TAKIN' IT FOR A WHIRL RELUCTANT CONSUMERS CAN BE WON OVER WITH A CHANCE TO TRY OUT MERCHANDISE.

Byline: Candice Choi Staff Writer

Walking into a store wearing nothing but a bathing suit may seem goofy, but Fred Lusch will overcome any inhibitions to make sure he gets the best Jacuzzi.

``When it's a big purchase, you want to know what you're getting,'' said Lusch, a North Hollywood resident who was browsing the options at Lifestyles Spa in Van Nuys. The store welcomes shoppers to slip into one its many water-filled Jacuzzis for a ``test drive.''

The ``try before you buy'' concept in purchasing big-ticket items such as hot tubs and major home appliances is bubbling up as retailers invite shoppers to give their products a whirl before plunging into a purchase.

Now shoppers are even heading to the Maytag store in Northridge with their dirty comforters to give the laundry machines a spin.

``They come in and want to see the appliances working for themselves,'' said Igor Royz, the store's owner. ``This way they don't have to take the word of a salesman.''

The try-before-you-buy Maytag in Northridge opened this summer, making it Maytag's 41st such store nationwide. The Iowa-based company plans to triple that number over the next two years.

And Maytag isn't the only one letting customers try its product for a test drive.

Those looking to buy Viking appliances can make appointments to spend quality time with the products at a showroom in Baldwin Park. Viking even hosts weekend brunches with cooking demonstrations for potential buyers. Customers also bring in fabrics, tiles and goods to see how the appliances would look in their homes.

``It's like test driving a car,'' said Jeff Claypool, owner of Lifestyles Spa. ``They want to find out first hand.''

Offering the proverbial ``test drive'' is a good idea, Claypool said, considering that many shoppers are apprehensive when they're about to shell out anywhere between $3,000 and $9,000 for a spa.

While many of the customers at Lifestyles Spa don't slide into the bubbling Jacuzzis, it's the offer itself that demonstrates confidence in the product, he notes.

Even some car dealerships are expanding on the concept of the test drive by letting potential customers take cars home overnight. ``Instead of just a quick test drive around the block, this really let's them get comfortable with the car,'' said Tom Lokovic, general sales manager at the Volvo dealership in San Bernardino.

The invitation to ``try before you buy'' is translating into sales.

Sales of Jacuzzis have increased considerably at California Spa & Patio Outlet since the Simi Valley store began offering the try-before-you-buy option about a year ago, said manager Donna Sklavenitis.

The store even lets people come in a half hour early or after closing if they're feeling shy about walking into the store wearing a bathing suit.

While about 90 percent of shoppers end up making a purchase at the try-before-you-buy Maytag, Royz notes only about 70 percent of people walk out with a product in his traditional home appliance stores in Los Angeles and Sherman Oaks.

And those who take cars home overnight at the Volvo dealership are also much more likely to make a purchase, Lokovic said. But customers are surprised when salespeople offer to let them take a Volvo home overnight; only about 20 percent of people take them up on the offer.

Try before you buy is a powerful marketing strategy, said Ely Dahan, assistant professor of marketing at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. ``By letting you try it, the company's overcoming any insecurities the buyer might have about the product. It's signaling whether the company is trustworthy.''

One of the most memorable such campaigns was by Nutrasweet more than a dozen years ago. The company sent sample gum balls to people to prove they tasted just as good as those with sugar, he said.

Often the invitation to test the product is enough to put any doubts shoppers might have to rest.

``It would definitely put me more at ease,'' said Kemo Newsome, a Van Nuys resident who is thinking about buying a Jacuzzi.

And that's what it's all about: putting people at ease with the product and possibility of a purchase. The Northridge Maytag takes it one step further by creating a homelike atmosphere in the warmly lit store. The store has a fully equipped kitchens where customers can test everything from the blender to the dishwasher.

There are even cookies baking at any given time for the inviting aroma.

``People come in and feel at home,'' Royz said. ``The interior, color scheme and the displays - the store looks and feels like a home.'' Not surprisingly, Royz said the try-before-you-buy concept is really targeted toward the female consumer who are often wary of leery sales pitches.

Candice Choi, [phone]

candice.choi(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Claire and John Sluke of Simi Valley look over try-'em-out ovens as a Maytag store in Northridge. Many stores will let customers cook a turkey with an in-store oven before they commit to buying one.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) If Bill Saukel and his wife Kris of Redlands want to spend some overnight time with the Volvo they covet, chances are the dealer will give the OK.

LaFonzo Rachal Carter/Staff Photographer