It's rare that we really get a change in the fitness equipment industry. It normally takes a new product or some new research, or a major event.
Like, maybe a pandemic. 
I say this because during the pandemic when people could not shop for equipment, everybody got what they could. People come in, embarrassed that they bought this thing or these pieces during the pandemic because it was all they could get, all the time. And I tell them I understand. I was the one trying to order equipment during it. And it was nearly impossible.
But what we also had was a propagation of companies that were trying to make a quick buck taking off the shelf equipment from China or Vietnam and just slapping their name on it and pretending to be manufacturers.
Due to the success of some of these companies early, despite the on-rushing and well-documented quality and service issues, a slew of followers came in. And while they sell dumbbells and plates and the basics, they also are still pushing their copycat equipment.
But not only can you not see this stuff and try it, there's next to no support from these companies after they drop it off at the end of your driveway. And I don't just know this from the perspective of an insider, these companies call me regularly to install their equipment, because they don't really have installers, and they call me to service their equipment, because they don't have the service they're pretending to online. And no, we don't the service or install their equipment. No real local dealer is going to do that.
It's one of the reasons that we carry the brands we do. When you go into a specialty store, especially connect fit, with decades of relationships, you're getting brands like Hoist, which is really in gyms, and Hudson steel, which has been around since 2007 and stocks everything including their parts in Northern New York. And Echelon, which makes lower end stuff, but also super high-tech commercial machines, like this smart SuperGym with both freeweights and motor driven resistance.
Now, the super gym category itself is interesting. Because it has its roots back in the old Supersmith category from '90s. These were similar ideas, basically a free weight system with a Smith machine and a lat pull and low row. I used to carry the King fitness super Smith back then.
But the idea really took off again during pandemic, Take one of the freeweight racks and add cables and sometimes a Smith machine, sometimes landmines, sometimes a leg press plate, and get it all into one piece of equipment.
And because these pieces can be very versatile, and really be good or great at many of the things it's trying to do, they are very popular again.
BUT!
Online companies come and go and switch names and warehouses, and have no ownership of patents or designs, nor any understanding of the biomechanics or safety issues.
And especially, understand that you should definitely work with a company that does the delivery, the installation, and the service in-house, if possible. Your local dealership, and in this case ConnectFit, is really what takes what looks like a good idea online and make sure it is safely and properly installed in your house, and supported properly to get years of use.
Oh, and that also means that while most companies pretend to have service departments, most of them are actually just subcontracting the work, for delivery and installation. As well as service. Nearly all the chain stores do this.
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