Methodology - Below are the combined survey results of three online surveys conducted by Vertical Response and Poolandspa.com on the Poolandspa.com web site from 11/01/08 - 11/30/09.  These surveys were not specifically conducted upon any targeted demographic group other than those people visiting the web site of Poolandspa.com.  These surveys were conducted as "double blind" surveys, and neither Poolandspa.com nor any of the specific manufacturers or companies mentioned in the surveys had access to the names and/or email addresses of any of the respondents, or groups of respondents.  The respondents were visitors to the Poolandspa.com web site and responded to the "Online Survey Center" web page from various links within the Poolandspa.com web site and/or their newsletter publications.  Therefore, the respondents would necessarily be online users, predisposed to the Poolandspa.com web site and predisposed to taking unsolicited online surveys for no monetary gain.  These facts do not, in and of themselves, make any of the survey responses less significant, however should be taken into account when attributing any specific demographically generalized weight to any specific question or questions answered by any of the specific respondents or group of respondents in these surveys.  The total number of respondents (over 5000) to each survey, or specific question, were deemed to be statistically significant within +/- 3%, using generally accepted survey response margins of error. No respondents, nor Poolandspa.com, were monetarily remunerated for these surveys in any way. Vertical Response, as the survey response administrator, was hired and remunerated for its' services in connection to, and the production of, these surveys by Poolandspa.com.  Vertical Response is in no way associated with Poolandspa.com, nor has any business interest in Poolandspa.com and/or the Swimming Pool and/or Hot Tub Industry, nor any of the specific manufacturers or companies mentioned in the surveys.  These surveys were funded by Poolandspa.com Inc., a Nevada based USA Corporation, for generalized research purposes only.

Survey Respondents - The average survey respondent to these surveys is a 41-60 year old female, in a household whose income is from $51,000 - $100,000, and who owns a hot tub and occasionally takes online surveys.

Survey Recipients - The first phase of the release of the survey results will be to the staff of Poolandspa.com.  The second phase of the release of the survey results will be to the current advertisers and sponsors of Poolandspa.com. The third phase of the release of the survey results will be to the Swimming Pool & Hot Tub Industry media.  The fourth phase of the release of the survey results will be to the national media.  The fifth and final phase of the release of the survey results will be to the public via the worldwide web.

Reproduction Rights - Any of the password authorized "Survey Recipients", are hereby authorized to reproduce, in written or electronic form, any of the survey results shown below, provided that the following credits are posted with the data: "Survey data provided by Poolandspa.com".

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RESULTS OF SURVEY - "RATE YOUR OWN HOT TUB"

About Your Hot Tub...

1. Are you the hot tub OWNER, USER or BOTH ?

79.7% Both   16.7% Hot Tub Owner   3.5% Hot Tub User

2. What is the BRAND of your hot tub ?

31.1% Answered "Other"   9.5% Hot Spring Spas   8.6% Jacuzzi Hot Tubs   7.0% Sundance Spas   6.1% Arctic Spas   3.7% Vita Spas   3.3% Gulf Coast Spas   3.0% Cal Spas   3.0% Dynasty Spas   3.0% Dimension One Spas   2.2% Hawkeye Spas   2.0% Marquis Spas   1.8% Catalina Spas   1.8% Artesian Spas   1.6% L.A. Spas   1.6% Thermo Spas   1.4% Coast Spas   1.4% Bullfrog Spas   1.4% Caldera Spas   1.4% Beachcomber Spas   1.2% Hydro Spas   1.0% Clearwater Spas   0.6% Premium Leisure Spas   0.4% Pilates H2O   0.4% Phoenix Spas   0.2% La-Z-Boy Spas

3. What do you prefer to call it ?

81.7% Hot Tub   11.8% Spa   4.1% Jacuzzi   1.2% Answered "Other"   1.0% Tub

4. In general, how do you feel about your HOT TUB ?

60.8% I love it so very much.   27.9% It's OK....what I expected.   5.3% I don't really use it that often.   3.9% Answered "Other"   1.8% I don't really like it.

5. In general, how do you feel about the BRAND of hot tub you have ?

43.2% It's OK...what I expected.   43.0% I love it so very much.   8.1% It's not too good.   3.3% Answered "Other"   2.2% Hate it.

6. If you recall....how much did you spend on your HOT TUB (the original purchase) ?

25.9% $4001-$6000   25.1% $6001-$9000   18.6% $2001-$4000   14.1% over $9001   9.7% $0-$2000   6.4% Don't recall / don't know

7. If you had to get another hot tub, would you purchase the same brand ?

44.1% Yes   33.4% Maybe   20.7% No   1.6% Would not get another hot tub

8. How satisfied were you with the aftermarket support you received from the hot tub MANUFACTURER ?

34.5% Had no interaction with them after the sale   34.1% Very Satisfied   16.2% Somewhat Satisfied   14.9% Not Satisfied

9. How satisfied were you with the aftermarket support you received from the hot tub DEALER (the place where you bought your tub)?

38.4% Very Satisfied   24.1% Had no interaction with them after the sale   21.2% Somewhat Satisfied   16.1% Not Satisfied

10. What year did you purchase your hot tub ?

24.7% 2004-2006   18.5% 2001-2003   17.2% 2008-2009   16.0% 1996-2000   15.0% 2007   8.3% Before 1995

11. Where is your hot tub ?

90.0% Outdoors   9.9% Indoors

12. How often do you use it ?

44.7% 2-3 times a week   27.7% 4-7 times a week   23.9% Less than once a week   3.5% More than 7 times a week

13. On the average, how many people use your tub AT ONCE ?

69.5% Me and one other person   15.8% Just Me   13.5% 3-4 people   1.0% 5-8 people   0.0% Over 8 people

14. Please rate the overall quality of the BRAND of your hot tub ?

40.3% Five Stars (Excellent)   31.1% Four Stars (Good)   17.1% Three Stars (Average)   6.4% Two Stars (Fair)   4.8% One Star (Poor)

About Hot Tub Care & Maintenance...

15. Generally, what are your feelings about the EASE of the normal care & maintenance of your hot tub ?

49.7% It takes some time, but I don't find it that difficult.   39.2% It is really easy....never had any troubles.   6.9% It is more difficult and time consuming than I had expected.   2.1% Answered "Other"   1.0% It is hard. I often have problems with my water.    0.8% I am not the one who cares for the hot tub.

16. Generally, what are your feelings about the EXPENSE of the chemicals and the maintenance supplies for your hot tub?

58.7% They are somewhat expensive.   34.1% They are not expensive.   6.0% They are really expensive.   1.0% I do not know how expensive they are.

17. Generally, what are your feelings about the ENERGY COST of keeping your hot tub heated ?

50.8% Not too expensive.   35.5% Somewhat expensive.   7.9% Really expensive.   5.6% Don't know what the energy cost of my tub is.

18. How many REPAIRS has your hot tub needed so far ?

31.7% I have needed a few repairs.   30.7% I have not needed any repairs.   21.9% I have needed only one repair.   15.0% I have needed a lot of repairs.   0.4% I do not know.

RESULTS OF SURVEY - "OPINIONS ON HOT TUB SHOPPING"

About Your Research For A Hot Tub... 

1. Where did you start gathering information about purchasing a hot tub ?

25.0% Surfed the internet for information   22.0% Visited a local hot tub store   8.2% Saw an ad on the internet   5.7% Saw TV commercial for hot tubs   5.2% Went to local home improvement show and saw hot tubs there   4.7% Called hot tub manufacturer for brochures   4.2% Watched a promotional hot tub DVD   3.8% Got info/brochures from friend or family member   3.8% Saw a magazine ad for hot tubs   3.5% Received flyer in the mail about hot tubs   3.5% Received an email about hot tubs   2.3% Saw a newspaper ad for hot tubs   2.3% Looked in local Yellow Pages or other phone book   2.3% Answered "Other"   1.5% Watched a video on another web site   0.8% None of the above   0.6% Watched a YouTube video

3. Why do you want a hot tub ?

28.3% Relaxation   18.3% Health Reasons / Medical   11.0% Family Fun   10.4% Romantic Reasons   9.1% Helps me sleep   5.7% Great place to talk   5.1% Great place to think   3.8% For the kids   3.5% Adds to value of house   3.1% Home / Backyard design reasons   0.9% Answered "Other"   0.1% To keep up with the Jones's

4. If you researched hot tubs online, please check any of the web sites that you did research on.

24.3% Google   22.9% Poolandspa.com   18.8% Hot Tub Manufacturers Web Sites   8.8% Hot Tub Spa Forums / Message Boards   8.4% Yahoo   6.4% SpaSearch.org   2.8% Hot Tub Living   2.4% Poolspaliving.com   1.8% None of the above   1.6% Hot Tubs Directory   1.0% Answered "Other"   0.2% APSP Web Site

6. Which web sites did you find MOST HELPFUL while researching hot tubs ?

36.9% Third party web sites (Poolandspa.com, SpaSearch.com, Comparison Web Sites, Blogs, etc.)   25.5% The hot tub manufacturer's web sites   14.7% Message Boards / Forums   11.3% Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, AOL, Bing, etc.)   6.2% The local dealer's web sites    5.1% Answered "Other"

Your Knowledge About Hot Tub Brands... 

7. Please check all hot tubs brands that you have seen (in a store) or have done any research on, or have received brochures from.

12.8% Hot Spring Spas   11.5% Jacuzzi Hot Tubs   10.6% Sundance Spas   8.6% Cal Spas   6.8% Thermo Spas   5.1% Arctic Spas   5.0% Caldera Spas   4.2% Dimension One Spas   3.7% Artesian Spas   3.4% Catalina Spas   3.1% Marquis Spas   3.1% Bullfrog Spas   2.8% Clearwater Spas   2.8% Beachcomber Spas   2.0% Answered "Other"   1.9% Coast Spas   1.8% Dynasty Spas   1.6% L.A. Spas   1.5% La-Z-Boy Spas   1.4% Gulf Coast Spas   1.4% Vita Spas   1.0% Pilates H2O Spas   0.8% Hawkeye Spas   0.7% Premium Leisure Spas   0.7% None of the above   0.6% Phoenix Spas

8. The following is a list of awards, memberships and accreditations that some hot tub manufacturers and dealers may have. Please check off which one is the MOST IMPORTANT to you.

31.2% Better Business Bureau   14.1% Consumer Digest Best Buy Award   13.1% Poolandspa.com Best Of Class Award   6.8% Consumer Affairs    9.3% ISO Certified   8.8% National Pool & Spa Institute   5.8% Association Of Pool & Spa Professionals   4.5% Spa Search Certified Award   4.5% Best Hot Tub Award   1.6% Answered "Other"

9. When shopping for a hot tub, what is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing that you are looking for ?

29.7% The features the tub has   27.5% A brand I can trust or like   20.2% The price   9.5% Answered "Other"   6.7% Recommendation of others   5.0% The knowledge / friendliness of the dealer   1.1% The knowledge / friendliness of the manufacturer

Your Experience With Dealer's Stores...

10. Did you visit a hot tub (or pool) dealer's store in the past 12 months to shop for a hot tub ?

58.9% Yes   41.0% No

11. How many stores did you visit during your hot tub shopping ?

41.4% 3-5   32.3% 1-2   18.7% Did not visit any   6.8% 5-10   0.5% Over 10

12. Why did you go to those stores in particular ?

31.2% Close to my home   28.3% They had a hot tub brand or brands I was interested in   10.9% Found them on the internet   7.7% Recommended by a friend or family member   6.7% Did not visit a store   4.1% Saw an ad in a newspaper or magazine   4.1% Answered "Other"   3.8% Saw a TV commercial   2.5% Got a flyer in the mail   0.0% Got an email from them

13. When shopping for a hot tub, what is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING to you ?

45.7% The features the tub has   22.2% The price   10.2% Answered "Other"   5.7% Recommended on the internet / blogs / message boards   5.1% A recommendation from someone   4.5% The brand   4.5% The friendliness / knowledge of the local dealer   1.1% The fact that the dealer is close to my home   0.5% The friendliness / knowledge of the hot tub manufacturer

Video Analysis Of Survey Responses - Part 3: What Americans Really Want In Hot Tubs - Part 3 of 3 - Survey Results (9:10 min.) Single Click On Image Above To Start Video 14. Some hot tubs are available for sale online. Did you look into any online hot tub stores ?

52.5% Yes   47.4% No

15. Thinking about your feelings concerning buying a hot tub online, please check the following that applies to you.

33.9% I would not feel comfortable buying a hot tub online   17.3% I like the prices of the hot tubs I can buy online   16.9% The fact that hot tubs are cheaper online WOULD NOT influence me to purchase them online   13.8% I would never buy a hot tub online   7.5% Answered "Other"   5.1% I did not know you could buy a hot tub online   5.1% I think buying a hot tub online is the way to go.

Your Opinions On Pricing & Features...

16. What was the price range you were looking to spend for your hot tub ?

27.1% $2001-$4000   21.3% $6001-$8000   20.8% $4001-$6000   15.0% $0-$2000   10.9% $8001-$10,000   4.6% Over $10,001

17. Which best describes your opinion of hot tub prices ?

60.2% They were more than I had expected   36.9% They were about what I had expected    2.8% They were less than I had expected

18. When you were shopping, what was the most important feature about the hot tub ?

23.2% The size   22.6% The power of the jets   19.1% Answered "Other"   17.4% The price   9.3% Specific features the tub had (TV, Stereo, Lights, etc)   7.5% The automatic water sanitizer   0.5% The color   0.0% The cabinet

If You Ended Up Purchasing A Hot Tub...

19. Do you like it ?

88.8% Yes   11.1% No

20. Would you recommend it to others ?

84.4% Yes    15.5% No

21. Rate the hot tub you purchased.

46.6% Excellent (5 stars)   33.3% Great (4 Stars)   10.4% Average (3 Stars)   6.6% Not that good (1 Star)   2.8% Good (2 Stars)

22. Rate the hot tub DEALER you purchased from.

41.3% Excellent (5 Stars)   19.2% Great (4 Stars)   17.3% Average (3 Stars)   14.4% Not that good (1 Star)   7.6% Good (2 Stars)

23. Finally, what is your opinion OVERALL, of your hot tub shopping experience ?

42.0% It was a little confusing, but OK   23.8% It was easy, fast and fun   19.0% I was difficult, but I dealt with it   8.7% Answered "Other"   5.5% It was very confusing to me, so I gave up   0.7% I thought it would be easy, but I had bad experiences and stopped looking

24. If you DID NOT end up buying a hot tub, please check the reasons as to why ?

30.4% The prices were too high   25.6% Answered "Other"   15.8% The whole process was too confusing to me / felt unsure, uneasy   7.3% I did not like what was available to me   6.0% I felt the maintenance would be too hard / costly   6.0% I did not like the salesmen I dealt with   4.8% I thought they would use too much energy   2.4% I no longer needed it   1.2% I did not like the manufacturers I dealt with