You’ve been thinking about it for a while. A hot tub in the backyard. A place to unwind after a long day, entertain friends on the weekend, or just soak away the aches that come with life. So you start looking around — and you quickly realize there are a lot of ways to buy one.
You could order one online. Pick one up at Costco or a big box store. Or maybe you’ve seen those tent sale “road show” events that roll through town, promising huge discounts for one weekend only. So why would you buy from a local dealer instead?
After 15+ years in the pool and spa industry, we’ve seen a lot of buyers — and we’ve helped a lot of people who wish they’d made a different choice the first time. Here’s the honest truth about your options.
🏬 Box Stores & Big Box Retailers
Costco, Sam’s Club, and similar retailers do sell hot tubs — often at prices that look attractive on paper. But here’s what you need to understand: they are not in the spa business. They sell everything from mattresses to kayaks to televisions. Hot tubs are just another SKU.
What that means for you:
- No one to answer your questions. The staff doesn’t know jets from pumps. You’re buying blind.
- No local service. When something goes wrong (and eventually, something always does), you’re on your own. You’ll be calling a 1-800 number and waiting weeks for a technician who may or may not know your specific model.
- No water care support. Maintaining a hot tub properly requires knowledge. Box stores don’t offer free water testing, chemical advice, or follow-up support. You’ll figure it out alone — or spend years fighting cloudy, foamy water.
- No real warranty support. The warranty exists on paper. Getting it honored is a different story when the seller is a national chain with no local stake in your satisfaction.
A hot tub is not a microwave. It’s a long-term investment in your home and your wellness. It deserves more than an add-to-cart moment.
💻 Buying Online
Online hot tub purchases have exploded in recent years, and we understand the appeal — shop from home, compare prices, skip the sales floor. But buying a hot tub online comes with real risks that aren’t obvious until after it arrives.
- You can’t sit in it. Hot tubs feel completely different in person. Seat depth, jet placement, legroom — things that matter enormously for comfort — cannot be judged from a product page photo.
- Delivery nightmares. Hot tubs weigh 400–900 lbs. Online retailers often use freight carriers that drop the unit at the curb. Getting it from your driveway to your backyard is your problem. Damage in transit is common.
- No local service relationship. When you need a repair, you need someone who can actually show up at your house. Online sellers have no technicians in Richland, Kennewick, or Pasco.
- Mystery brands. Many online hot tubs are unbranded or low-quality imports with no dealer network, no parts availability, and no history of longevity. They look good in photos. They don’t always hold up.
- Returns are nearly impossible. Returning a 600-lb hot tub is not like returning a pair of shoes.
The convenience of online shopping is real — for lots of products. A hot tub is one of the few purchases where being able to talk to a real person, in person, before you buy genuinely matters.
🎪 Road Show & Tent Sale Events
This one deserves its own conversation, because road shows are everywhere — and they are specifically designed to create urgency and close deals fast.
Here’s how it typically works: A traveling company rolls into a fairgrounds, convention center, or parking lot. They set up a tent full of hot tubs and run a weekend sale with massive “discounts,” limited-time pressure, and salespeople trained to close on the spot. Then they leave town.
A few things to know:
- The “deal” isn’t always what it seems. Prices are often inflated before the “discount” is applied. We’ve seen the same hot tubs available locally for comparable or better prices — without the pressure.
- They won’t be here after the sale. If you have a problem three months later, who do you call? The company that was here for a weekend? Good luck.
- No local service network. Road show companies rarely have service technicians in your area. Warranty work often requires shipping parts yourself or finding a third-party technician at your own expense.
- High-pressure sales environment. “This price is only good today” is a classic tactic designed to short-circuit careful decision-making. A purchase this size deserves time to think.
- You can’t test the water care support. Who do you call when your water turns green in January? Not the tent that’s now in Spokane.
We’re not saying every road show is dishonest — but the model is built around a fast sale, not a long-term relationship. And with a hot tub, the relationship is everything.
🏡 What You Get with a Local Dealer
We’re obviously biased — but we think the case is strong enough to make honestly.
When you buy from AquaZen (or any reputable local dealer), here’s what’s different:
- You can try before you buy. Come into our showroom. Sit in the spas. Feel the jets. Compare models side by side. No guessing.
- Real expertise, not a script. David has 15+ years in the pool and spa industry. Shawn has 5 years running the business side of this. We’re not reading off a spec sheet — we know these products.
- We’re here after the sale. We have a showroom at 3121 Leslie Rd Ste 103 in Richland. We’re open seven days a week. You can walk in, call us, or stop by with a water sample anytime.
- Free water testing — forever. We test your water for free with our WaterLink SpinTouch system. You’ll never have to guess what’s in your spa water.
- Professional delivery and placement. We don’t drop it at the curb. We work with you on delivery, placement, and setup.
- Local service relationships. If something needs repair, we know who to call — and we can help you navigate warranty claims because we have a real relationship with our brands.
- We’re invested in your experience. Our reputation in the Tri-Cities depends on happy customers. A road show has no reputation here to protect. We do.
The Bottom Line
A hot tub is one of the most enjoyable investments you can make in your home. Done right, it becomes part of your daily life — a place to decompress, connect, and feel good.
Done wrong — with the wrong product, no local support, and no one to call when things go sideways — it becomes a headache parked in your backyard.
We’re not the cheapest option in every scenario. But we’re the option that’s here before, during, and long after your purchase. In our experience, that’s worth more than most buyers realize — until they need it.
Come see us. No pressure. Bring your questions. We love this stuff, and we’d love to help you find the right fit for your backyard and your budget.
Ready to find the right hot tub?
Visit our showroom — no appointment needed. We’ll answer every question honestly.
See Our Hot Tubs → Contact UsAquaZen Pool, Spa & Sauna · 3121 Leslie Rd Ste 103, Richland, WA · Serving Richland, Kennewick, Pasco & the Tri-Cities
