Big Box Stores Are Not For Hot Tubs

When you’re in the market for a hot tub, you’ve got to look deeper than price. Buying from a company that can give you long term service and support is absolutely essential.

So…you’re strolling through the aisles of your favorite big box store, getting ready to buy your year’s supply of toilet paper—and lo and behold! Here’s a hot tub! Hmmm…it looks right: a box that will hold water, has jets. Hey…there are even some fancy jet fittings, a cool waterfall, and some neat lights. The price is reasonable. Okay—I’ll buy it.

Wait a minute. You can’t go through the same process to buy your hot tub that you use to buy the 100 lb bag of dog food! Looks and price do not make a good hot tub—or hot tub company—make. Let’s assume you buy this hot tub—now what?

How do I get it to my backyard? The big box store provides delivery—to the curb. How many unwieldy boxes that are upwards of 1,000 lbs have you maneuvered into the backyard from your driveway?? Chances are, none. Good luck getting the friends and neighbors over to help. Sometimes there just isn’t enough pizza in the world to enlist assistance—and we’re betting they’ve not moved any hot tubs before, either.

I need help with electrical. Okay…I’ll just call the place I bought my…oh, wait. They’re a store interested in turning and burning inventory. They don’t know anything about how to wire a hot tub, or which electricians would do it for the right price. What? I need a sub panel?? That’s going to cost an extra $300-$500 right off the bat…wasn’t expecting that. (FYI—sub panels are included on 220V hot tubs sold by Oregon Hot Tub.)Finally!

It’s wired and full of water. What do I do now? Just get in and enjoy? No. You need hot tub chemicals, and need a lesson on how to take care of the water. The big box store doesn’t know a thing about that, and no chemicals came with the tub. Now I have to find a hot tub store anyway, and spend a couple hundred dollars on products to get the tub up and running. (Oregon Hot Tub provides water care products with each hot tub we deliver.)

Uh-oh. Now the tub’s not working. Who do I call to fix it? Not the big box store—they don’t service hot tubs. No one’s answering the 800 number for service that is on the owners’ manual for the tub. What?? They’re out of business?? So…no warranty coverage??

Does any of this sound relaxing? Of course not! Yet, people choose to purchase tubs from these stores because it’s a “good deal”. And, every month we hear horror stories from customers who made the mistake of purchasing a hot tub this way. They’re full of regret, not great hot tub enjoyment stories.

We hope when you’re ready to buy a hot tub, you’ll visit us. We’ve been the premier hot tub company in greater Portland for 30 years. We’ll help you find the right hot tub for you, deliver it, assist you with finding the right electrician and your water care questions, at the ready when something needs attention. You’ll feel confident in your decision—and you’ll know without a doubt you really got a great “deal”!