It’s clear that major market buyers such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot and BJ’s, your typical wholesalers, are starting to infiltrate the pool industry by selling large quantities of pool chemicals. The Problem with these companies is the lack of knowledge, plain and simple. Try asking John Doe behind the counter at Sams Club how many bags of shock you should put in your pool to get rid of the algae. Try asking Jane Doe stocking shelves if Chlorine or Baquacil is right for you. It’s a waste of time and can also be a waste of money.
Other Department stores such as Target are starting to dive into the pool business by selling pool toys and inflatables. Which how can your blame these distributors, they are making tons of money by selling in such large quantities. It makes it very hard for the local pool store to gain an edge on the market. The pool industry starts to ask questions like “what can we do to set ourselves apart from the rest.” Chemicals are chemicals but knowledge is right now about the only thing these big retailers and wholesales don’t have. As I mentioned before, try asking someone at BJ’s the use for Chlorine stabilizer or calcium hardness. A guaranteed dumb look will appear.
The average customer will always try and save money (that’s what coupons are for.) Everyone knows that and know one knows it better than Wal-Mart. Unfortunately for small business owners, Wal-Mart has the power to sell things lower than the suggested retail price because of their buying power. That puts small businesses at a lost. They don’t have the power to pose such a low price to attract buyers. Lost leaders really become a lost.
So as a consumer myself, I always look for the best price but sometimes the lack of knowledge that comes with the product is not always worth it. I’d rather spend more money on something when I know that I can always talk to someone that knows it. Home Depot now sells spas. Of course they are cheaper but after the sale, you cant buy parts for it (I know from experience) there is no one to call if something goes wrong, it’s just a nightmare.
So just a thought, next time to go to shop for pool chemicals take into consideration that you are dealing with your family’s safety. So don’t look for the cheap and easy way out. Learn as much as you can from the people who know. Heck that’s why I started this blog, just to inform the consumer so they don’t put themselves in jeopardy.
This entry was posted on Thursday, October 15th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Tags: baquacil, calcium hardness, chlorine, chlorine stabilizer, local pool store, pool care, pool chemicals, pool inflatables, pool problems, pool toys
