Stopped By the Local Pool Store Yesterday...

[COBrien]

...and frustration ensued.

I decided to have them close my pool one last time -- I'll be handling the opening and closing from now on. When I called to schedule the closing, they advised they'd bring some shock and algaecide to throw in immediately prior to closing. I told them not to worry about the shock, I'll handle that.

I also asked them what type of algaecide they'd be using. The gal (who I've known forever...small towns and whatnot) seemed quite put out that I asked what was in it and that I specified a polyquat. "I'm not even sure what's in it, <sigh> let me go pull it off the shelf so I can tell you."

After reading around here about the best way to implement polyquat for closing, I decided to stop in yesterday and pick up a bottle so I could dump it in a night or 2 before they came to close the pool. They also asked for a water sample prior to closing, otherwise they won't "guarantee" (not actually a guarantee...) everything will be right come spring. I told them that wouldn't be a problem, but that they probably wouldn't be happy with what they saw, so it wouldn't matter much anyway. :lol:

Then they remembered I've been chlorinating with liquid chlorine. "I'm sure your total alkalinity is too low. That's going to mess up your plaster. Get ready for a new plaster job next summer. And the fact that you haven't been using a stabilized chlorine means you're losing it all to the sunlight, so you're just wasting money. Your pool is going to catch fire and burn a hole straight through the Earth's crust and suck your entire neighborhood into it!!"

(Okay, so I added that last part...but that was the gist).

I told them I've kept my CYA at 40 and have been slowly reducing my TA to about 60 keep my pH from rising too quickly, and that I'd kept a close eye on my CSI, and everything has been good all summer. They looked astounded that I even knew what CSI was. Then back to the song and dance about non-stabilized "products," no telling what my pool water looks like, blah blah blah.

I was very tempted to tell them not to worry about closing the pool, but the husband (who had not participated in this discussion, and actually doesn't disagree with my/our methods...) is the one who does the closing and is, honestly, a great guy to do business with.

Long story short: I went in to buy polyquat and I left with polyquat, but only after a tongue lashing which left me scratching my head.

Do they really believe all this stuff, or is it just a drug-dealer-style scare tactic to try and get people back on their dope?

 

[otter86753]

I sometimes go just for fun if I am in the neighborhood of one of the pool stores and have them test my water and see what they tell me. I was actually pleasantly surprised the last time I did this as the lady behind the counter was actually talking to the customer before me about CYA/FC ratio. Then when she tested mine, she actually said I could add baking soda instead of buying their product. I believe it is a store by store, employee by employee basis on what you get.

 

[tim5055]

Depending on the pool store it's kind of an "all of the above" answer. Generally their source for training is the chemical sales folks, so they take it as gospel.

They are in a business model that is changing. Like many other businesses the internet has changed the pool business. Whay should I buy a pool light bulb from them for $39.99 when Amazon has it for $19? Add to that the seasonality of the business. Unless a store is in Florida or the Southwest they roll up the sidewalk soon. Unless they have a second line of business to carry them through the winter they have to get all the sales they can during the season. You using liquid chlorine is cutting into their sales of pucks!

 

[COBrien]

You using liquid chlorine is cutting into their sales of pucks!

If they'd sell 10% or 12.5% liquid chlorine by the gallon or 2.5 gallon jug, (and be at least halfway competitive with their pricing...), I'd buy it from them instead of Atwood's.

I'm all about supporting local business, but, as the local(ish) company I bought my gun safes from says, "Buying local is great. Unless the local product/service is junk. Then it's just local junk."

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Depending on the pool store it's kind of an "all of the above" answer. Generally their source for training is the chemical sales folks, so they take it as gospel.

They are in a business model that is changing. Like many other businesses the internet has changed the pool business. Whay should I buy a pool light bulb from them for $39.99 when Amazon has it for $19? Add to that the seasonality of the business. Unless a store is in Florida or the Southwest they roll up the sidewalk soon. Unless they have a second line of business to carry them through the winter they have to get all the sales they can during the season. You using liquid chlorine is cutting into their sales of pucks!

^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^

100% spot-on!

 

[tim5055]

If they'd sell 10% or 12.5% liquid chlorine by the gallon or 2.5 gallon jug, (and be at least halfway competitive with their pricing...), I'd buy it from them instead of Atwood's.

I'm all about supporting local business, but, as the local(ish) company I bought my gun safes from says, "Buying local is great. Unless the local product/service is junk. Then it's just local junk."

i agree and try to support local businesses when I can. In my light bulb example I talked to the manager of the store and explained that I understood they needed to set their prices to keep the lights on in the store, but they needed to at least try to be competitive. I'm willing to pay more than Amazon to find it on the shelf ready to go. She's just looked at me and said $39.99........

 

[otter86753]

I had to replace my pump a couple of years ago and went to a local pool store and wanted a quote for a Hayward VS pump. He told me he had a floor model he would let me have for $1800. I told him I always try to buy local, but could he do any better as I could get one online for $750. He wouldn't budge and I explained that I didn't expect him to match that, but that I couldn't pay triple the price. Needless to say, I didn't buy local.

 

[tim5055]

I had to replace my pump a couple of years ago and went to a local pool store and wanted a quote for a Hayward VS pump. He told me he had a floor model he would let me have for $1800. I told him I always try to buy local, but could he do any better as I could get one online for $750. He wouldn't budge and I explained that I didn't expect him to match that, but that I couldn't pay triple the price. Needless to say, I didn't buy local.

It's sad, but that is the state of some business folks today. One only has to look a Sears to understand that if a business doesn't change with the times it dies.

 

[Tanner M]

Winters are relatively mild her in Oklahoma. I have not winterized my pool in 5 years. Why not just keep it running on cold nights?