In the Swim, Leslie's Pool Supplies Review

I have been a pool owner for several years running and during that time, I have developed a tendency to shop for the best deals on pool supplies without compromising quality. When I first purchased a home with an in-ground pool back in 2003, my attitude was very different. "Buy whatever is cheapest", I would usually say, "Shock is shock- it's all the same". But over time, I realized that the differences between different pool chemicals and other supplies are far greater than I realized. And with this realization, I began to shop around for the best place to purchase pool supplies online.

I have used many different web sites to purchase pool chemicals, but the two online stores I shop at most frequently are IntheSwim.com and Lesliespool.com: The web addresses for In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies respectively. Which online store is best overall? Let's take a look:

What Do These Web Services Offer?:

In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies both offer products for sale in categories like:

• Pool Chemicals
• Pool Cleaners
• Pool Accessories
• Pumps/Motors
• Above Ground Pools
• Spas/Hot Tubs/Saunas

How are These Web Services Similar?:

Both In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies offers products across a wide range of categories. Most any chemical you could ever need for your pool can be found in either site. They also both offer subsections with above ground pools for sale, spas/hot tubs, and the chemicals specially formulated for above ground pools and spas/hot tubs.

Both In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies offer catalogs that can be requested directly through the web site. They both offer pool maintenance and care tips and both offer 24/7 ordering by phone.

As far as the intuitive nature of In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies, both sites are pretty much equal. In the Swim requires one less click of the mouse to find items because the categories on the left- hand side of the screen include the subcategories. With Leslie's Pool Supplies, you have to select a main category first to get the subcategories to display before you can choose them.

How are These Web Services Different?:

In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies are both good online stores and they both have much to offer, but there are a few key differences between the two that could make some consumers favor one to the other. One fact that is obvious to anyone who owns a pool is that Leslie's Pool Supplies, of course, offers actual physical location stores along with the online store. In the Swim is strictly an online service (okay, there is one physical location store in Chicago, but Leslie's has more than 550 stores nationwide), so there is no other way to order pool supplies and equipment with In the Swim except via online.

Both In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies accept the big four credit cards- Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover- for payment. But Leslie's Pool Supplies takes this one step further by also accepting Bill Me Later for payment. In the Swim has yet to come around in this area. I think it is only a matter of time until In the Swim also accepts Bill Me Later, but they have not done so yet.

Both In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies offer a wide selection of products, but In the Swim has slightly more offerings in most categories. Whether the category is chemicals, pool slides, or most anything else, the selection is better at In the Swim. Leslie's Pool Supplies offers a slightly larger selection in only a few minor areas.

These two online stores offer chemicals for sale that bear their own respective names. They are both pretty good, but based on my experience with pool chemicals, I have found Leslie's slightly better than In the Swim. Both are very good, but Leslie's chemicals gain the edge. They eliminate pool problems quickly and get your pool looking healthy once again in a very short time. In the Swim chemicals are still effective, but Leslie's is just a tad better.    

Bottom Line Viewpoint:

Based on the above criteria, the choice between In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies is almost a toss- up. Both offer quality produces with Leslie's being slightly better overall. In the Swim, however, wins in other categories like the number of supply choices offered. 

There is one final consideration to make when selecting a pool supply store, and that is the final price. In this area, In the Swim offers slightly faster shipping and lower prices. It is very common for In the Swim to offer free shipping and while In the Swim often tacks on a handling fee, it is still less than the overall cost of shipping charged by Leslie's Pool Supplies. Not only that, but In the Swim also delivers the goods in a shorter period of time.  

And the Winner is.....

When everything is taken into account, In the Swim and Leslie's Pool Supplies are both very good online stores. But one pool supplier is slightly better than the other and that site is:

IntheSwim.com

I can certainly agree that Leslie's chemicals are just a little bit better than those offered at In the Swim. But when you consider that In the Swim chemicals are still very good and that In the Swim offers better prices on the basics, I have to give the award for best online pool supplier to In the Swim. The large number of choices, low prices, and above average quality make In the Swim the best place to shop online for all your swimming pool needs.