The momentum behind outdoor living shows no sign of slowing. What began during lockdown as a practical need for more usable space has evolved into a long-term lifestyle choice. Homeowners have rediscovered the value of their gardens, and for many consumers the outdoor space has become an extension of the home itself.
This shift has fuelled rapid growth across multiple categories. Pergolas, outdoor kitchens, swim spas, hot tubs, cold tubs and, more recently, outdoor saunas have become must-have additions for homeowners looking to create lifestyle-led garden spaces. For the trade, this presents a significant commercial opportunity — not just through product sales, but through complete outdoor living solutions. The modern garden is no longer simply a lawn with a patio and barbecue. It has evolved into a sophisticated, multifunctional environment designed for entertaining, relaxation, wellness and family living. Consumers are increasingly inspired by luxury hospitality, boutique spa retreats and Scandinavian wellness culture, and they now expect those experiences at home.
“The sizzling May heatwave created the sort of evening where everybody suddenly stays outside longer than intended,” says Carla Massey of Hot Tubs Oxfordshire. “Gardens are rediscovered, windows stay open, dinner might drift to later, and neighbours mysteriously reappear after months indoors.
“At some point, you realise nobody’s checked the time in hours,” she adds. “Those evenings always seem to arrive unexpectedly in fact some of the best summer moments arrive by accident.”
The multi award-winning Hot Tubs Oxfordshire team offer their customers some vital tips to encouraging those outdoor social evenings to happen more often:
• Keep outdoor spaces comfortable rather than ‘finished’
• Have blankets nearby even when the day was warm
• Say yes to spontaneous plans
• Leave phones indoors occasionally
• Put less pressure on the evening to become an event
WELLNESS MATTERS
One of the biggest drivers behind the outdoor living movement is wellness. Consumers are investing more heavily in products that support physical and mental wellbeing, and this trend is reshaping purchasing behaviour across the sector.
Hot tubs remain one of the strongest-performing categories, offering a combination of relaxation, hydrotherapy and social value. But today’s customer rarely stops at the spa itself. Increasingly, buyers are looking at the surrounding environment — the lighting, shelter, seating, privacy and complementary products that complete the experience. This is where upselling becomes critical. A customer investing several thousand pounds in a premium hot tub is already emotionally committed to improving their lifestyle. Retailers who recognise this can naturally guide the conversation toward additional products that enhance usability and aesthetics.
Rather than simply selling a spa, successful retailers are now selling an entire outdoor lifestyle. Pergolas are one of the most effective add-on products. Not only do they improve the appearance of the installation, but they also extend seasonal usability and increase perceived luxury. Modern pergolas featuring adjustable louvres, integrated LED lighting, infrared heating and automated roof systems effectively create an outdoor room. For customers, they solve practical concerns around shade and weather protection. For retailers, they significantly increase average order values.
Once viewed as niche products, outdoor saunas have become increasingly mainstream thanks to the rise of wellness culture and cold-water therapy trends. Contemporary outdoor sauna designs — featuring panoramic glazing, minimalist interiors and premium timber finishes — appeal to customers seeking a spa-style retreat at home.
Pairing a sauna with a cold tub or ice bath has also become a powerful upsell strategy. Consumers are increasingly aware of the wellness rituals associated with heat and cold contrast therapy, particularly through social media exposure and professional athlete endorsements. Retailers who understand these trends are better positioned to package products together rather than selling them individually.
UP-SELLING PATHWAYS
One of the smartest strategies retailers can adopt is to think in ‘zones’ rather than individual items.
For example:
• Wellness Zone: hot tub, sauna, cold tub, privacy screening, ambient lighting
• Entertainment Zone: outdoor kitchen, pergola, seating, audio systems
• Relaxation Zone: fire pit, loungers, shade solutions, planting
• Fitness Zone: swim spa, cold plunge, recovery seating
This immediately changes the customer conversation from transactional to aspirational. Instead of discussing a single product price, the retailer is helping the customer visualise how they will use the space.
It also creates natural upselling pathways. A customer considering a hot tub may not initially plan for a pergola. But when shown a complete “wellness zone”, the pergola suddenly becomes art of the overall experience rather than an optional extra. One of the biggest shifts in outdoor retail is the move from transactional selling to experiential selling.
Consumers no longer buy products purely based on specification or price. They buy into how a space will make them feel. Successful showrooms are therefore focusing less on isolated products and more on fully styled environments that help customers visualise the end result.
There is also a psychological advantage to bundled selling. Once customers have mentally committed to a larger transformation project, they become more receptive to complementary upgrades. Simple additions such as steps, cover lifters, outdoor lighting and heating can therefore become much easier to sell when positioned as part of a complete outdoor environment.
PACKAGE DEALS
Many retailers unintentionally reduce perceived value by quoting products individually.
Instead, consider creating tiered outdoor living packages:
• Essential Wellness Package
• Entertainer Package
• Luxury Garden Retreat
• Scandinavian Spa Experience
Bundling products together helps customers understand the lifestyle outcome rather than analysing every individual cost. It also allows retailers to protect margins more effectively.
Packages can include:
• Installation
• Delivery
• Lighting
• Shelter
• Accessories
• Extended warranties
• Maintenance plans
This approach simplifies decision-making for the customer while increasing overall order values.
Outdoor kitchens represent another major growth area. Consumers are increasingly entertaining at home and want outdoor spaces that function beyond occasional summer use. The modern outdoor kitchen is no longer a basic barbecue station. Customers are now looking for premium cabinetry, integrated refrigeration, pizza ovens, sinks, storage and preparation areas. In many cases, these spaces are becoming architectural focal points within the garden.
For retailers already operating within the hot tub or outdoor leisure sector, outdoor kitchens offer a logical expansion category.
The customer demographic overlaps significantly: homeowners with disposable income who are investing in lifestyle improvements and entertaining spaces. Importantly, outdoor kitchens also open the door to larger project conversations involving landscaping, paving, lighting and shelter systems. Retailers who can coordinate multiple categories position themselves as trusted advisors rather than single-product suppliers.
Use seasonal selling to drive urgency. Many retailers still market outdoor living as a spring and summer category. In reality, some of the strongest sales opportunities now exist in autumn and winter. Hot tubs, saunas and pergolas are increasingly associated with year-round wellness and cosy outdoor experiences. Retailers should therefore adapt their messaging seasonally.
For example:
• Spring: garden transformation and entertaining
• Summer: socialising and family time
• Autumn: warmth, comfort and wellness
• Winter: hydrotherapy, recovery and luxury retreat experiences
The most effective retailers maintain outdoor living momentum throughout the year instead of relying solely on peak summer demand. This also helps smooth operational pressures and cash flow. As outdoor spaces become more sophisticated, comfort and usability are becoming increasingly important. This has accelerated demand for intelligent shade systems including pergolas, retractable canopies and awnings. For many retailers, shade products offer one of the easiest upsell opportunities available. Customers purchasing a hot tub or outdoor kitchen are already investing in spending more time outside. Discussing shelter naturally follows. A pergola not only protects from direct sunlight and unpredictable British weather but also creates a stronger sense of structure and permanence within the garden.
The latest pergola systems are especially attractive because they combine aesthetics with functionality. Integrated lighting, Bluetooth speakers, side screens and heaters allow customers to use their outdoor spaces long into the evening and throughout colder months.
For retailers, this means increased opportunities for accessory sales and future upgrades. The difference between average and high-performing sales teams often comes down to questioning.
Instead of asking:
“What size hot tub are you looking for?”
Ask:
“How do you imagine using your
garden?”
“Do you entertain regularly?”
“Would you use the space year-round?”
“Are you interested in wellness or recovery features?”
“What would your ideal outdoor evening look like?” These questions uncover emotional motivations rather than functional requirements.
Once customers begin describing experiences, retailers can naturally introduce complementary products that support those aspirations.
CHANGE EXPECTATIONS
Technology is also reshaping the outdoor experience. Smart systems now allow homeowners to control lighting, heating, audio systems, pool temperatures and irrigation remotely through apps and voice control.
Today’s consumer expects convenience and integration. This presents another valuable upselling opportunity for retailers. Smart lighting packages, automated pergola systems, Wi-Fi-enabled spas and integrated outdoor audio can significantly increase project values while reinforcing a premium positioning. Importantly, technology also enhances the perception of luxury.
Customers increasingly associate automation with modern lifestyle design. Retailers who educate customers in these possibilities often unlock additional sales that may never have been considered initially.
Sustainability is no longer a niche consideration. Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of energy use, water efficiency and environmentally responsible materials. This is particularly relevant within outdoor living, where heating systems, lighting and water usage all contribute to operational costs.
Extra features can all become strong selling points for additional sales as varied as:
• Energy-efficient heat pumps
• Eco-friendly filtration systems
• LED lighting
• Sustainable timber
• Composite decking
• Insulated covers
• Smart energy management systems
Importantly, sustainability and luxury are no longer seen as opposing ideas. Many consumers now expect both.
Perhaps the biggest opportunity for the trade lies in complete outdoor living design. A growing number of retailers are moving beyond standalone product sales into landscaping, design and turnkey installation services. By coordinating multiple elements — from spas and pergolas to paving, lighting and planting — businesses can dramatically increase project values while strengthening customer relationships.
Aqua Warehouse Group has played a significant role in helping UK hot tub retailers diversify into wider outdoor living categories. Through brands such as Remanso Pergolas, Modulux Outdoor Kitchens and Yakia Saunas, dealers are increasingly broadening their offer beyond spas alone.
As Martin Rigby from Aqua Warehouse Group explains: “Once a hot tub retailer realises the additional revenue available by offering complementary products, it can transform their business.
“Customers already trust their hot tub dealer to guide them on a major purchase. So why stop at the hot tub? Why not provide the pergola and the outdoor kitchen as well?”
Martin believes the most successful retailers are those positioning themselves as outdoor living specialists rather than product resellers.
“A growing number of AWG dealers have taken this even further, expanding into full landscaping and complete garden transformations.
“By offering a turnkey service — including design, groundworks, installation and finishing touches — these retailers are creating far greater customer value and significantly increasing turnover.”
Not every retailer has the in-house capability to offer complete garden transformations immediately. Strategic partnerships can bridge the gap and allow you to offer broader services without needing to directly employ every specialist.
Consider collaborations such as:
• Landscapers
• Garden designers
• Electricians
• Outdoor lighting specialists
• Architects
• Builders
These partnerships can also become valuable lead-generation channels, particularly when both parties target similar customer demographics. The specialist retailers growing fastest are often those building strong local referral networks. Traditional retail displays are becoming less effective in the outdoor living sector. One of the biggest missed opportunities within the sector is aftercare revenue potential.
A customer who buys a hot tub today could potentially purchase a host of related products over the next several years such as:
• Pergolas
• Saunas
• Outdoor kitchens
• Cold tubs
• Lighting
• Furniture
• Maintenance packages
• Accessories
• Chemicals
• Service plans
Retailers should therefore think beyond the initial transaction and focus on customer lifetime value.
KEEPING CONTACT
Regular communication, seasonal promotions, installation photography, aftercare support and upgrade conversations all help maintain long-term relationships and future revenue opportunities. The message for the trade is clear: outdoor living is not a passing trend. It is a structural shift in how consumers use their homes.
Customers increasingly view the garden as another living space — one that deserves the same level of comfort, technology and design attention as the interior.
For retailers willing to evolve, the growth potential is substantial. The businesses seeing the strongest results are those embracing lifestyle-led selling and multi-category solutions. Whether it is a pergola over a hot tub, a sauna paired with an ice bath, or a fully integrated outdoor kitchen and entertainment area, the opportunity lies in helping customers create complete environments rather than isolated purchases. As the sector continues to mature, retailers who broaden their offer today will be best positioned to lead tomorrow’s outdoor living market.
Because increasingly, luxury living no longer stops at the back door — it begins there.
COMPANY CONTACTS
Aqua Warehouse Group
Tel. 01245 477 400
E.sales@aquawarehouse.co.uk
Hot Tubs Oxfordshire
Tel. 01869 229922
E. info@hottubsoxfordshire.co.uk
