Cheap elliptical trainers from an industry giant
From humble beginnings as a part-time business for two college students in Utah, ICON Health and Fitness has grown into one of the largest fitness equipment manufacturers in the world. The company’s credentials are impressive: 4,000 employees in 11 locations around the world, nearly 200 patents, ISO 9001 certification, and a portfolio of some of the best-known brands in the fitness industry. Among this group of brands are some of the best-selling elliptical trainers in the world: Weslo, ProForm, NordicTrack and Reebok.
It’s no wonder these ellipticals sell so well. They retail for between $ 200 and $ 900 with an average purchase price of around $ 400. They feature features typically found in high-end elliptical trainers, such as heart rate monitors, various built-in exercise programs, ventilators. built-in cooling pads, motorized resistance settings and iFit.com technology.
The vast majority of consumers in the home elliptical exerciser market are reluctant to spend more than $ 500 on a machine. An ICON Health and Fitness elliptical trainer for $ 400 seems like a no-brainer, but before you pull out your credit card, you might want to take a look under the covers.
*The Sears Alliance: I think the biggest factor that makes ICON Health and Fitness elliptical trainers so popular is that Sears carries them. Sears is very well associated with affordable products such as tools, entertainment equipment, and appliances. They also have a good reputation for their service. Just don’t expect the salesperson in the sporting goods department to give you information on product returns with ICON ellipticals. I’ve tried, but who can blame them. Your job is to sell products.
If you decide to buy an ICON elliptical exerciser, it is probably best if you buy it from Sears. Sears seems to be pretty good at making changes if you have problems during the 90-day warranty period. In some cases, they may simply refund your money, but your mileage may vary here, so don’t count on it. Once the 90-day warranty expires, you will have to deal directly with ICON. According to reviewers at Epinions.com, this tends to be a frustrating and unsatisfying process.
*The 90-day warranty says it all – if a fitness equipment manufacturer isn’t willing to endorse their product for more than 90 days, it should be a huge red flag! Again, take a look at some of the reviews on Epinions.com and see when these ellipticals start to break down. In many cases, it is before the end of the 90-day warranty period.
*Consumers Talk at Epinions.com – If you haven’t checked the product reviews on Epinions.com, you really owe it to yourself to take a look. Almost all ICON elliptical trainers are reviewed here. Reviews are written by real consumers, and some detail every aspect of their experience.
In some cases, reviewers describe their ongoing experiences with product returns and the customer service department. Do yourself a big favor and read each of these reviews if you are considering one of these ellipticals.
*Elliptical Trainer Reviews Not Reviewing Anything – Unfortunately, many of the elliptical trainer review sites on the internet give rave reviews to every elliptical trainer they advertise. When I see rave reviews for any ICON elliptical exerciser on these sites, I know that I don’t trust any of their elliptical exerciser reviews.
My hope is that ICON will eventually start listening to customer feedback and redesign its elliptical trainers to correct the most glaring weaknesses. Extending the parts and labor warranty from 90 days to a full year would go a long way toward demonstrating your commitment to both your products and your customers.
In the meantime, you can protect yourself when buying an elliptical cross trainer by doing your homework, both online and off. It really comes down to putting the odds in your favor. My suggestion is to narrow down your search to several higher quality residential trainers that you have tried offline, MSRP $ 1000 – $ 3000, and then buy online for the best possible price.