Hot tub, spa, and swimming pool retailers sell some of the highest-value, highest-complexity products in ecommerce. A hot tub at £5,000–£20,000 requires freight delivery, crane lifting, specialist installation, electrical connection, and ongoing chemical maintenance. The same store also sells £5 chlorine tablets weekly. This extreme range — from capital purchase to consumable repeat orders — creates a unique ecommerce setup challenge. WooCommerce stores in this sector typically combined complex product custom fields with separate consumables catalogues. Shopify handles both well, but requires careful configuration.

Product categories

Hot tubs: 2–8 person, acrylic shell, jets configuration, energy efficiency — high value, freight delivery
Swim spas: Combination swimming/exercise units — typically £10,000–£25,000, large footprint
Inflatable hot tubs: Budget segment, standard courier delivery, less complex setup
Swimming pools: Above-ground frame pools, liner pools, plunge pools — range from DIY to installed
Saunas: Barrel saunas, cabin saunas, infrared panels — electrical installation required
Pool and spa chemicals: Chlorine, bromine, pH adjusters, algaecides — consumables, subscription opportunity
Pumps, filters, heaters: Replacement parts and upgrades — compatibility-critical
Covers and enclosures: Thermal covers, gazebos, enclosures — often size-specific to the tub model
Water testing and maintenance kits: Test strips, water analysis kits, dosing equipment
Steps and surrounds: Decking, steps, privacy screens — size-specific accessories

Hot tub and spa specification metafields

Physical specifications

product.metafields.hottub.dimensions_cm (single_line_text) — "220 × 220 × 90 cm"
product.metafields.hottub.weight_empty_kg (number_decimal) — dry weight for delivery planning
product.metafields.hottub.weight_full_kg (number_decimal) — filled weight (for structural load calculations)
product.metafields.hottub.water_capacity_litres (number_integer) — fill capacity
product.metafields.hottub.seating_positions (number_integer) — number of seats
product.metafields.hottub.lounger_positions (number_integer) — number of full-length lounger positions
product.metafields.hottub.shape (single_line_text) — "Square", "Round", "Rectangular", "Irregular"
product.metafields.hottub.shell_material (single_line_text) — "Lucite acrylic", "Rotomoulded polyethylene"
product.metafields.hottub.cabinet_material (single_line_text) — "Synthetic rattan", "Thermowood", "Composite"

Performance specifications

product.metafields.hottub.jets_total (number_integer) — total number of jets
product.metafields.hottub.pumps_count (number_integer) — number of circulation/jet pumps
product.metafields.hottub.pump_hp (number_decimal) — pump power in HP
product.metafields.hottub.heater_kw (number_decimal) — heater output in kW
product.metafields.hottub.energy_rating (single_line_text) — "A+", "A", "B" — energy efficiency classification
product.metafields.hottub.running_cost_per_week (single_line_text) — estimated weekly running cost (key purchase decision factor)

Electrical requirements

product.metafields.hottub.electrical_supply (single_line_text) — "13A plug and play", "32A dedicated circuit required"
product.metafields.hottub.electrical_installation_required (boolean) — requires electrician installation
product.metafields.hottub.rcd_required (boolean) — residual current device required (UK electrical safety)

Delivery, installation, and crane services

Standard kerbside delivery: Freight pallet, delivered to kerbside only. Customer responsible for positioning.
Garden delivery: 2-person delivery with garden access — delivered to specified spot in garden. Typical: +£99–£199.
Crane lift: Required when tub needs to go over a fence or into an inaccessible garden. Coordinate via crane company. Charge separately or as add-on product (£299–£499).
Professional installation: Electrical connection, commissioning, water fill, chemical balancing. Service product at £299–£599.
Delivery booking: Freight customers must schedule delivery. Use Zapiet date scheduler or similar app at checkout for hot tub deliveries.
Installation metafield: product.metafields.hottub.installation_required (boolean) + installation_notes (single_line_text) — triggers installation add-on display on product page.

Chemical consumables and subscriptions

Ongoing chemical sales are extremely profitable — customers who buy a hot tub become repeat buyers for years:

Hot tub chemicals: chlorine/bromine granules, pH up/down, algaecide, shock treatment, filter cleaner — sell as a starter kit (bundled product) at purchase
Subscription setup: Monthly chemical subscription — "Hot Tub Chemical Bundle: Monthly Delivery" with Recharge. Typical: £20–£35/month. Customer selects chemicals needed for their hot tub type.
Starter kit bundle: Bundle product containing all first-time chemicals needed for commissioning. Upsell at checkout for new hot tub orders.
Compatible chemicals: tag chemicals by hot tub type (chlorine vs bromine systems). Show customers only compatible chemicals based on their hot tub purchase tag.

Trade pricing for installers and landscapers

Pool/spa installers, landscapers, and garden designers buy hot tubs, pools, and accessories for client projects
Tag trade buyers with trade or installer; provide 10–20% trade discount via wholesale app
Showroom display units: some installers want display units at reduced/cost price — handle offline or via specific product tags
Installation referral programme: partner with local electricians and garden landscapers who refer hot tub sales in exchange for installation work commission

Spa and hot tub migration checklist

Create hot tub metafield namespace: dimensions, weight, seats, jets, energy_rating, running_cost, electrical_supply
Migrate all WooCommerce product custom fields to metafields
Set up freight shipping profiles for hot tubs, swim spas, pools (separate from standard courier)
Create installation service add-on product; link from all hot tub products
Create crane delivery add-on product
Configure delivery scheduling app for hot tub orders
Create chemical starter kit bundle with Shopify Bundles app
Set up monthly chemical subscription with Recharge
Configure trade pricing for installer accounts
Display running cost estimate prominently on hot tub product pages (high purchase-decision impact)
Display electrical requirements clearly (plug-and-play vs dedicated circuit — important for customers)
Test freight delivery rates: large item £150+ shipping rate calculated correctly for UK postcodes including surcharge zones

The running cost estimate is the single most conversion-driving data point for hot tubs — yet most WooCommerce hot tub stores buried it in a paragraph of body copy. A hot tub buyer's biggest fear is unexpected electricity bills. A clear, prominent metafield-displayed "Estimated running cost: £8–£12 per week" on the product page, backed by the energy efficiency rating, addresses this fear directly. Convert this fear into a positive by highlighting energy-efficient models: "Our most energy-efficient model — 40% lower running costs than our entry-level range." Structured metafields enable this kind of comparison display that description text cannot.

Migrating a spa, hot tub & swimming pool store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)