Fifteen years into the 2000s, the landscape has changed in the world of retail. Where we used to have to go to visit a specialty store to purchase any given item, the presence of the internet makes essentially any searchable product a click away. Traditional brick and mortar stores are becoming less and less viable, particularly those that service niche markets. Change is difficult and small businesses have to be comfortable embracing an “adapt or die” philosophy with the emergence of competitively-priced web stores who fill a similar need as a physical store.
This can be difficult because web stores operate with lower overhead and can typically offer lower price points on the exact same products. Ailing stores have implemented many tactics as a means to compete, like preaching “our store provides superior service,” which often falls on the ears of a generation to whom that is no longer a top priority. Another tool is price matching. Providing a price-match guarantee can be risky, but instead of losing the sale, the retailer sees it as better to have a loss of revenue rather than have that money walk out of the door altogether. However, price-matching can have its negative long-term effects that result in stores not making the kind of money necessary to be successful. As a result, retail stores have turned to a few new tactics including branding products that are exclusive to their store.
This common struggle among specialty brick and mortar stores has manifested itself in the pool industry and many pool supply stores will brand their own chemicals and everyday products to be distributed exclusively on site. This tactic has also been used on more expensive products, specifically pool cleaners. As a way to compete with the ease and convenience of e-tailers, some pool stores will partner with product manufacturers (pool cleaners in particular) to sell products that are only available through them. But here is what your pool store isn’t telling you.
Manufacturers will private label pool cleaners for different dealers and distributers with whom they have partnered. These products are essentially the same as existing models of cleaners already on the market and widely available through a number of online retailers, with maybe a few minor cosmetic changes (colors, etc.) and accompanying accessories (remote control or carrying caddy). Under a private label, pool stores will sell pool cleaners for a premium to unsuspecting customers who have no idea there is a less expensive alternative. In reality, there is usually a comparable model available from an e-tailer at a significantly lower price point.
Because we want to find ways to best serve our customer base, we decided to make a list of all of these private label pool cleaners and their less expensive equivalent. Let’s take a deeper look at a few specific examples:
Private label pool cleaner:
Aquabot Breeze XLS
The AquaBot Breeze XLS is a robotic pool cleaner that has some nice features: power washing jets, fixed scrubbing brushes, 1 & 2 Hour Timer Settings, etc. It requires a 120VAC/60, consumes 180 watts of powers, and has a 60’ long cable. It features a warm cream exterior that gives it a clean and expensive look.
Comparable pool cleaner:
AquaBot Rapids XLS
The only differences here are the colors, availability, and price point. The Aquabot Rapid model is available through a number of reputable online retailers. Featuring a grey and blue plastic exterior as opposed to the cream, all the other features are the same or nearly the same. The private label cleaner, however, will cost you more.
Private label pool cleaner:
Polaris P955
The Polaris P955 is another robotic pool cleaner with many impressive capabilities. It runs a 1.5 hour cleaning cycle, cleans the floor, walls, and steps of your in-ground pool, and has neat features like four wheel drive. It comes with a motion sensing hand held remote and a caddy with easy lift options. The exterior plastic color is a clean white with black and grey wheels.
Comparable pool cleaner:
Polaris 9550
The Polaris 9550 is basically the same pool cleaner as the Polaris P955 except it is blue instead of white. It too comes with a caddy and remote and has the same features described above. The major difference (aside from the color) is in the price. While the P955 is sold exclusively as a private label product through one particular company, the 9550 is available through many retailers and ecommerce and is gentler on your wallet.
Private labeling a particular pool cleaner is a surefire way to upsell the customer. It seems exclusive and custom, when it’s usually only a color away from the same product at a lower premium. Manufacturers change the colors and the name as a way to convince you to pay more money. Because potential buyers in today’s day and age are looking cross-reference and price match, changing the name of the product altogether limits the buyer’s ability to search for and find a competitively priced product. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of private label cleaners vs. more affordable products with essentially the same capabilities. If you find any more duplicates we have not included or have any questions about products that are the same or similar to pool cleaners already on the market, please let us know and we will research and get them added to the list. Today’s consumer is the most informed they have ever been and they should be wary of being tricked because their brick and mortar store or exclusive online brands have private-labeled pool cleaners as a way to make a few extra bucks.
LIST GUIDE: Search our compiled list alphabetically to find your prospective cleaner and see if there's a non-private label version equivalent. Please let us know if there are any pool cleaners you're researching that should be added to the master list.
AquaBot Breeze XLS = AquaBot Rapids XLS
AquaBot Pool Rover S2-40 = AquaBot Pura 4X
AquaBot Pool Rover S2-50 = AquaBot Pura 5X
Dolphin Active 10 = Dolphin S50
Dolphin Active 20 = Dolphin S200
Dolphin Active 30 = Dolphin S300
Dolphin Active 30i = Dolphin S300i
Dolphin Advantage = Dolphin Advantage Plus RC = Dolphin DX5
Dolphin Advantage Pro RC = Dolphin DX5 Plus
Dolphin Atlantis = Dolphin Endeavor
Dolphin DX3 = Dolphin Primal = Dolphin Supreme M3 = Dolphin Neptune
Dolphin DX4 = Dolphin Apollo = Dolphin Apollo Plus = Dolphin Neptune Plus
Dolphin Triton = Pentair Prowler 830 = Dolphin DX6 = Dolphin Premier = Dolphin Edge
Dolphin Triton Plus = Dolphin Supreme M5 = Dolphin Oasis Z5
Hayward Aqua Bug = Hayward Wanda the Whale = Hayward Diver Dave
Hayward PoolVac Classic = AquaStar Starz Truck
Pentair Prowler 820 = Dolphin Nautilus = Dolphin Quest
Pentair Warrior 360302 = Pentair Rebel 360275
Polaris 9350 = Polaris P935
Polaris 9450 = Polaris P945
Polaris 9550 = Polaris P955
Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 = Polaris TR35P
SmartPool 11i = Smart Pool PT9i
SmartPool NC22 = Smart Pool PT4i = SmartPool SmartKleen Nitro NC22
SmartPool NC52S = Smart Pool PT7i
Zodiac TR2D = Zodiac T3