The Tub King Blog - Tub Talk: July 2014

Scams to Avoid When Buying Your Walk-in Tub

I speak to dozens of people every week about Walk-In Tubs. Most are excited about purchasing one due to all the safety and therapy features these tubs bring to bear.

Short Tub King Walk-In Tub Testimonial Video

However, I also talk to people who have previously purchased a tub from other companies who are concerned about some of the questionable “sales techniques” that were used to close the sale. The old Latin term caveat emptor, “let the buyer beware,” warns of falling victim to scams. Let me list a few scams that are often associated with purchasing a walk-in tub.

“PRICES ARE GOING UP” SCAM. When a sales person tells you that you need to buy today because prices are going up tomorrow, it is best to step back and question the urgency of this statement. Think about it, were you that lucky, to have called the very day before prices were set to increase? Probably not. In fact, it sounds a little “pushy” doesn’t it?

“WE HAVE THE ONLY TUB” SCAM. Usually the pitch go

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(Photo credit: marsmet553)

es something like this: “Our walk-in tub is the only one out there that offers FREE shipping.” It is easy enough to do some checking around and confirm that this statement isn’t true. Another might be, “Only our walk-in tubs have ADA compliant seats.” Again, do your homework and make a few phone calls. Any time the sales person states that there tubs are EXCLUSIVELY UNIQUE” in some way or another, check it out.

“FOR AN ADDITIONAL THOUSAND DOLLARS WE CAN ADD AROMATHERAPY” SCAM. Sometimes a potential customer will ask me if we carry aromatherapy. My stock answer is, “why pay a thousand dollars more when you can simply light a candle or incense.” This scam is designed to line the pockets of the walk-in tub company. They will charge you ten times more than it will cost them to add such a feature. Plus the benefit factor to health is questionable.
“FOR AN ADDITIONAL THOUSAND DOLLARS WE CAN ADD INTERIOR LIGHTS TO THE TUB” SCAM. This one would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. As long as you have lights in the bathroom, why would you need them in the tub? We’re not talking about a swimming pool here. There is plenty of light to see the bottom of the tub. This is just another way to jack up the price in order to take advantage of gullible buyers.

Three time award winner and working on more.
“WE MUST SEND A TECHNICIAN TO YOUR HOUSE TO MEASURE” SCAM. The truth is, they are sending a high-pressure salesman to the house to get your money. In 90% of the cases, measuring the opening where the walk-in tub needs to fit can be done by the customer. If more remodeling needs to be done, such as moving a wall or taking out a door, that’s different. But anyone can measure a bathtub. As long as the company knows the size of the existing tub, choosing the right size walk-in tub is easy. It is helpful also to ask the homeowner to measure door openings.
“OH BY THE WAY” SCAM. This is a good one… but only if you’re the salesman. It goes something like this. The salesman comes to the house to do a hard sales pitch to the customer. When the salesman finds resistance to the high price, he says, “Oh, by the way, I may have a solution. I had to cancel my last appointment, and I just happened to have the very model you need in my van. I don’t want to have to take it all the way back to the warehouse, so I will take $2000 off if you just take it off my hands today.” THIS SCAM IS ACTUALLY USED QUITE FREQUENTLY.
“I CAN’T GIVE YOU A PRICE OVER THE PHONE” SCAM. Again, the company probably prefers to send a high-pressure salesman to your house. They can’t justify their price, so the only way they can close a customer is face-to-face. Beware of any company that will not give you a price over the phone. They have something to hide…. like a high price.
“FEAR” SCAM. Let me be delicate with this one. There is some room for fear. After all, each year one in three people age 65 or older will suffer an injury from falling. Some might simply produce a sprain, but many produce serious head trauma. Falling is the leading cause of fatal injury among seniors. With that being said, let me warn you about how some salesmen for walk-in tubs go overboard. First, they come to the customer’s home. When the customer doesn’t appear to see the urgency of buying today, the salesman begins to bring out all the gory details of what can happen if you don’t have the walk in tub. They give illustration after illustration of those who have suffered serious head trauma by falling in the bath. Here is an example. “She fell while trying to get out of a huge garden tub. She fractured her skull and lay on the cold tile floor all night. She lost so much blood that she almost died. Unable to call anyone, she was dependent on her daughter showing up the next morning to save her life.” A little over the top. It could happen, but an extreme measure by the salesman to try and sell a bathtub.
“BARGAIN BASEMENT” SCAM. This tactic is particularly prevalent if you shop for the lowest price, especially online. I have seen tubs listed for thousands of dollars below wholesale, only to find out that these units are stripped down or that the cost of shipping the tub is exorbitant. If that low, low price means that you have to pay hundreds or even thousands more to add needed fixtures and plumbing, then you will find that the “bargain basement” price is anything but. It’s like the old saw about the guy who goes to buy a car only to have the salesman ask him, “So, you want an engine with that?” More importantly, anyone who tries to suck you in with a lowball price that they can’t deliver on is not someone with whom you need to do business in the first place.

Another Walk-In Tub happy customer.

I’m sure there are many other scams that could be mentioned, but these will suffice for now. Do your homework. Be a smart and informed buyer. Walk-In Tubs serve a purpose, but make sure you aren’t pressured into buying features you don’t need or paying too much. Have a pleasant buying experience.

In this article, I discussed nine scams Walk-In Tub vendors and salespeople use to trick seniors into over paying for their Walk In Tub. I provide these nine scams in detail so that any senior will be armed with the knowledge to keep from being fooled and make a wise purchase.

Short Buyers Guide Video

If you found this article useful, please share it with your friends and co-workers. If you have a comment related to this article, leave it in the comment section of this blog. If you’d like to receive a FREE Walk-In Tub Buyers’ Guide, click here. Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and I’ll personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure sharing this information with you. Thanks again for visiting with us.

Until next time.

Alan and Kerry Knight are the owners of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. Together they have many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. Their companies not only provide superior products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” three years running. If you’d like to contact them, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to alan @tubking.com.

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Expand Your Bathroom and Make Room for a Slipper Tub

By Kerry Knight

Emma & the Washtub textured
(Photo credit: Barney Wrightson)

How have the demographics of the common American family changed the size and functionality of our homes over the past century?

A hundred years ago, home designs in the U.S. were much different than they are today. For middle class America, they were more functional than elegant. Kitchens were normally larger, especially in rural areas, because families were bigger. There were many farm homes, where a couple might raise ten or twelve kids. Having a larger family virtually guaranteed help in farming the fields, which, before the invention and proliferation of automated machinery, was physically labor intensive. But feeding more people meant needing a larger kitchen. Conversely, bedrooms and bathrooms were small because no one spent much time there … folks were just too busy. In some homes, the bath tub was simply a large, metallic tub, in which families would also later do their laundry. (You’ve perhaps seen photos of those old, metallic washboards, where clothes were washed clean using manual friction?) So aside for a small area this tub and perhaps standalone washing basin, there wasn’t much else in ― or room for ― a full-functioning bathroom.

Sunnyland Washer (Photo credit: lars hammar)

Likewise, in textile towns, houses were designed primarily for utility. Companies would move in and build entire developments for their workers. Some of these were called mill villages. All the houses basically looked the same, again with small bathrooms and bedrooms being the norm.

Apartments in urban centers were also fairly small, and consequently had limited sized bathrooms and kitchens. One of the advantages of the then newly invented vertical, one-person shower was that it didn’t require as much floor space as a bathroom with a horizontal bathtub that could fit two adults or three or four kids.

Times have changed. Today, bedrooms and especially bathrooms are two to three times larger than yesterday’s. There’s far more emphasis on comfort, leisure, design and elegance. Even in modest homes, modern design calls for a garden tub, double vanities and extended countertops. Separate showers, a small room for the toilet (often times with its own door), and linen closets are common.

Customer testimonial on Her Claw Foot Tub

With this new look, many bathrooms are sporting new bath tub designs. Instead of the old, common drop-in tubs, space is available for free-standing, claw foot and slipper tubs, so-called because they resemble a women’s slipper supported by four feet. Pedestal tubs are similar, but instead of being supported by feet, these include a pedestal underneath, hence their name. These modern tubs still manage to reflect a degree of “old world” elegance as they’d become very popular among the aristocracy in late 19^th century Europe.

Today’s common design choices for cast-iron, porcelain tubs are Single Slippers, with a dramatic slope on one end; Double Slippers, with slopes on each end; Double Ended, offering a symmetrical dual slope with a center drain; and of course, the traditional Roll Rim tubs. The most elegant of these are sturdily constructed of cast-iron and porcelain, and are capable of lasting several lifetimes. While heavier than traditional drop-in tubs, they’re extremely durable, unlike today’s more common acrylic tubs that fade and show wear and tear rather quickly.

These stand-alone unique tubs can become the centerpiece of the larger bathrooms that are being built today. Mounted on exotic legs in metallic finishes including chrome, brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze, they create a whole new look in the bathroom. They offer a very relaxing bathing experience, but equally as important, they suggest a more treasured appreciation for the home itself.

If your aim is to express your keen decorating skills, one way to do so is by installing an attractive, new claw foot tub in your garden bath. The exterior (and even interior) of the tub can be painted in a wide variety of colors, if you really want to make a “fashion statement.” (More traditionalists usually opt for neutral) white. Likewise, there’s a wide range of fashionable yet functional accessories you can buy to make your bathing experience even more enjoyable.

If you have a smaller home, or smaller bath, consider expanding it. With remodeling, you can add a lot more value to your home. Simple projects such as adding a longer countertop in a stone finish; or perhaps porcelain, pedestal sink with antique mirror; and, of course installing and a handsome, new claw foot tub, can add tremendous value without breaking the bank.

Get rid of that old, out-of-date drop-in tub and replace it with a new cast-iron, porcelain claw foot design. Its elegance and durability will enhance your bathroom and bathing experience for years.

Short Video about Claw foot tubs

In this article, I talked about the difference between the bathroom sizes and designs of yesteryear in comparison to today. I discussed the various types of cast-iron, porcelain claw foot tubs that are available which can enhance any bathroom’s décor. I also mentioned a few suggestions on popular bathroom upgrades that are available today.

Short Video about Walk In Tubs

Until next time.

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Serious Things Our Seniors Need to Know About Falling

By Kerry Knight

X-ray image of my own hip, with top of femur broken (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is a frightening reality that every senior needs to be aware of because it can easily happen to anyone over age 65. More importantly, there's an easy way to prevent this from happening. If you're 65 or older, this information is of vital importance to you. It’s not necessarily a pretty picture, but a subject that needs to be examined and taken to heart.

Among older adults, falling is the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. A serious look at the issue of falling could very well save your life, or at least extend the quality of your life. Consider the following:

Each year, one in three adults, age 65 or older, falls. The resulting injury resulting from that fall can be moderate to severe. Injuries range from bruises; cuts; and fractures of the hip, forearm, spine, neck, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm, hand or even more serious results such as head trauma. Any of these can increase the risk of early death. In 2010, 21,700 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries.

Courtesy of spie.org

In 2010, 2.3 million non-fatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in the emergency rooms and more than 662,000 of the patients were hospitalized. Reports from that same year estimated that direct medical costs from falls were $30 billion.

Men are more likely than women to die from a fall. The fall rate is 40% higher for men than women. People age 75 and older who fall are four to five times more likely than those age 65-74 to be admitted to a long-term care facility for a year or longer.

In 2000, 46% of fatal falls among older adults were due to traumatic brain injuries.

Many people who fall, even if they're not seriously injured, subsequently develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, which could reduce their range of mobility and create loss of physical fitness, thus again increasing their actual risk of falling.

To make matters worse, it's easy to get sick when you're in the hospital. I've heard countless stories where people were admitted to the hospital for a broken bone, only to die from an infection they contracted in the hospital!

Fortunately, there are certain guidelines seniors can follow to reduce the dangers of falling:

Residents of the Century Village Retirement
Community Gather Around Pool for Daily
Exercise Session. (Photo credit: The U.S. National Archives)

Have your doctor review your medications and over-the-counter drugs. Especially look for side effects that could cause dizziness or loss of balance.
Develop a regular exercise program, especially one designed to make your legs stronger.
Have your eyes checked regularly by a professional.
Eat balanced meals and take supplements with your medical provider's supervision.

Make your home safer.

This last step is something that seniors can do for themselves. The most common location for falls in the home is the bathroom. The reasons are many.

Because the room is small and the walls are closer, it creates the illusion of being safer. However, the problem is there are many obstructions in the bathroom, such as the sink, the toilet, door knobs, rugs, shower curtains and especially the bathtub or shower.

The floor in the bathroom can become slippery, especially if it’s tiled. Stepping into or out of the tub is where most falls occur. Older adults often assume they have the same flexibility they once had and end up missing the mark.

Poor eyesight may also cause a misstep. A brief loss of balance can be fatal … literally. The surfaces in the bathroom are normally “rock hard.” Porcelain and cast iron are the most commonly used, and they don’t give upon contact.

The senior Walk-In Tub is a tremendous benefit for seniors for two major reasons:

It allows them to be independent in bathing themselves.
It provides many safety features to keep them from falling.

The seat and floor of the Walk-In Tub are slip-resistant. There is a handy grab bar inside the tub and other grab bars that can be placed around the tub. There is a water-tight door, with a very low step-in threshold. The senior can close the door, lock it, and sit down while bathing. There is a hand-held shower sprayer for rinsing and easy-to-reach controls. Other options could include air jetted hydrotherapy for treating many medical conditions. There’s also a water jetted whirlpool capable of massaging away aches, pains, and soothing tired muscles. The inline heater allows one to stay in the tub without the water getting cold.

Tub King Walk In tub Testimonial

Falls are serious, but there are steps seniors can take to make them far less likely. Create a list of things to make your environment a safer place, and you’ll live a longer and more independent life. Especially in the bathroom, investing in a Walk-In tub can be a real life saver.

In this article, I discussed several serious statistics about seniors falling and how these mishaps adversely affect one in three seniors over age 65 each year. I provided a list of preventative measures, which include installing a Walk-in Tub. I also discussed the various safety features and benefits seniors derive from having Walk-in Tub. I also talked about the advantages of a Walk-in Tub, including the various safety features and benefits that seniors benefit from having a Walk-in Tub.

Intro to Walk In Tub Buyers Guide

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When it Comes to Walk-in Tubs, Seniors Are Savvy Buyers

By Kerry Knight

Portrait of Albert Einstein and Others (1879-1955),
Physicist (Photo credit: Smithsonian Institution)

I have always been interested in how people make decisions. Some people say that all buying is emotional and then is justified with logic. Others say they buy based primarily on need and only splurge when it’s a special occasion. I like to think that there's a large number of people who think things through logically and buys things based on their need and value.

According to Market Research-Elmhurst, when comparing the buying habits of seniors as opposed to the young, there were some significant differences which lead to some interesting conclusions.

Marketing Research with Tumblr (Photo credit: dmhoro)

For example:

Seniors save and invest more.
Seniors spend more on luxury products and services.
Seniors prefer one stop shopping.
Seniors are very convenience-oriented.
Seniors choose a product based on quality.
Seniors are less price conscious and deal prone.
Seniors use credit just as often as other groups.

One more I would add is, “seniors do their homework and make more educated decisions about their purchases.”

My company is in the Walk-In Tub business. For those reading this article that are not familiar with the walk in tub, let me briefly explain.

This style of bathtub is designed for people with mobility challenges. It seeks to solve the problem of falling in the bathtub. It is a tall, freestanding tub with a watertight door and a seat. It allows for independent bathing and offers many safety features such as an interior grab bar, slip resistant seat and floor, and a low threshold for entering and exiting the tub. There are also options such as air jetted hydrotherapy, water jetted whirlpool massage and inline heater. We talk to hundreds of seniors every month, and I have to admit, they are some of the savviest shoppers you’ll ever meet. And I mean that as a compliment.

What to look for in a walk in tub.

They have one important accomplishment that the younger generation lacks: YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. They are also not prone to being taken advantage of by silly sales gimmicks. We’ve heard them all:

“This sale is only good for today.”

“We are the only company that offers __________.”

“I don’t believe in the Better Business Bureau so we didn’t join.”

Our seniors will not be fooled. They have been there before.

BBB Video Series logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a company, we strive to treat our seniors with dignity, offering a product that meets the highest standards of quality. We price it so that more people can enjoy the benefits it offers. We seek to make the buying experience simple and easy. In most cases, we can recommend an installer for them at an affordable rate.

In an effort to help seniors make better decisions, we offer this list of questions that any reputable vendor ought to be able to answer.

Our showroom

How long have you been in business?
Has your company won any awards for your industry?
What is the warranty of your product and can it be transferred?
What is the deliver charge for your product?
Do you offer a price guarantee and what does it include?
Can you provide us with references for the product you have sold?

Yes, seniors can teach us a great deal, and armed with these additional questions they will even be better shoppers. I trust in my ability to ask reasonable questions and past experience to make decisions when buying anything. Senior seem to do this better than most.

Our Guarantee

I know if you have read this article and you're looking for a walk in tub, our company will always be in the top one percentile of buying choices. Our premium quality, lowest price guarantee and free deliver in the lower 48 assures that.

Tell your senior friends to keep making wise decisions and don't let others tell you that seniors can be fooled so easily. It's been my pleasure sharing my knowledge and experience with you.

In this article I have discussed the decision making process, especially when purchasing a walk in tub. I further discuss how market research shows that seniors more often than not, make wise buying decisions based on need, quality and experience. I also provide a list of questions that any honest vendor should be able to answer with reasonable responses.

Short video about our Guide.

Until next time.

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