Our guest post today is by Sylvia Rosen, a residential content accessories manager at Buyer Zone. She’s done extensive research with hot tub shoppers and buyers on why they’ve purchased.  Here’s a summary of her research:

The weak economy isn’t enough to stop people from buying one of the most relaxing luxuries you can add to your home – the hot tub.

After a long day at the office, full of meetings and hours spent at the desk, the warm water is the perfect escape, as well as tool, to offer both mental and physical relief from the day. Research even shows that “relaxation” is the number one reason why buyers purchase hot tubs.

Buyers choose hot tubs over other relaxing remedies because it is one of the best ways to relax all year round – especially in the winter. In fact, the winter weather is one of the key reasons why hot tubs are purchased; it is a great way to sit outside and relax and enjoy the cold weather.

Frank Tillinghast from Massachusetts spends his entire day working and pushing his body at construction sites. He has found that one of the best ways to wind down is to jump in the hot tub.

“I do construction for work, so after beating yourself up all day it’s nice to go out and just relax,” Tillinghast said. “It’s a great way to just cut back after work.”

He also added that he uses his hot tub most often in the winter for the extra soothing experience.

“I barely ever use it in the spring. It’s nice because when you are sitting in it you are sweating, but when it starts to get cold out, it feels really great,” he explained.

Tillinghast is one of many who enjoy hot tubs in the winter. In December, 54% of people looking to buy hot tubs wanted to use it as a way to relax, with the number growing through the winter.

The numbers continued to grow by summertime, when schools were out and kids spent longer days at summer camp. Adults took advantage of the quiet and the vacation time to relax outside with friends. In fact, the number of people looking to buy hot tubs as a way to relax grew nearly 10% by the end of July.

Although a hot tub is a luxury to have, some people find it a necessity – especially older adults and athletes. The second most popular reason buyers want hot tubs is for the hydrotherapy and pain relief benefits.

For anyone, hydrotherapy can reduce stress, headaches, and help you sleep better.  Athletes swear by hot tubs as a way to relax muscles and joints, and older people love how it eases arthritis pain.

Often the same buyers who are purchasing hot tubs for hydrotherapy and pain relief benefits are the same people who have been using hot tubs for over a decade; such is the case for Gary and Margaret Ott from Vermont.

“We had a hot tub for 3 to 4 years in New Jersey and we loved it,” Gary said. “So when we moved here [Vermont] we had to buy a new one. We use it all year round, but winter is the best. It takes all the aches and pains out.”

What starts out as a way to relax slowly becomes a way of life. Although hot tubers enjoy the relaxation sensations of the warm water, the health benefits encourage the need to keep it around.

This guest post was written by Sylvia Rosen. Sylvia is a residential accessories content specialist at BuyerZone.

SANUM PER AQUA. Latin for health through water.

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