A fundamental difference in all fitness equipment can be found in where it is sold, which also determines the overall experience.
In the parlance of industry, this would be called the distribution strategy.
And it makes sense to some degree to have your product sold in as many channels as possible to sell as many units as possible. Except, when there are differences within the channels in the long term experience.
Fitness equipment is definitely one of these things. You've got commercial equipment that sells directly to the big gym chains and sports teams. You've got 'vertical market' equipment, placed and warrantied in police stations, fire stations, residences, corporate gyms, training studios and educational areas, and then you've got a couple different levels of residential equipment.
But when it comes to residential and vertical market stuff, the brands that actually sell through dealerships are basically setting themselves up to be able to support the product for the Long Haul. Companies that sell mainly online or through Mass market department stores are not.
It's just a fundamental difference. There are brands of equipment like Hoist or True that I've carried literally for over 25 years.
And the reason these companies sell through dealers is that they have offerings at all these different levels, whether it's a $20,000 commercial treadmill, a $7,000 vertical market treadmill, or a high quality $3,500 residential treadmill. And they want that equipment to be more than just sold, they want the overall experience to be better so that the client comes back. And it does work that way.
When you go on to Reddit, and you read the treadmill blogs about online brands like NordicTrack, you can see that there's a complete difference in the whole experience. All marketing, no support. This is just as true with the Strength brands, where companies market merely import off-the-shelf off-shore equipment, and slap their name on it.
Yes, I'm a dealer. But I've been one for 28 years, and my lifeblood is repeat customers.