Use Good Judgement When Buying Used Fitness Equipment

In today’s internet world, there are many choices if you want to save money, and used exercise equipment is no exception. Many people who make ‘getting in shape’ their number one New Year’s Resolution start having second thoughts the first day after a strenuous workout, when sore muscles from ill-advised over-exertion start screaming “what in the heck are you doing to me?”

The equipment, which so easily folds under the bed, is avoided like the plague and soon forgotten. After a few months or years of non use, the owner decides to recoup what he/she can from the original investment, and puts an ad up on eBay or Craigslist, and there you are, staring at the ad for a Bowflex, or some other piece of used fitness equipment.

But is it safe? If you are smart, the first thing to do if you are on eBay, or another auction site, is to check out the seller’s rating, and read reviews from the sellers’ customers. Someone who has had thousands of transactions with a 99.9% positive feedback, for example, is probably a legitimate avenue to explore. They usually will have professional pictures of their equipment, with extensive descriptions and product details.

The one thing you need to ascertain before finalizing any transaction, however, is the shipping cost, which can be more expensive than the actual piece of equipment. You will have to use your best judgment, after determining the total cost, whether or not to buy it used, as it will have no warranty, in all likelihood. A very heavy piece of used fitness equipment can be very costly to ship, and the savings may not justify the fact that the used equipment may not last nearly as long as you want, depending on its prior usage, and may not work as well either.

Another avenue to explore when buying used fitness equipment is Craigslist, especially if they have your specific city listed. There are usually tons of fitness related equipment for sale, and the advantage here is that there may well be something you want to purchase that is close enough for you to go look at, and even try it out, which is highly preferable to looking at a picture on the internet. There is also no shipping cost if you are close enough to pick it up yourself, which can result in significant savings as well.

You can also ask around the neighborhood, and call your friends and relatives. Dollars to donuts, somebody you know either has an unwanted piece of used fitness equipment, or else knows somebody that does.

Another vital factor to consider when buying used fitness equipment is the quality of the Brand Name merchandise itself, especially if you are not familiar with the equipment. A good place to check is Amazon.com, which has many product reviews from consumers, and places like Consumer Reports.com. If the equipment is poorly reviewed right after it was bought, then you can probably expect it to be a poor investment as it ages.

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