot to hit record.

Spa panels being made at Confer Manufacturing If you’ve learned more about the global supply chain in the last year than ever before, you’re not alone. Today we’re talking to Bob Confer from Confer Plastics in North Tonawanda, New York. Confer supplies the hot tub industry with a variety of blow-molded plastics products like steps and hot tub siding. In addition to sharing more about his company and how it got started, Confer talks us through the plastics manufacturing process and why the February freeze in Texas was so devastating to plastic production. This will cause yet one more stress on hot tub manufacturing as OEMs have a hard time getting products from Bob and other plastic goods suppliers like PVC pipes. You can read more about this in SpaRetailer here. If you have a subscription to The Wall Street Journal, you can read the entire article referenced in this episode here. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

We’re talking about expansion again. Obviously, it’s a weird and interesting time to think about adding a new location. On the one hand, there are some amazing commercial real estate opportunities out there, on the other, how are you going to get enough product to fill a new space? Brian Quint from Aqua Quip in Seattle joins us again to talk about expanding during this strange time. Aqua Quip moved a location and opened an entire new store in the last year and he’s sharing how they made that happen. There are so many good tips in this one about how to investigate a new market, find and choose a location. Read the article we originally interviewed Brian for on this topic here. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Have you ever gotten so frustrated with your business that you threatened to “burn it down?” Earl and Josh Michels from Backyard Leisure don’t recommend it. When a fire destroyed their flagship location in 2018, the father/son duo used what could have been a tragedy to move their business forward. Hear how they overcame the fire, opened a new location during the pandemic and their plan to be the Bass Pro Shop of hot tubs. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Ted Lawrence, the corporate category retail manager at Poolcorp, brings a global perspective to hot tub and swimming pool retail and supply chain. Lawrence talks about the successful changes he saw retailers make during the pandemic, the larger trends in retail the industry needs to prepare for and how supply/demand will impact 2021. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Andy Tournas, founder of ThermoSpas, Hot Tub Products and the International Hot Tub Association, joins us on the podcast today to talk about all three. Andy reflects on his time in the industry, and shares some of the new products and services Hot Tub Products is bringing to the industry. Check out other stories in SpaRetailer about Hot Tub Products: Lifting the Burden Hot Tub Products Launches New Marketing Campaign https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/

Ben Poggemiller from Urban Life Pools & Hot Tubs joins us again to share what’s changed in his business since we spoke at the beginning of the pandemic. He talks about how they’re handling ordering, selling and customer follow up now that hot tubs are sold out. Listen to our first episode with Poggemiller here. Join Poggemiller’s Mastermind Facebook group. https://sparetailer.com/feed/podcast/ Let us know what you think about this episode and others by emailing [email protected]. You can also leave us a voicemail at 405-992-0160 and we’ll listen to your question on the air.