6 min. read
Everyone has gone through a phase where they want to have a home gym, but are you ready to fully commit? According to RunRepeat[3], during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 alone, the at-home fitness equipment industry saw $10 billion in annual sales, while the gym and health club industry lost $13.9 billion due to gym closures due to the pandemic.
While many gyms have begun to open their doors up with safety restrictions, many gyms have closed forever. This has also been a cause for the increase in at-home fitness equipment because during the cold months people don’t have a place to work out.
So, if you’re looking to purchase home fitness equipment, there are a few things you should know. Don’t order the first thing you see on Amazon, do your research. The time of year to buy will also depend on the type of equipment you’re looking for. Let’s take a look at the best time to buy fitness equipment such as treadmills, Pelotons, weight sets, and more.
The absolute best time to look for fitness equipment is around New Year’s. Everybody has just made their new year’s resolution to shed some pounds and cut out fast food. Retailers know this and bank on the well-intentioned new year’s resolution crowd to buy up their treadmills and other fitness equipment.
Your best bet for finding a deal on fitness equipment in January is to buy straight from the manufacturer. The manufacturers will usually have free shipping or big sales on their website enticing those who vowed to start jogging every morning to pull the trigger on that treadmill.
Since January is such a popular time for buying fitness equipment and there are a lot of great deals, it can be difficult to get your hands on something. So, you may not get exactly what you were looking for but may be able to get something similar for a decent price.
According to ConsumerReports.org[4], two of the items with the biggest discounts on them in January are treadmills and ellipticals.
After the “New Year New Me” month is over, a lot of that fitness equipment gets returned. Retailers are going to turn around and get the inventory back out of their stores, so look for sales on both new and open-box fitness equipment. People will generally buy the equipment, never take it out of the box and return it within the return policy time frame.
As with most big-ticket items, it’s always best to check deals around the holidays for all types of fitness equipment. If you have an item you’re looking for, like a Peloton[5], keep an eye on the prices during a holiday month.
All three-day weekends are going to have some sort of sale, such as Presidents' Day, but the deals will be minimal in comparison to the big ones like Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Black Friday is of course the ultimate day to find deals on equipment. What was once a single in-store day has become almost a month-long event that also happens online. Retailers spend this time of year competing with each other to get the most business with sales. The holiday season is the stereotypical time to buy, so you may be better off trying different times of the year if you’re looking for popular items.
- Presidents' Day
- Memorial Day
- Fourth of July
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day
One of the largest retailers in the world, Amazon has its own day in the middle of July where they have a gigantic sales event. Before Prime Day happens, make sure to do your research to find the items you want such as weight sets or treadmills, and keep an eye on the prices. If you plan to buy around Prime Day, you should sign up for alerts on camelcamelcamel.com to ensure you are up to date.
Another month great for purchasing fitness equipment is in June. This is likely because, with summer starting, people turn to the outdoors for fitness and want to get a deal on outdoor gear. Home equipment is left on the shelves and retailers need to get it moving, so they mark down prices. Check with your retailers for summer sales events that are trying to get rid of inventory. So, if you are looking for a treadmill, summertime might be your time to score one.
There are plenty of opportunities during the year to get a deal on home fitness equipment. If you have something in mind, should you wait? Well, that’s up to you. If saving a couple of hundred dollars won’t affect your budget, might as well buy when you’re ready.
ConsumerReports.org suggests that you go into the store and physically see the equipment. Buying online is convenient, sure, but you’ll want to make sure the equipment is comfortable for you to use and the right fit. If you still want to buy online, try going to a retailer that sells the model you’re looking at so you can see it in person before dropping money on it.
Buying directly from the manufacturer can save you some money, as they will offer free shipping and installation on larger items. If you want to save some cash, buying at the store and getting it home yourself is another option.
To sum it up, no matter how you choose to buy fitness equipment there are many options. Do your research and make sure you are getting the item you want. Keep up with price trends and pay attention to sales around holidays and off-seasons. Go to a local store to see the products you are looking at online, especially for large items like ellipticals and treadmills. You want to make sure you are comfortable using the item before committing to it.
Whatever you decide, have fun with it, and be sure to read those return policies just in case you change your mind. You could help out another savvy shopper with a deal!
