Instant gratification: the soft-sided aboveground market attracts consumers who want to swim in the pool today—and take it with them tomorrow

Pool & Spa News, March 14, 2005 by Julie Phillips Randles

One segment of the aboveground-pool industry is proving an old adage wrong. Soft-sided pool retailers say their customers can take it with them.

Soft-sided pools offer greater flexibility to consumers on the go. A derivation of their steel-walled cousins, these pools can travel from stores to customers' homes--and to their next homes--without a lot of hassle.

Besides portability, today's mobile families also appreciate the product's durability and substantial warranties, says Jacalyn Jansen, owner of Spas, Pools & Patios in Sebring, Fla.

Not to be confused with basic splasher or kiddie pools, these pools typically come in two styles: one uses an inflatable air ring to maintain the pool's shape; the other is supported by a special framework.

Retailers of both models say benefits from their portable pool sales abound. The pools help diversify their product mixes, and many models meet the demands of cost-conscious customers. And the limited need for professional installation means their crews can focus on higher ticket projects.

For these reasons and more, retailers say soft-sided pools have become a valuable part of their product offerings.

The heat is on

The "buy today, swim today" benefit of soft-sided pools is not lost on customers. In theory, a person can purchase a pool, set it up in just over an hour and be swimming the same day. That makes for a large number of impulse sales when hot weather hits.

Retailers in the soft-sided market have no difficulty agreeing on the basic demographics of their buyers. Grandparents wanting to provide entertainment for visiting grandchildren are among the purchasers. The largest percentage of customers, though, are young, home-owning couples who have children. In fact, most have never owned pools before.

Rick Colosimo, president of Cal Spas Home Resort Super Store in Loma Linda, Calif., says his typical buyers are not yet living in their dream homes and may not think about pool ownership until the mercury rises.

When they show up at his business, these young families typically spend $5,800 on pool packages, Colosimo says. They appreciate the benefit of being able to take the pools with them when they move to their next homes, or having the option of selling it with their houses.

Some buyers fall into yet another category: prior solid-wall aboveground pool owners who have encountered problems, says Bryan DeGayner, owner of Lifestyles HotSpring Spas in Fenton, Mich. "They are looking for something that is easier to install and is maintenance-free on the exterior," he says.

Once a prospect is in the door. evaluating the customer's needs and closing the sale is about a one-hour process, retailers say. People driven to purchase a pool in the midst of a heat wave typically can be sold in 15 minutes, while those making brand-to-brand comparisons may need more sales time to make a decision.

For the customer motivated purely by summer heat, "it takes longer to load the pool into the car than to close the sale," DeGayner says.

On the other end of the sales spectrum are consumers who have seen soft-sided pools at home shows or online. They tend to call or visit retailers for information, comparison-shop among brands and then make their purchases. "Over all the visits and phone calls, it takes a couple of hours," estimates Tom Cusano, owner of The Stove Barn in Concord, N.H.

Banking on enjoyment

Pricing on the soft-sided product varies by manufacturer and pool size. Entry-level products can be purchased from national retailers for a few hundred dollars. The higher quality, larger-scale soft-sided pools sold by most specialty retailers, however, range from $1,500 to $7,000 for a pool package that typically includes the pod, pump, filter, ladder, solar cover and start-up chemical kit.

"When you get up to the bigger-size rectangles and ovals, they are really not entry level," DeGayner says. "These customers are looking for a pool size that they can swim laps or play volleyball in."

Ninety percent of his customers spend approximately $ 3,000. During an unusually hot summer, however, DeGayner's average sale actually dips closer to $2,000 as people desperate to beat the heat buy more of the lower-priced models.

Retailers promote the specific benefits of soft-sided pools--durability, portability and quick installation--when selling against their steel-walled aboveground competitors, according to Shad Kidder, general manager of Secard Pools & Spas in Ontario, Calif.

The ease of maintaining this type of pool also is a strong selling point. The material comprising its walls and bottoms often is thicker than the liners used in traditional abovegrounds. DeGayner also notes that there are few, if any, parts that can rust,

"A metal-sided pool," Colosimo adds, "is a permanent pool made out of temporary materials. Soft-sided pools are temporary products, but are made out of permanent materials."

Retailers suspect that most buyers of soft-sided pools keep them 10 years or more. But because many of these dealers don't sell alternative aboveground or inground products, they don't track whether buyers eventually graduate to other pool types.