The Spa Depot

Full review
I don't have a spa, a hot tub, or a pool. But my brother has all of those things (No, I'm not jealous of him. Much. Ha!). He has many things but he lacks online shopping savvy. He is terrified to shop online and refuses to allow his coveted credit card number out of his dusty wallet. He had done some research and liked what he saw at The Spa Depot Online Store. He called me because he knows I shop online constantly and asked if I would place the order for him. After I told him he was behind the times and needed to get with it, I agreed to make the purchase for him and he could pay me when I was done with the transaction.

He gave me a list of the things he needed and left me to do his business.

This site is great! I wish I had a real need to go back there. I had no problems at all and everything was as it should be.

What the Site Sells

The site sells spa and hot tub supplies of every kind and actual spas and hot tubs. The emphasis is very much on the supply end of the spa business but they do have several models of spas and tubs to choose from.

Navigation

This site is not gorgeous as far as layout but it's easy to navigate. There are loads of categories on the left side of the home page which will take you to a long list of products that fit that category. There is also a search bar to input a keyword.

This site is a very simplistic one from start to finish. The products are pictured, but are quite small. The descriptions are ample though.

Click to add items to your cart.

The site offers free shipping on all orders but there is a $2.95 handling charge per order. That applies even to the heaviest of hot tubs and spas.

When you have chosen your items, you will go to the checkout. You can sign in if you are returning customer or complete your transaction in full as a new customer.

You can opt to register on the site or go on without doing so. I didn't create an account and checked out without picking a password.

You fill out your personal info and then, if your order totals $50.00 or more, you get to pick a free gift from a long list of cute choices.

Checkout is amazingly simple. No matter what your order size, you are only charged the $2.95 handling fee. Pick a major credit card and enter the number and expiry and you are done.

You will get a confirmation of order email and a shipping one with tracking.

Depending on what you order, there is a few days to a couple weeks waiting time.

Orders are packed well and there is no skimping on protective packing materials to save shipping costs.

My Experience

I didn't really think much of the site when I clicked on it. It is very simple and seemed somewhat amateurish.

As I navigated around, I saw that the descriptions were very clear and that the choices were varied. I don’t know a lot about spas and hot tubs but I do know good information and variety when I see it.

I chose the items on my list and then looked around the net a little to see the prices on other sites. Now I know why my brother has all that cash. He has a knack for finding things at the lowest prices. This site has the lowest prices for the supplies he needed. They even have a low price guarantee.

Because I was using my credit card, I had the order shipped to my home although they will ship to an alternate address. I did call and ask to be sure and they were friendly and accommodating.

I got a confirmation email immediately after placing the order. I received a shipping email two days later with a tracking number. I wasn't charged until they shipped the order.

I wasn't charged tax, which is always a plus and was only charged the $2.50 handling fee.

The box arrived a week later, very well packed and with everything intact. My brother picked it up and inspected everything and was very pleased with the purchase and even said he may reorder from them himself. That will be a first for him online.

Shipping and Returns Info

As I said above, shipping is free for all orders in the US. There is a $2.95 handling fee on all orders. There are options for expedited shipping for a fee.

Returns are accepted with a Return Merchandise Authorization number which you can get from customer service.

There are some things you can return for a full refund and others are subject to a 10% restocking fee. You are responsible for return shipping.

If you find an identical item anywhere for less than the site sells it for, they will beat that price. You just need to contact customer service.

Conclusion

This site looks a bit amateurish but it has a load of items for spas and hot tubs for the lowest prices around. No shipping fee and only a $2.95 handling fee on all orders plus no tax makes this site easy on the wallet.

I had no problems at all with the order and everything was exactly as described. The info on the site is animated and complete.

They have a toll free number to answer inquiries or take orders (800 823-3638) and are friendly and accommodating. I had called to ask about shipping to my brother's address and they said they would but I decided against it when I made the order because I wanted to be sure nothing went wrong. They were very nice to speak with and made me feel comfortable ordering from them.

My brother is very satisfied with his items and says he saved a wad of cash over the local places and even other websites. He will definitely shop there again. Whether I have to do the ordering or he finally gets with it and comes into the 21st century, they have a satisfied customer who will return for more!

5 stars.