Mass
Merchants
Mass merchant stores that sell elliptical trainers include
Walmart, Costco and Target. They mostly sell cheap Icon products like Proform,
Image and Weslo. In most cases you are unable to try to machine out. Which is
a good strategy considering what they are selling. Don't expect to find a salesperson
that has even the most rudimentary knowledge of the equipment.
Mass
Merchant Sporting Goods Stores
These are stores like Dick's Sporting
Goods and Sports Authority. They tend to carry both budget and mid-range elliptical
trainers. In addition to Icon products you will also find brands like Horizon
and Keys. They have their various inventory on the floor, so you can test the
machines. The one problem you may encounter is that many of their floor samples
are usually beat-up, and are not in the best condition. Makes it hard to tell
if the machine is built poorly or has been subjected to unreasonable abuse.
The
salespeople are better informed than at mass merchant stores, but they are generally
limited in their knowledge. Be wary of what they may sell you. Getting service
can sometimes be frustrating. I gave up at a Dick's after waiting 20 minutes for
a salesperson.
With both the big retailers and the sporting goods stores
you may want to consider buying their products online and getting them shipped
to your home. Saves you the trouble of transporting it home yourself. Some of
these retailers occasionally offer free shipping when you buy online.
Fitness
Specialty Stores
These smaller boutique shops tend to carry mid to high-end
equipment. This is where you will find Precor and Life Fitness elliptical trainers.
The salespeople are very informed and can provide some good insight. But be aware
that they work on commission. If they are doing their job properly, you can expect
them to try and upsell you. The more you spend the more they make. But these stores
are a good place to try out the machines and get educated, but don't feel obligated
to purchase from these stores. You often are paying a premium in comparison to
buying through mass merchants and the Internet.
Buying
Elliptical Trainers Online
Buying fitness equipment online has recently
become very popular. It is primarily because of the convenience and the potential
savings.
The Internet is an excellent place to research and compare. You can
view details and specifications of the different models. You can often find customer
testimonials and company reviews.
The purchasing process is painless in
comparison to going to a store, finding a salesperson, checking out and getting
the elliptical home.
Can you save money buying online? In the case of the
mass merchants and the large sporting goods stores, the prices online are generally
the same as in the store. As mentioned above, occasionally you may get a break
on the shipping. For example, the price of a Sole
E55 at www.SoleTreadmills.com is the same as the price at Dick's Sporting
store. The difference is the shipping is free from their web site. And since they
are located in Utah, that is the only state you would have to pay taxes. That
alone can save you a hundred dollars or more.
It should be noted that the
popular Smooth elliptical
trainers are only sold through the Internet. Since they sell direct and not
through a dealer network, they do not have to inflate their prices in order to
not undersell their dealers. Is there a significant savings? It is nowhere near
the 25%-35% they would suggest on their site, but you are probably getting a slightly
better value than buying through dealers and retailers. Less people are taking
a cut of the pie.
In comparison to Smooth Fitness, there are a number of
brands that refuse to sell on the Internet. They feel this threatens their dealer
base. The following elliptical trainers are not available online (excluding remanufactured
models):
Shipping Options
Whether
you buy from a local retailer or online, you need to be aware of your shipping
options. In many cases shipping is to your curb. That means a semi arrives with
this 200 lb machine in a huge box and drops it off at your curb.
Other options
include shipping to your door or first enclosure. Usually for an additional charge
you can get inside shipping, but that doesn't necessarily mean upstairs. In fact,
some freight companies have union rules that forbid them from moving the machine
up more than 5-6 steps.
The other option is inside delivery and set-up.
The benefit to this type of delivery is they bring it in the house and set-up
the machine (Although ellipticals are not that hard to set-up.). They will also
remove and discard the shipping box and pallet, and if there is a problem with
the machine they often take it back.
Read the fine print on the shipping
details and determine if it is worth upgrading to an enhanced service.