Learn how to identify dishonest business practices common to the exercise equipment industry, and protect yourself from becoming a victim to those attempting to take advantage of the unaware.
1. Extended warranties and insurance plans NOT purchased directly from the manufacturer.
• The Situation: At the time of purchase, or even months afterwards, you may be offered seemingly sensible, and affordable, protection plans for your new fitness equipment. The seller will promise free parts and service for 1, 2, 5, sometimes even 10 years…if you purchase this additional protection plan that they’re pushing.
• Details: Retailers pray on the uninformed. Many machines today are sold with substantial manufacturer-backed warranties. It’s common to find lifetime frame and motor coverage, 5 to 10 years for all parts, and even lengthy terms for labor. Retailers are hoping that you’ll not notice their own protection plans often offer less than that of what the manufacturer has already promised. Consumers may also find it difficult to hold the retailer accountable for their guarantee. They are not a service company, they’re a sales company. We’ve heard of customers waiting weeks for an unqualified technician to even show up to honor their warranty, and months to see any form of repair.
• The Solution: Educate yourself prior to purchasing. The majority of manufacturers list the warranty information for each of their products, and this information is easily available online. If you need assistance in determining what is covered by your warranty, we’re happy to help.
2. Maintenance plans that they hope you never use.
• The Situation: So you didn’t spring for the insurance coverage. Your fitness equipment still needs periodic maintenance, and retailers would love to put a package deal together for you.
• Details: You may not have been told when you were selecting a machine, but that new treadmill deck may need to be lubricated every 40 hours of use, sometimes even more frequently depending upon user, program utilized, environment, and machine quality. They forgot to mention this during their sales pitch, didn’t they? Now that you’ve already made up your mind to buy the equipment, it’s time to learn just how often it needs to be maintained. The maintenance package will now probably seem like an amazing deal. Scour the contract. Will you be scheduled for the same time every quarter, six months, or year? Do you have to call the seller to arrange maintenance? Are their technicians qualified to work on your machines? Do they outsource their labor? Do you trust the company at this point? Many retailers bank on the fact that consumers will never bother to call them again to make use of their services. These plans are quickly forgotten, and the company has now managed to sell support that will never be utilized.
• The Solution: Thoroughly review the paperwork before you sign, read the fine print, and find a company you can depend on.
What have I gotten myself into?
3. Giving you a floor model when you purchased a new machine.
• The Situation: After selecting a piece of fitness equipment, the retailer promises delivery within one week. The delivery crew shows up, hopefully on time, with your machine already built.
• Details: That shiny new elliptical that just arrived may have been sitting on the showroom floor for the past two years. There’s certainly nothing wrong with buying a floor model, but if you purchased new, you deserve new. All warranties have a finite term, and if your elliptical has been worked on before (as is common with floor models), that warranty term may soon be coming to an end.
• The Solution: Immediately register your purchase with the manufacturer and ask the representative about your machine’s history. Most manufacturers make it easy to register their products. Whether you’re supplied with a mail-in card at time of delivery, prefer to register by phone, or choose to complete the process online, registration should take a matter of minutes.
Your new machine should also come with a professionally printed instruction booklet and warranty information. If you received a set of instructions that looks like it was printed by a printer you’d use at your home, or if the manual appears to have been sitting in the cab of a truck for the past year, you may have received a floor model. Dents, scratches, and dust on the machine’s outer surface, or beneath the unit, are also telltale signs that your equipment has seen previous use.
If you do find that you received a floor model, the least the retailer can do is provide you with a substantial refund. If they refuse to help you, contact a consumer advocacy group such as the Better Business Bureau, your state’s Department of Consumer Protection, and/or the Federal Trade Commission. You may also wish to contact the machine’s manufacturer directly. If a retailer has tried to take advantage of you, they more than likely have done so to others as well, and will continue to do so without repercussion. If you’re not able to come to a satisfactory resolution, legal action may, unfortunately, be your only suitable option.
4. Extreme mark-up on parts. (Price Gouging)
• The Situation: Your recumbent bike is not functioning properly, so you contact a local fitness equipment company to diagnose the issue. Unfortunately, the broken part will cost $700 to replace (if it’s available), on top of the $250 diagnosis fee they charged you. It may be better to just buy a new bike, and don’t worry, they’ll also put the cost of labor towards a new purchase.
• Details: Repair companies often receive substantial rebates when purchasing parts, depending upon how often we use particular sellers and the quantity we’re purchasing (loyalty and wholesale rewards). That $700 part may only cost $150 for your service company. A reputable technician will transfer those savings onto the customer. If we can provide better service for a better price, we’re in high demand.
Yet many companies will do everything in their power to hide what they pay for parts. They’ll refuse to provide customers with part numbers until after the repair is completed, will give incorrect part number/name (highlighting a higher price than the actual item being replaced), or will outright lie to keep this information from reaching your ears (“Sorry, but the technician you met with is currently unavailable/on vacation/will get back to you tomorrow.” “I don’t have that paperwork available right now.” “Your account is processing currently, but we’ll have someone get in touch when we have more information for you.”)
Charging an exorbitant diagnosis fee will also keep the customer trapped into doing further business. The part may not be available, or may be too expensive, and no one wants to spend $250 with nothing to show for it. They may promise to transfer the diagnosis or labor fee into savings on a new unit, but they will most assuredly make that money back during the sale (by increasing delivery rates compared to what they charge other customers, or not offering as reduced a price as they normally would on a particular machine).
• The Solution: Research is paramount. Ask the company for the part number and/or part name. You can call the manufacturer directly, or search online for availability and price (websites such as FitnessRepairParts.com make this process much easier). Request quotes from other machine repair companies in your area. Please note: Not every outside diagnosis may be correct. We’ve received a great number of calls where an alternate company had misdiagnosed the issue entirely.
Education will prove to be your greatest protection. Read equipment reviews. Research manufacturer’s warranties. Ask questions. If a situation does not feel right, please contact us at any time, and we will assist you in every way we can.