Curioprop

OK, Arctic Tundra Legend Extreme (3 pumps plus blower) Norhtern lights Forever floor Castcore cover Microban color Tru guard heater Onzen Salt system Cover lifter 36" 2 tier cedar step 50 GFI breaker and box Delevery and setup starter chemicles Sales Tax 14,700 Can 13,818 US (aprox)

Only been running it a month but so far so good. Took a little playing with the settings to get the sanitizer levels correct. I had changed the cp setting to 3 and it over produced chlorine. Knocked it back to 2 and it seems to be maintaining a good level. We have been in it almost every night and I haven't had to add any boost for about two weeks. I think it just takes a while to get the production going when you first fill it. Curioprop

"Generally, when Costco is the primary obligor, is subject to inventory risk, has latitude in establishing prices and selecting suppliers, can influence product or service specifications, or has several but not all of these indicators, revenue is recorded on a gross basis. If the Company is not the primary obligor and does not possess other indicators of gross reporting as noted above, it records the net amounts as commissions earned, which is reflected in net sales." (pg 58) Looks like Costo only records the commision earned on online sales shipped direct. "Merchandise costs also include salaries, benefits, depreciation on production equipment, and other related expenses incurred by the Company’s crossdocking depot facilities and in certain fresh foods and ancillary departments." (pg 59) Given the size of the operation, this is the way to record it but it does distort the margin calculation from the old days. They include a lot of soft costs. Up in Canada they advertise some of there spas as "Enjoy peace of mind knowing you have a product built by the Arctic Spas® family" However, the style is not similar to any of the arctic or coyote spa. If i take the costco price and add the upgrades and dealer throughins (using costco prices when available) you can have a Tundra Legend Extreme with most the bells and whisltes for same price. Judging by the descriptions, that's a big upgrade.

Just a question... Have you wet tested the Strong or any other tubs? For my wife and I that was the deciding factor. We both got in the tub and found our "comfort" zones. We probably wet tested 8 or nine tubs. I never met a dealer that wouldn’t bend over backwards to let you test a tub. Did we pay too much? Well, as Newbie’s, we have been soaking every night this month and sleeping like babies. So what was the price of happiness? The engineering differences are there for you to test. Just get in and turn on the jets. For instance, every jet in our tub is variable from off to full throttle. What is the quality of the cover and other components? If you do not test them, you really are not comparing them. I was an accountant at a large retailer and I can tell you they have more than a 14% markup. You have to include volume rebates, co-op advertising kick backs, etc. I shop at Costco quite often, but you really have to know your prices. They have great deals and sucker deals (like all retailers) and they move them around. I always found the pricing was best when they first sell a product but the margin is increased when you go back to restock. Home Depot is the same. All large retailers are. If you really want to know then get there latest financial statements and look for gross margin percentages. I would be surprised if Costco would take up that much floor/wall space for a product with minimal margin. They, like all retailers, are there to maximize $/sq ft of retail space. If it isn’t producing, they won’t stock it. Simple as that. Now look what you guys have done. You’ve gone and riled up the accountant in me. Oh, well…. I’ll just have to take a plastic glass of wine out to the tub (maybe a can of beer by the time I get to the fridge) and smooth those tense nerves away. PS. Life is just better in a tub!

Thanks Vern, Your informationw as very helpful. I was at the dealers on Saturday with a water sample and they were quick to diagnose the lack of clarity. I am on a well and the starter kit did not have the mineral remover. I have since added this and the tub is clearing up. I had increased the CP setting to 3 last week but this increased the sanitizer too much and after coming home from the dealers I reduced it back to 2. We haven’t been in the tub for a couple of days (OK we took one night off) and the sanitizer levels have been good. This must mean it is being produced. I think I will have better results on the next refill as this first time I really struggled with reducing the ph level of our water. In my mind I did require lots of the reducer, and for the first fill, I think I added the salt before the ph was low enough. I will defiantly let you know if I have any further issues, but for now I think it’s just a matter of learning the system and learning what I need to add and when. Thanks again, Curioprop

One week old Arctic tundra. Love the tub but would like more information on the Onzen system. When I reset the GFI the light is on the onzen. As soon as I turn on any pump the light goes out. Is this normal, and if so, when should I expect the light to come back on? Is it only on durning the automatic filrt cycle? Second Question, is there a picture showing what to look for inside the tub to confirm the system is working? I have gone through about 1/2 a container of boost maintaining the sanatizer levels. Is this normal in the first week? The water still has a little (green) to it but all the levels appear fine. I can not make it to the dealer until Saturday so I am hopeing for some early information. Thanks