jeff@nwfitnessportland.com

By Jeff Hahn
Sales Director

Buying fitness equipment is not like buying a TV. If you think the best deal means heading to Costco, Best Buy, or even your big box sporting goods store, I suggest you read this post. Here are four key things (often overlooked) to consider when deciding where to buy your fitness equipment.

The first thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is if the equipment is right for you.  At many “Big Box Retailers”, you will find a display of an assembled machine (normally not plugged in or ready for use) and a stack of the machines in boxes that you can load onto your cart. You may find a sales associate, but it is rare that you find one that knows much about the fitness equipment.

At your local fitness dealer, you will find knowledgeable employees who can help you find the piece of equipment that best suits your needs. They also have the equipment plugged in and ready to test out. You can TRY BEFORE YOU BUY to make sure you are getting the right machine!

Try before you buy from a large selection!

The second thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is who will install your equipment.  At the “Big Box Retailers”, you will be expected to take the machine home (hope you have a pickup truck), be able to take the machine up or downstairs (wherever you decide to place the equipment in your home), and assemble the machine correctly (assuming you have the right tools and are a fairly handy person). For an additional fee, they may hire out to a third party delivery company who delivers everything from tv’s to furniture (not exactly fitness equipment experts).

At your local fitness dealer, you will find experienced professionals who deliver and assemble fitness equipment properly every day. They know the best way to get your machine up or down your stairs without damaging your home. They also know how to assemble the machine and make the needed adjustments to ensure that your equipment will operate properly for a long time.

The third thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is who will service your equipment in the future.  At the “Big Box Retailers”, most don’t offer in-home service. Most don’t even have a service department. The best you can hope for is getting a nice person to answer the 1-800 number for the manufacturer. The nice person will hopefully refer you to a third party locally who offers repairs and maintenance on your brand of machine.

At your local fitness dealer, you will find experienced professionals who will come to your home and are trained to diagnose and repair any problems you come across. All you do is call the friendly face you bought the machine from.

The fourth thing to consider when buying fitness equipment is who will move your equipment should you ever move.  At the “Big Box Retailers”, you will not find a moving service. You will call a moving company and they will show up the day of the move and tell you that they do not know how to disassemble or move your equipment. This will put you into a panic because you have to be out in 2 days and now you are stuck trying to do it yourself because there is no time to find someone else.

Your Local Fitness Experts!

At your local fitness dealer, you make one phone call to the friendly face you bought the machine from. For a reasonable price, the same experienced professionals who delivered your equipment will disassemble your machine, move it to your new place, and reassemble it for you there. If you are moving far away, they will disassemble and pack it, then help you find a local dealer to reassemble your equipment in your new town.

As you can see, there is a lot more to buying fitness equipment than you might think.  When you look at what really matters, service is the key.  From helping you find the right equipment, to delivery, repairs and moves – your local Northwest Fitness Store is the best place to buy!