Importing Arctic Spa Usa To Uk To Save Money

[spike]

We've been looking to buy for a while and are in Nottingham, England. After much research, family recommendation (relatives have 2x Arctics) and wet tests, we like the Arctic Spa Klondiker model which is about double the price over here - AFAICT the pounds sterling = the dollar price.

Now if we're talking $10,000+ instead of £10,000 then can we buy one and get it shipped? What about the voltage conversion? I collect pinball games and the transformers on them can be altered for voltage, but are the electrics totally different on spas for UK models?

Surely it won't cost £5,000 to ship it and get it working on 240 volts. It seems that there's a big comission mark up in the spa market in Britain.

USA dealers, can you help?

Cheers

Spike

[Amanda]

We've been looking to buy for a while and are in Nottingham, England. After much research, family recommendation (relatives have 2x Arctics) and wet tests, we like the Arctic Spa Klondiker model which is about double the price over here - AFAICT the pounds sterling = the dollar price.

Now if we're talking $10,000+ instead of £10,000 then can we buy one and get it shipped? What about the voltage conversion? I collect pinball games and the transformers on them can be altered for voltage, but are the electrics totally different on spas for UK models?

Surely it won't cost £5,000 to ship it and get it working on 240 volts. It seems that there's a big comission mark up in the spa market in Britain.

USA dealers, can you help?

Cheers

Spike

Something you may wish to consider is warranty issues as well. For instance, lets say you are able to find a usa dealer that will ship it to you (this may be difficult)- if something goes wrong... the people that sold it to you are supposed to be the ones to help you if you need help. If you go to a local dealer in the UK and say.. I bought this spa from the US but want you to help me fix it, you may come across some challenges. More than likely the manufacturer of the spa in the US will direct you back to your local dealer for a purchase decision to avoid possibly damaging their relationship with the UK dealer that is carrying their product. You may find lower prices in US but in the long run, you may be better off supporting the people that will be supporting you in the future.

[Brulan1]

Something you may wish to consider is warranty issues as well. For instance, lets say you are able to find a usa dealer that will ship it to you (this may be difficult)- if something goes wrong... the people that sold it to you are supposed to be the ones to help you if you need help. If you go to a local dealer in the UK and say.. I bought this spa from the US but want you to help me fix it, you may come across some challenges. More than likely the manufacturer of the spa in the US will direct you back to your local dealer for a purchase decision to avoid possibly damaging their relationship with the UK dealer that is carrying their product. You may find lower prices in US but in the long run, you may be better off supporting the people that will be supporting you in the future.

If you are handy on the other hand, call Artic and tell them your situation and see if they will warranty the parts for you and you can handle the labor. Those spa's are not hard to work on considering they have a unique insulating technique to allow accessablility. I do not think there is a conversion factor with the voltage. The klondiker takes a 40 or 60 amp 230v.

[Dr. Spa]

If you are handy on the other hand, call Artic and tell them your situation and see if they will warranty the parts for you and you can handle the labor. Those spa's are not hard to work on considering they have a unique insulating technique to allow accessablility. I do not think there is a conversion factor with the voltage. The klondiker takes a 40 or 60 amp 230v.

Don't bother. Manufacturers have more interest in supporting their dealers, than making it possible for one individual consumer to "get a deal". For them, it's not worth the risk to pissing off their dealers, that are selling, hopefully, a LOT of spas for them. Now if you were in a country with no dealers, that might be a different story.

As far as actually doing it? Although you do have the same voltage, 240, your hertz is different. You have 50hz while north America is 60 Hz. You'd need different motors and different electronics to accommodate this. From my past experiences, north American dealers can NOT get spas set up for UK voltage.

Something else to consider is the actual cost of importing a spa. I doubt you'd be able to get any discount on the shipping (companies that ship a LOT typically get a flat % discount). Shipping could easily run you as much as $1000 (probably more). Then you still have all the taxes and fees associated with the importation.. GST, custom fees, brokerage fees, documentation fees, blah blah blah.... It adds up!

And, as has already been mentioned, good luck with any warranty repairs.

[Brulan1]

Don't bother. Manufacturers have more interest in supporting their dealers, than making it possible for one individual consumer to "get a deal". For them, it's not worth the risk to pissing off their dealers, that are selling, hopefully, a LOT of spas for them. Now if you were in a country with no dealers, that might be a different story.

As far as actually doing it? Although you do have the same voltage, 240, your hertz is different. You have 50hz while north America is 60 Hz. You'd need different motors and different electronics to accommodate this. From my past experiences, north American dealers can NOT get spas set up for UK voltage.

Something else to consider is the actual cost of importing a spa. I doubt you'd be able to get any discount on the shipping (companies that ship a LOT typically get a flat % discount). Shipping could easily run you as much as $1000 (probably more). Then you still have all the taxes and fees associated with the importation.. GST, custom fees, brokerage fees, documentation fees, blah blah blah.... It adds up!

And, as has already been mentioned, good luck with any warranty repairs.

I learned something new. Yeah your right why even bother because you wouldn't even save money after customs and bonds and long time waiting ect......

[Guzz]

I sold a HotSpring Sovereign to a Swedish couple who were in the USA for a temporary work assignment. they shipped the spa back home, changed the pumps, heater and electronics and still made out better than if they had bought it in Sweden. Spas there can sell for 4 times more than here.

[Dr. Spa]

This may be different as there's a reasonable possibility that because they were actually living here for work, the spa became classified as part of their "used household or personal" items, if you will, and therefore was exempt from any of the normal import taxes.

I sold a HotSpring Sovereign to a Swedish couple who were in the USA for a temporary work assignment. they shipped the spa back home, changed the pumps, heater and electronics and still made out better than if they had bought it in Sweden. Spas there can sell for 4 times more than here.

[Brulan1]

This may be different as there's a reasonable possibility that because they were actually living here for work, the spa became classified as part of their "used household or personal" items, if you will, and therefore was exempt from any of the normal import taxes.

Sweeden is different than UK in terms of what people percieve as more valuable (ex:supply and demand), given no MNC's (Multi National Corporations). It is too risky for the US to have any FDI's (Foreign direct Investmentz)

[spike]

Brian, the dealer sales rep from Grantham, Nottingham called my wife a couple of days ago. He was pissed off that I had sent emails to other Arctic Spa dealers in England (after a google search) asking if they could do a good deal on a Klondiker.

He had been forwarded the email from a dealer down south and told my wife "this is our territory" and if we enquire elsewhere then it would be passed on to him.

He was really arsey on the phone and I called back yesterday to give him a bollocking and explain the niceties of customer care and sales techniques but I got Neil.

After explaining to him that we'd seen that Arctic Spas are the same price in dollars in USA as they are pounds in the UK, he said that we weren't comparing like with like etc. He apologised for Brian, and confirmd they had a Klondiker in their Lincoln branch unfilled.

He said we could sit in it. I said we'd need a wet test if we were spending £12,000. He agreed and explained if we gave the branch a couple of days notice then they could arrange to have it filled.

My wife phoned the Lincoln Artic Spa branch today to arrange a wet test and they said "No. we have someone interested in it" She replied, "yes, it's us!" and they said "No, it's a lady from Lincoln, so we can't fill it for you"

What a rip off. Same price in dollars as in pounds over here?

Nice spas but we are now looking at other makes who have better dealers and aren't such a rip off.

Paul Reddington

PS any arctic spa dealers reading this who aren't in the cosy price fixing arena let me know otherwise we will be spending money elsewhere

[Guzz]

Brian, the dealer sales rep from Grantham, Nottingham called my wife a couple of days ago. He was pissed off that I had sent emails to other Arctic Spa dealers in England (after a google search) asking if they could do a good deal on a Klondiker.

He had been forwarded the email from a dealer down south and told my wife "this is our territory" and if we enquire elsewhere then it would be passed on to him.

He was really arsey on the phone and I called back yesterday to give him a bollocking and explain the niceties of customer care and sales techniques but I got Neil.

After explaining to him that we'd seen that Arctic Spas are the same price in dollars in USA as they are pounds in the UK, he said that we weren't comparing like with like etc. He apologised for Brian, and confirmd they had a Klondiker in their Lincoln branch unfilled.

He said we could sit in it. I said we'd need a wet test if we were spending £12,000. He agreed and explained if we gave the branch a couple of days notice then they could arrange to have it filled.

My wife phoned the Lincoln Artic Spa branch today to arrange a wet test and they said "No. we have someone interested in it" She replied, "yes, it's us!" and they said "No, it's a lady from Lincoln, so we can't fill it for you"

What a rip off. Same price in dollars as in pounds over here?

Nice spas but we are now looking at other makes who have better dealers and aren't such a rip off.

Paul Reddington

PS any arctic spa dealers reading this who aren't in the cosy price fixing arena let me know otherwise we will be spending money elsewhere

If you want to get a spa at the same price of a USA spa, move to america, then you can work your as.. off with no health benifits and one weeks vacation a year, while you relax in your spa on your one day of a week.

[Brulan1]

If you want to get a spa at the same price of a USA spa, move to america, then you can work your as.. off with no health benifits and one weeks vacation a year, while you relax in your spa on your one day of a week.

America is good.

[sandiego]

I know that for us in the states, Watkins won't allow me to order a Caldera spa with a Euro pack. We have people who call us all the time and want to do what you say you want to do, but even if I could help I can't order it from the factory. It might be different for different manufacturers but I would think that they are going to support their dealership and not help your situation.

If you want I know a dealer in England who sells Hot Springs, I could hook you up with them if you want to talk to them. Give me a PM and I'll get you his info......

[susan]

If you want to get a spa at the same price of a USA spa, move to america, then you can work your as.. off with no health benifits and one weeks vacation a year, while you relax in your spa on your one day of a week.

That service - or lack of service - it deplorable and I wouldn't just let it alone. I'd contact your equivalent of the Better Business Bureau, and you may have a law against bullying, in fact I know you do, because I lived in the UK for about a year or so. Not to change the subject, but I loved it so much I didn't even want to come home for Christmas! Anyway, I also understand your interest in trying to save a buck (or a pound) or two. Believe me, when my b'friend was working there and I was spending all his money, I came to love some things they offered that we just don't have in the US. I'd do just about anything to get my hands on a nice cold Stella Artois or some of the dinners I had there. Oh my gosh, I gained 20 pounds while I was there. It was fab, so I don't blame you for looking for a good deal, heck no, and thank you for being willing to spend it in my country!

Yes, when you live in a country on a temporary work visa or such, you technically live there, and you can send items home as your personal belongings. But if you visited and won a TV in a raffle, you could send that home too, or stuff your grandma gave you, or whatever. I sent home a whole house full of stuff, including the dish soap!! (We didn't have pink grapefruit dish soap here then)

[thestallion]

Marquis spas are sold over there and they are as good as any you will find. Might be worth a look for you.