Conference 7.286::maynard

    I received a mailing with that same offer. The price does seem too
    low. 
    
    Several months ago, my wife and I visited Fitness Corner to see the
    facility and hear their pitch. They said there was a membership cap of
    600 or 700 people, and that they were currently at 350 or so. With this
    offer it's likely they'll have more than enough people to meet their
    membership cap. I wonder if they'll exceed it, and thus end up making
    the place too crowded? I'd be real upset if I were a full-price member. 
                                                           
    
    

	I hope there's no catch, I just joined Tuesday after I got their
	offer.  I used to be a member 2 years ago, but the renewal was 
	expensive, so I didn't bother.  I couldn't resist the $69.00 
	offer!   

	It is a beautiful place now, much better than before.

	- Linda
	

I got the offer letter from them yesterday saying I had "won" the discount
membership.  The offer was transferrable.  I could bring as many people as
I wanted with me when I signed up.
I've never belonged to a health or fitness club, so it's not like I was on 
the right mailing list - looks like a mass mailing to me.

Did you others get it as an ad or in the guise of a contest?
That makes it look fishy to me.

    I won too.  Of course, I "win" everything.  
    
    If I took every contest notification I get seriously, I'd have about
    100 trips to Disneyland (or Clocks, Color TVs, or Chevy Blazers).  I
    would also either be in mucho debt and own lots of time-share condos or
    be very good at telling high-pressure sales people "no". 
    
    But... this looks pretty good.  My wife and I are thinking about going
    for it.  I'm very interested in hearing anything people have to
    say about how on-the-level this offer is.
    
    (Quick! before my 24 hours expire! :^)
     
    Pete

    See UPF::FLEX for other comments.  For what it's worth, I joined.
    I go for a group instruction on Saturday.  One-on-one programming
    is extra but they do have people there to help if you need it while
    you're working out.  There seems to be no catch...nothing out of
    the ordinary was noted on the contract.  I believe that it is a
    marketing device based on the fact that a relatively small number
    of people who buy memberships actually continue to use them.  After
    several weeks, the newness wairs off and it's not fun anymore. 
    So if they sign up 150 people, maybe only 25 continue to use the
    club.
    
    I would be very upset if I had just purchased a one-year membership for
    $450 at this place and had people sign up for $69.00 a year.  This
    membership appears to be no different (except for the cost).  Full use
    of all equipment and facilities.  Tanning and some of the other
    services are extra, but they're extra for all members. 

    I had been there twice before and was tempted but just not willing
    to invest that kind of money...especially since the reputation for
    health clubs stability in this area is shakey.  I know at least
    one person who shelled out alot of money for a lifetime membership
    at a franchised club and lost it all when they went out of business.
    And the ex-owner was driving around in a brand new car!!!

    my wife is a member, and got the letter, too. she said that she asked
    the folks down there about it, and they said that some outside
    organization offered to run this promotion for them, and they
    apparently took them up on it. they said that it was aimed at new
    members, but nothing says that old members can't use it, too.

    i can't see how they can make any money at that rate, plus pay the
    people who are running the promotion. seems like it has to be a
    loss-leader (but for what?) maybe they make it up in volume...

             I work with someone who leads a couple of aerobic courses
    down there and as far as she knows the idea of the promotion is
    to pull in warm bodies and get some word of mouth advertising. I
    think I will bite. All I want is a 3 mo. membership. $69 is a good
    price for that and I may use it again in the future. Lots of people
    go for the "lifetime" memberships but very few ever use them. This
    is where they make money. If they went out of business 4mos from
    now I still wouldn't feel cheated. I have been into look it over
    and it looks nice and clean with plenty of room.
    

    
    Where is Fitness Corner ?
    
    John
    

>    Where is Fitness Corner ?

On Main Street, opposite the end of Walnut Street.
Next to Gruber Bros Furniture.
In the remodeled set of storefronts that includes the new mall.

    This is spooky.  I just joined a health club in Canton under the
    same conditions: $69 per year; had to join to 2 years; the same
    extras for full-priced members are extra for us.  My sister-in-law
    got the letter stating that she could bring friends...
    
    We both had the same reaction as well: are they going under?  Then
    we decided that even if we got 4-5 months out of it for $140, we 
    couldn't complain.
    
    Now, if the membership was $69/year, how much did this Marketing
    Company get????
    
    Pat MilliganAbber