Buying a hot tub is a major investment, one that promises years of relaxation, fun, and wellness benefits. But when it comes to making the purchase, you’re faced with a critical decision: should you buy your hot tub online or visit a local showroom? Each option has its pros and cons, and choosing the right path depends on your preferences, needs, and priorities.
Just to make what is hopefully an obvious distinction. Where referring to online businesses, we are talking about those that are clearly e-commerce lead, this is often obvious by the fact they offer nationwide delivery from a single location. We are not talking about your local independent showroom who also has spas displayed online.
In this blog post, we’ll break down the benefits of both online purchases and showroom visits to help you make an informed decision.
Buying Your Hot Tub Online
In today’s digital age, purchasing everything from furniture to luxury goods online has become second nature. Hot tubs are no exception, and there are some appealing reasons why you might consider buying one from the comfort of your couch.
The Benefits of Buying Online
- Convenience & 24/7 Shopping Shopping for a hot tub online gives you the flexibility to browse through a wide selection of models anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re comparing features late at night or casually scrolling on your lunch break, you have access to all the information without stepping foot outside.
- Broader Selection Online retailers often offer a wider variety of hot tubs in terms of design, size, and features. You can compare different brands, read customer reviews, and easily toggle between options to find one that fits your style and budget.
- Potential Cost Savings Shopping online can sometimes mean finding better deals or promotions that aren’t available in local showrooms. With the ease of comparing prices and features, it’s possible to spot bargains, and some online retailers might offer lower prices due to lower overhead costs.
- Customer Reviews & Feedback One major advantage of online shopping is the ability to read real customer reviews. These reviews can give you honest feedback on the product, detailing user experiences and pointing out any common issues.
The Downsides of Buying Online
While the convenience and potential savings are tempting, there are a few pitfalls you should be aware of when buying your hot tub online:
- No Physical Interaction
You can’t touch, feel, or test the product when you shop online. You’ll have to rely solely on descriptions, images, and possibly videos. This means it’s harder to get a true sense of the quality, comfort, and overall experience of the hot tub. From our own experience, all hot tubs look great online, if they didn’t have visual appeal they would not sell. However, when looking at these spas at trade shows, we have been shocked at just how cheap they look and importantly feel. - No Site Visit
Due to being located many miles away, online retailers are unable to carry out a proper site visit. Many will try and get around this by using Goole Earth. This only gets you as far as the driveway and even that is not always a given. It cannot help you spot the protruding gas pipe or window ledge. To make their life easier, they may suggest you get a crane, whereas an experienced person on a site visit could have found another way. You are also missing out on invaluable advice around bases, electrics and where to position the hot tub for the best overall experience, - Complicated Delivery & Setup
Delivery and installation might be less personalized. Some online retailers simply ship the tub to your door, leaving you responsible for arranging the installation. This is often known as “kerbside delivery”. Others will go a stage further and connect it to the electrics and begin to fill the spa before leaving. This is because most online retailers will only visit your area when they have multiple deliveries to do, meaning you’re just one of many that day. Most delivery teams are also made up of un-trained personnel and this is often reflected in poor handovers, especially regarding chemicals. This can lead to irreversible chemical damage to the spa and uncomfortable bathing conditions. - Potential Lack of Ongoing Support
The company you purchase from might be located far from where you live, making post-purchase services like maintenance, repairs, or warranty claims more difficult. We would strongly encourage you to read the fine print or ask questions and get the response in writing. Many of the big online retailers will absolutely charge you hundreds of pounds to revisit your spa for warranty work. Even those where the labour component is supposedly covered.
During our research for this post we visited one particularly large retailers “contact us” page. There is a single phone number, which is stated as being for “sales only”. If you have any warranty or maintenance questions you are to email them only. In their own words this is to “efficiently handle the level of enquiries we are currently receiving”
Buying from a Local Hot Tub Showroom
Visiting a local showroom provides a much more hands-on experience, allowing you to dive deeper into the process (sometimes literally!). Let’s explore why buying from a local showroom is often the better choice, especially for first-time hot tub buyers.
The Benefits of Buying from a Showroom
- Physically See and Test the Product One of the biggest advantages of visiting a showroom is the ability to see, touch, and feel the hot tub before you buy it. You can get a sense of its size, design, and materials. Most importantly, many showrooms offer wet tests, where you can actually sit in the hot tub, feel the jets, and experience how the tub fits your body. This is crucial because comfort can vary between models.
- Expert Guidance from Professionals Showroom staff are trained to help you find the right hot tub for your specific needs. They can answer your questions in real time, provide expert advice, and guide you through the features of each model. Having a knowledgeable team to consult with can make a big difference, especially if you’re unfamiliar with hot tub specifications or maintenance.
- Personalized Service & Aftercare When you buy from a local showroom, you’re often not just buying a product, you’re buying a relationship. The team you meet at the showroom is likely the same team who will help with installation, provide service, and handle any warranty claims in the future. Knowing that you have a local point of contact for any issues can give you peace of mind and make maintenance or repairs much easier.
- Professional site visit Your local showroom can provide you with an experienced person who can visit your property and offer advice on bases, electrics and positioning. They will also know the right people to speak to, in order to organise these things for you. At Hyperion, we have co-ordinated a whole install including concrete base, electrics and delivery for a customer who was not even in the country. All possible through a site visit.
- Professional Installation & Setup Showrooms typically offer a complete package, including delivery, installation, and setup. This ensures that your hot tub is properly installed by professionals, avoiding potential issues that could arise from DIY installations. In some cases, they may even offer complimentary checkups post-installation to ensure everything is working smoothly.
- Local Support for Warranty & Repairs If something goes wrong with your hot tub, having purchased from a local showroom means quicker support. Whether it’s a warranty issue, regular maintenance, or repairs, you can rely on a team nearby to provide timely service. They’re also more likely to carry parts for the models they sell, reducing wait times for repairs.
- Special Offers and Financing Options Showrooms frequently run promotions, and you can often negotiate deals on the spot. They may also offer financing options that make it easier to manage payments over time. Plus, you can see exactly what you’re paying for, with transparent pricing and detailed explanations from the sales team.
- Reviews Local businesses can also have fantastic reviews, often being owner run and operated, they are likely to go the extra mile to make sure you’re 100% happy with your new purchase.
At Hyperion, we offer our customers phone, email, WhatsApp and on-site support with their purchase, even years down the line. Our phone lines are open to all! Plus, with multiple industry qualifications under our belt, you can rest assured you are getting the very best help and advice.
The Downsides of Buying from a Showroom
While visiting a showroom offers many advantages, it does come with a few potential drawbacks:
- Limited Selection
A showroom may have fewer models on display compared to what you can find online. However, most showrooms can order models that aren’t in stock, and you’ll still have access to expert advice to guide your decision. - Possibly Higher Prices
Local showrooms may have higher prices than online retailers due to the costs associated with running a physical store, such as staff and overhead. However, the personalized service, hands-on experience, and post-purchase support often justify the added expense.
Which Is the Better Option?
The choice between buying a hot tub online or from a local showroom largely depends on what you prioritize in your purchasing journey.
If you value convenience, cost savings, and are comfortable making a big purchase without physically testing the product, buying online might be the way to go. However, if you prefer a hands-on experience, want personalized guidance, and place high importance on aftercare and ongoing support, buying from a local showroom is likely the better option.
You will also notice that all truly high-end brands are sold through local showrooms. This is because the brands themselves value having a local expert representing their product and in turn looking after customers in a way that builds a good reputation for all. Wheres lower quality volume brands may be sold in your local showroom, but are far more likely to be sold by “online, single location, nationwide delivery type companies”.
At the end of the day, a hot tub is a long-term investment, and ensuring that you’re completely satisfied with your purchase is crucial. For many, the ability to see, feel, and test the hot tub—paired with the confidence of knowing a local team is available for service and support—makes a visit to the showroom the best choice.
Conclusion
Buying a hot tub is an exciting experience, and whichever path you choose—whether it’s the convenience of an online purchase or the personalized service of a local showroom—should ultimately align with your lifestyle and comfort level. Both options have their benefits, but for peace of mind, hands-on experience, and long-term support, a local showroom often offers unmatched value.