Big-box fitness equipment stores typically offer selection and savings. However, when purchasing a high ticket item like a treadmill, cross trainer, or universal strength training machine, there are other things to consider. For instance, support. Who will show you how to properly use your new piece of equipment? Who will be there to answer any questions you might have later on down the road?
In this blog post, we’re going to touch upon the differences in shopping for fitness equipment at a big-box store vs. going local with a retailer like us, Total Fitness Equipment.
The Team
Truth be told, this is the biggest differentiator between the big-box competition and Total Fitness Equipment. Our showroom employees are experts in their field. When visiting a store like Dick’s Sporting Goods or Sears, you are more often than not going to find yourself searching for a sales associate that may or may not be in the department you need assistance with.
Also, the sales associates in the big-box stores are typically there to help you find items or point you in the right direction. However, in most cases, you will not find an expert on home fitness equipment. Summer will bring part-time high school students as employees and winter will bring seasonal employees to meet the holiday rush. Our team at Total Fitness Equipment is made up of professionals who have strong backgrounds in health and wellness. They have solid knowledge in every piece of equipment they sell and are familiar with guidelines in regards to rehabilitation equipment.
Shopping at a local retailer like TFE will offer a much more personalized experience. Every member of our sales team takes pride in obtaining important details about your fitness goals, interests, budget, physical limitations, and the space you have reserved in your home for the desired pieces of fitness equipment you are looking for. It takes a great deal of expertise to appropriately match you up with the fitness equipment that will meet your needs and exceed your expectations.
You will find that each TFE store is managed and operated by the same person at all times with the exception of scheduled days off. This builds a relationship that you simply cannot replicate in an enormous store with hundreds of employees.
Something that is important to point out is that our employees truly have your best interest at heart. They are not going to sell you anything for the sake of “just making a sale.” They see the value in building lasting relationships. It’s at the core of what we do. They want to ensure the equipment you purchase is appropriate for you. It really is a very personal purchase.
Many times people walk into the store with an idea of what they think they want. After speaking with a TFE team member, they might purchase something different … something that’s more suitable … but they would not have known it without speaking to an expert. The TFE team wants you to be happy, to reach your goals, and to truly love and find value in your purchase.
Simply Superior
You are looking for the best deal, the best price. That is understandable and encouraged. When you see those super low prices in the Sunday flyers, it’s easy to get sucked in. However, when comparing prices on treadmills, for example, you need to compare apples to apples. Remember, something a big-box store is selling might be apple flavored but not quite an apple …
“Big-box is selling a treadmill for $500. Why are your price points for treadmills higher?”
It’s a commonly asked question. The answer: the quality of treadmills that we sell is simply superior … by far. Although TFE is a smaller retailer, the manufacturers we work with are the best in the industry. That’s why we can stand by our products 100%. They are truly the best available.
Don’t fret, though. Many times you will be pleasantly surprised to find that our prices are in the same realm as Big-box. Granted, you are not going to find a cardio piece at TFE for $150. Remember the saying, “You get what you pay for.” That sure does apply in this scenario. Even as a local retailer, we are competitively priced and budget-friendly.
Trade Up
So you are probably very familiar with furniture stores hauling away old mattresses when they deliver a new one to you. However, there are typically restrictions such as they will only haul it away IF you originally purchased it from them to begin with. Not for anything, if your mattress is 15 years old, it is unlikely that the retailer you purchased it from is even still around!
Total Fitness Equipment offers a unique program, which we refer to as Trade Up. We’ve learned that people have actually refrained from going out and shopping for new equipment because they simply don’t have the means to remove the bulky treadmill that has been sitting down in their basement for the past several years. They have a desire to purchase another treadmill or a home gym, however, that old piece is taking up precious real estate and there is no way anything else can be squeezed into the space.
Our Trade Up program is the answer to this conundrum. We’ll happily haul away your old equipment so you can replace it with something shiny and new. Your old equipment does not need to meet any standards. It does not matter where you originally bought it or its condition. It may or may not be suitable for resale. If it is, then we’ll offer you a fair trade-in value. If it’s not, it will go to the land of scrap. All that matters is that it’s no longer your problem.
Post Purchase
In a big-box store, it is doubtful that you will ever see the sales associate that sold you a piece of equipment ever again. So, those empty promises they made about that discount treadmill are just that … empty. There is no back up. No guarantee. If something goes wrong, you will have to call an 800 number and, well, you know the story.
If something goes wrong with anything you purchase from us, you can simply call the store you purchased it from. You will talk to the same team member that sold you the equipment. They will remember you and exactly what you brought home. They will either fix the issue or refer you to our partner Fitness Solutions (a local, licensed, and insured repair company who will come right out to your house). They’re a company we know, respect, and trust … we’re actually so tight that we invite them to our company Christmas party every year!
Our partners are just as valuable and important as our immediate circle of employees. The standard of service carries over even after your purchase. You can trust that you will be well cared for no matter what stage of the buying process that you are in.
The bottom line: purchasing fitness equipment is an investment and should be treated like one. Working with a local retailer like TFE will offer you not only a highly personalized experience during your purchase, but continued top notch support even after the fact. Ready to begin your fitness journey? Stop into any one of our six convenient locations and we’ll help get you started!
