June 24, 2009
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Buying fitness equipment for a commercial gym or fitness center is a major decision a buyer will have to live with for several years.  While each situation is unique and there are no “shortcuts”, using common sense and some good advice, a buyer can select the right equipment at the right price.  We think it’s a lot like buying a car, with some important distinctions.

Budget

How much to spend can be a “chicken and egg” dilemma for some buyers.  If you do not have a clear budget, get a preliminary “wish list” to your distributor and ask for two quotes: a low quote with budget-minded equipment, and a high quote with top of the line equipment. Most distributors should be able to provide these quotes.  If you ask for two quotes and they only send you one, go find another distributor who is more helpful.  Once you have your quotes, you’ll have a much better idea of a minimum and a maximum budget ought to look like.  Resist the temptation to make a decision about specific manufacturers and models.   There’ll be plenty of time to do that later.

New vs. Used

As a distributor, we are often asked if we can help a customer find used equipment, or "pre-owned" as some like to call it.  First of all, there is an important distinction between used and refurbished equipment.  Used equipment comes from the prior owner and is “when-is, as-is”.  Refurbished equipment on the other hand, is used equipment that has been cleaned up, repaired, reupholstered, repainted, etc.  Refurbished equipment usually comes with a limited warranty.  There are many companies on the web offering refurbished equipment.  Not many actually stock the models they advertise, so beware of the time-honored "bait and switch" maneuver when you call these outfits.

People buy used equipment mainly because they expect to save money vs. buying new.   They know they may not get the latest models, or find exactly what they’re looking for in colors and options, and the warranty may not be for more than a year, but they figure they will come out ahead.  

Here at Island Fitness Equipment we don’t sell used or refurbished equipment because we have found over the years that it doesn’t save our customers enough to justify the headaches, particularly if you consider it costs the same to ship used as it does new equipment, labor costs are the same on repairs, and the parts you’ll need after the warranty runs out can be expensive.  Guests like new equipment.  You are likely to be at a serious disadvantage vis-à-vis your competition if they have new and you have used. 

If you are fine with older models and you can find exactly what you’re looking backed by a good warranty you can count on, and you have budgeted for the inevitable higher maintenance costs down the road, used equipment can be a realistic option for you.

Equipment Mix

Once you have a budget and you’ve decided between new and used, you need to figure out what type of equipment to buy.  Should you spend half of your budget on cardio and half on strength?  What about treadmills?  Ellipticals?  Recumbents or upright bikes?  Spin bikes?  Single or multi-stations?  Plate loaded or selectorized? 

Of the many criteria used in selecting what mix and type of fitness equipment to buy, suitability for your target clientele is most frequently overlooked.  Many buyers rely on word of mouth from friends, colleagues, manufacturer’s websites and the old "gut feel" rather than try to figure out what guests want.  What may be right for one type of facility, may be inappropriate for another setting.  For example, a hotel catering to affluent retirees will need a very different mix of equipment compared to a membership gym with a clientele of “hardcore” fitness buffs.  Find a facility with your same target clientele, see which equipment they use, talk to the owner (he may be willing to share his experiences with you).  In fact talk to as many operators as you can. 

Reliability

You’ve decided on the mix of equipment to buy based on your facility target clientele.  Now you need to evaluate specific manufacturers and models.  They are many commercial fitness equipment manufacturers these days, maybe too many.  Some of the bigger ones include Body-Solid, Hoist, Landice, Motus, Star Trac, and Vision.  Some specialize in cardio, others strength, and some offer both.  Several manufacturers offer different models to choose from within the same type of equipment, so you may end up having to look at dozens of models.  We recommend a process of elimination, starting with how each model scores on the reliability scale.

Reliability is key in the Caribbean because it’s very costly to get qualified field technicians to come repair equipment or install replacement parts.  It's easy to buy inferior brands and ending up with inoperative equipment waiting for the repairman or worse yet, the funds to get it fixed.

Some gyms see light use and will tell you their equipment never breaks down. Put that same equipment to true commercial use (5 hours and more per day) and it will break down within days. We know personal trainers who will recommend “light commercial” or even “home” equipment for commercial settings because they’ve had good results in a light use environment.  Whatever you do, do not buy home equipment for a commercial setting.  Not only will the equipment not last, but the warranty will not be honored if the manufacturer finds out its product is used in a commercial setting.

A number of manufacturers are switching manufacturing plants to China, a country which has taken cutting corners to an art form when left unsupervised. We’ve recently seen a rash of new models that were quite reliable when built in the USA under strict quality control standards, now breaking down at an alarming rate since produced overseas. This does not mean you should avoid Made in China, where even the high end manufacturers have set up shop, but keep in mind things can change rather quickly as manufacturers look for ways to cut costs. Avoid being the guinea pig. An honest distributor will tell you about reliability issues.

Technology

Manufacturers figured out a while back that by coming up with new concepts they get to sell more equipment. This is particularly true with cardio equipment, which as a category has become heavily dependent on technological bells and whistles.  Some manufacturers are constantly coming up with more advanced features to feed on the public’s appetite for all things high-tech, as demonstrated by the sophistication of consoles.  Innovation allows a manufacturer to stand out from the competition and price their equipment with higher margins until the competition catches up. 

While the “guts” haven’t changed much in the last few years, many new cardio pieces require the console’s audio-visual features for proper operation. If the console goes (and they do go), the equipment stops working.  Some manufacturers design the equipment so that A/V console failure does not mean equipment failure.

Many basic models are actually more popular with users than their technology-advanced siblings, sometimes because they are less confusing to use.

Support

Manufacturers are not all as quick to ship replacement parts under warranty. Remember that a warranty is a promise, and some companies are better at keeping promises than others. It’s bad enough that warranties do not cover labor in the Caribbean; you do not want your machines to be sitting idle for weeks because you have to wait for parts because of a manufacturing backlog.

Distributors

You can see that buying commercial fitness equipment is not very different from buying a car. You come up with a preliminary budget, decide between used and new, find out what you (your passengers) need, ask trusted friends in the same situation, pick some makes and models, kick the tires, decide on options, check reliability and warranty, then make your decision.

What you don’t get in the fitness equipment industry is a Consumer Reports to rank commercial fitness equipment. However, unlike car dealers, independent fitness dealers represent several manufacturers so you are less likely to have any one brand pushed on you. The bad news is, many of the larger dealers will still push certain manufacturers regardless of your specific needs, because if they don’t the manufacturer will drop them. That’s particularly true with exclusive distributors representing a single manufacturer. You can bet these guys have some aggressive sales targets and will do everything they can to meet them, so don’t expect unbiased advice from them.

That’s why you should deal with an independent distributor. Remember, distributors don’t make the equipment, they only sell it, but the good ones will give you advice you can’t get from anyone else. If you don’t feel you’re getting straight, unbiased advice from your distributor, find another one. Better yet, give Island Fitness Equipment a call!

Happy shopping!