Gold's Gym Broadway: Working the Un-Sell

Seattlest was adamant that we were going to sign up for Gold's Gym on Broadway yesterday. We'd decided that we were ready to move beyond the gym at our apartment complex and that Gold's hit the sweet spot of equipment and convenience (the YMCA on 23rd is closer, but the equipment is lacking). So post-brunch we made our way there, smiling that we were going to finally check this off of our to-do list. Here it is Monday, and we still have no membership. Let's go through how Gold's managed to screw up what should have been an easy sale.

We walked in, asked for a membership rep and filled out some paperwork. We were called over to a desk and after a short discussion of goals ("I just want to work out"), the magic tricks started. They could knock $100 off the registration fee, with payments of $60/month. That could be lowered contingent on us getting a few appointments with a personal trainer. We don't need a personal trainer, but we're not averse to getting some pointers either. We hesitated, and the numbers kept tumbling, dropping off of the registration, monthly fee (minimum one year contract), and even the personal training if we went through that one rep. The rep then started writing numbers down in groups in a flurry of circles and lines, attempting to show us our "options." Instead it felt like an Excel spreadsheet had exploded, and we pulled the "we're still looking at our options" card just to get out of this one-sided negotiation.

We walked in ready to give you money Gold's Gym, and you went and screwed it up with your confusing numerology, turning what should have been a simple signup into a walk out. Is it too much to ask that you just have a price independent of caveats and conditions? We're willing to give you money, but we'd rather not give you any than think that you're trying to screw us over in the fine print. Anyone else have a similar experience? Anyone know if $149 registration and $39/month is a good deal?

Image from flickr user rick.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Donte in Miscellaneous on January 14, 2008 11:37 AM

Comments [rss]

LookatLao

After reading this article I took a closer look at my checking account and the Broadway Gold's has been drawing money for an account I cancelled last summer.

I went down there today and of course they have no record of my cancellation and even better the woman said they no longer keep paper records--it's all on the computer. Convenient.

Then I went to the bank to see if I could put a stop on any transactions from Gold's and the guy basically said no because I signed paperwork. He gets this situation all the time from Gold's and other gyms. He said the best thing to do is close your checking account and start over. Crap.

onthebounce

I was just there on Broadway last week and they offered a "reduced" $149 registration and $39/month - even after I said I was a previous Gold's Gym member. Then they explained a confusing 15-month pre-paid membership for $800+ with 5 personal training sessions included.

I walked out. I thought in January they would have better deals?

jaisn

I recommend going in again near the end of the month. I was a member there for awhile and I happened to walk in to check it out at the end of a month, with no intention of signing up, but walked out w/ a new membership. They waived the sign-up fee and gave me the $39/month price. The guy signing me up was the manager and he flat out admitted that they have monthly membership quotas and he was more desperate than anything. I'm a terrible negotiator, I probably could have done better if I'd, you know, tried.

I've never had a problem with the credit card automatic payment, at 3 different gyms, but maybe I'm just lucky. I can see how that could be a problem, but think of the extra Capital One rewards you could get!

jportillo

One time I had gone to a 24 hr. fitness and not only did he try to sell me a bunch of confusing packages, he then started to talk about me buying his book (!). I ended up walking out of there, but it kind of worked out at the end, because now I have a story that gets other trainers off my back. I tell them about what happened (which I guess is a big no no on the trainers part), ask for a plan in my price range, and tell them i don't need a tour or trainer.

mattwright

Sounds like a typical gym to be honest. I have been a member (corporate member) of a couple now, and they are all pretty much the same with their confusing hard sale, and somehow you always leave with a couple of personal training sessions..

You start those sessions, and it is really just about the trainer convincing you that you are going to get no where without them, and that you need more sessions..

The most annoying thing for me was that once my trainer saw that I had no interest in taking dodgy supplements to "beef up", the sessions went completely down hill, and in the end I was getting a far more intensive work-out doing so by myself.

And like another person here said, don't sign up for a direct debit thing, even if they say it will take the price down.. You hear so many stores of gyms taking out money incorrectly, and it being a crap shoot trying to get it back.

Donte

curves is actually WAY more convenient than both gold's and the YMCA. i could pull a tootsie just to work out.

gaijinrunner

that is cheaper than my monthly payment with allstar fitness. they aren't near you, but allstar are really great about just letting you sign up without any of the other sales crap.

MonkeyPilot

A piece of advice for getting a membership at ANY gym: Do not sign up for credit card or any sort of automated payment. Insist on being billed. I have been screwed out of two or three months' worth of membership fees several times because it takes them time to "process" the cancellation. It sucks to pay $50/month for nothing.

Audrey

You should go to Curves.

COMTE

Screw them. Everybody's Fitness down on MLK Jr. & E. Jackson (further from B'way, sure, but not by that much) is a no-bullshit, "neighborhood gym" with some really nice people working the desk. No hard-sell, no confusing "enrollment options", just straight up, "this is the enrollment, this is the monthly, this is the term of the contract", and that's it.

If you're a union member, you can get a DEEP discount by signing up via Union Plus. I'm only paying about $17 a month on a four-year commitment, and I think my enrollment was all of $50.

And it's a decent gym, too! With sauna! AND tanning beds!

Wesa

At the end of the year, everyone pretty much pays the same amount. We go to the same Gold's and pay about $50 a month for my husband and myself's membership total. That's not too bad for your price comparison.

brappy

I would certainly call the manager and relate this story, see what they offer, and perhaps then propose $29 monthly with no registration fee and see where they go from there. I'm sure they would be amenable to something like that.