What To Look For
If you're looking to buy exercise equipment from the infamous television and Internet infomercials, it's imperative you pay close attention to the details. Listen for the disclaimer information given during the infomercial or listed at the bottom of the TV/computer screen. Disclaimers will state things such as "results may vary," or "must follow a specific diet plan to achieve desired results."
You should also look for the pricing strategy to make sure it's feasible for your buying needs. You'll want to be wary of "trial offers" and "buy now" time frames which often have stipulations attached to them.
Look for a strong warranty and refund option. This protects you from incurring financial loss if the product is defective or you decide you dislike it. Additionally, obtain a full understanding of return policies upfront to save you time and aggravation later.
Common Pitfalls
Infomercials feed off your emotions. One major pitfall -- the same one that causes consumers to sign up for a gym membership and abandon it within weeks -- is they make an emotional commitment before an active one, says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. Do not allow your emotions to drive your buying decisions.
According to Consumer Reports, "Few, if any, infomercial exercise machines live up to all of their promises. The more expensive ones -- Bowflex, CrossBow, Total Gym, and the TreadClimber -- come closest. The cheaper ones were generally not very effective. And even those cost a lot for what they do."
Where To Buy
You can buy equipment directly from the infomercial company, or you sometimes can find these products in retail stores with an "As Seen On TV" advertisement attached to them. By all means, if you can find them in stores, it's more cost effective to purchase them there. This will save you shipping and handling costs and any return fees you'll encounter if you find you don't like the product.
Cost
The cost of infomercial exercise equipment varies depending on the type of device or machine you want to buy. Prices can range from $19.99 up to $2,000 or more. Typically, infomercials offer an easy payment plan of three or four payments of an established dollar amount. However, be sure to tally up the total payment plan amount, including shipping and other fees, to see what your final overall costs will be.
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