In the competitive world of swimming pool retail, standing out requires more than just having the right products. For Jake Riggs and his family-owned business, the key to thriving in both physical and digital realms lies in their deep industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to customer service. PoolGoods.com, their latest venture, exemplifies how traditional businesses can successfully transition to the online market while maintaining their core values.
Transitioning From Brick & Mortar to E-Commerce
Jake Riggs, the dynamic force behind Pool Goods, shared insights into this journey, reflecting on the company’s rich history and strategic shift towards e-commerce. “We have three physical retail locations here in the South Carolina, North Carolina area,” Riggs explained. “Really, what began this journey for us 35 years ago was my dad and uncle started selling walk-in spas. They turned that into a pool business, and eventually a service business. We’ve always adapted to the industry’s needs, which led us to this venture.”
The catalyst for this transition was simple yet profound: offering customers a path of least resistance. “What we’ve noticed is our customers wanted another way to buy from us,” Riggs said. “Whether that be actual tangible products or just our service. That’s really what launched PoolGoods.com. We started the site because it’s an avenue that the customers want to be met at. Now we’re accessible 24/7, regardless if our retail or building operation isn’t open.”
Riggs’ background in the tech industry provided him with unique insights, making the digital leap smoother. “For me personally, it was a natural fit. I came from a tech distribution company, and I took what I learned there on the business-to-business side I brought over here. My family, on the other hand, had to adapt from their roles in construction and sales. We realized convenience is key. I asked a long-time customer why they weren’t buying chemicals from us, and they said it was just more convenient to buy online. That was the wake-up call.”
Online Retail: Into The Deep Water
Despite the challenges of delving into online retail, Riggs is optimistic about the future. “It’s been two years of trial and error, but we hit a point now where we’ve got a really good team. We take pride in our industry knowledge and accessibility to our customers,” he said.
Understanding the intricacies of e-commerce was one of the most significant hurdles. “How do you understand Google or the search engines?”, Riggs mentioned, “How do you understand the advertising? There’s just a bunch of verbiage that being a pool person, you don’t immediately understand. And it’s like this Bigfoot thing. What is SEO? What are backlinks?”.
Access to so much consumer data provides the opportunity for optimizing content based on what consumers are really searching for. Leveraging this data, has been instrumental to growing their online platform. “There’s a lot of metrics that we look at now so that we can be relevant in search. I mean it’s Amazon, Walmart, you’re competing against those guys,” said Riggs.
In 2023, U.S. e-commerce sales reached about $1.119 trillion, a 7.6% increase from 2022. This booming market presents a significant opportunity for pool stores to capture a larger share of the pie. Riggs and his team recognized this potential early on and made strategic investments to position PoolGoods.com favorably in this expanding landscape.
Getting more people onto the website required investment and strategic planning. “You have to pay to play. It’s more capital to open up a retail store but it’s the same principle with e-commerce. There’s nothing fair about it. You have to be relevant with SEO and get on those pages,” Riggs noted.
Differentiation Based on Service
“Where the bigger players miss the connection on service. What’s your why? It’s natural because we’re in the business,” explained Riggs, “If you’re buying shock because Amazon has a great ad and a great price on it, and you don’t know water chemistry, you’re going to have awful results. You might ruin your pump, you might ruin your liner or plaster. This is a different type of industry that the big box stores or the big e-commerce will never truly understand. We address it so naturally, so easily. It’s what we do every day. We’re physically doing the work.”
Competing in the online retail space, especially with thinner margins, requires a clear strategy. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We’re just trying to be us—local, homegrown, family-owned. We know the vendors, the players, and we have thousands of customers who love us,” Riggs emphasized.
Leveling The Playing Field
For pool professionals looking to compete against big box online retailers, the lesson from PoolGoods.com is clear: leverage your expertise and commitment to service. Riggs concluded, “Service wins, especially when done at a high level. Our industry knowledge and our ability to connect with customers are what set us apart. We’re having fun doing it, and that’s the most important part.”
Ready to take a deeper dive? Listen to our entire interview with Jake Riggs of PoolGoods.com and Pool Magazine Editor – Joe Trusty on the Pool Magazine podcast.
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