After moving at the end of December, I was no longer living near a New York Sports Club location. It didn’t make sense to pay for a gym I can’t conveniently get to from my own apartment so I (sadly) ended my membership. And I figured with Core Fusion for strength and running outside for cardio, I was set.
I decided to handle any issues with cold/bad weather/dark running by trying a one month membership to a small gym very close to my apartment called Strive NYC. Their website advertises the following offer in two different places on their site:
Low Priced One Month Trial, convertible in the first two weeks into a Yearly Prepaid Membership or a One Year Commitment Pay-as-you-Go Membership
Sounded perfect for me! A low priced one month trial to use the treadmill as I pleased, just two blocks from my building. And by the time the month ended, it should be a little warmer out.
So last Saturday I went in to Strive to find out more details about this offer, as well as the price of their 3 month membership option. I met half of the husband and wife ownership team, the wife Malou. She took me on a tour of the gym.
Strive NYC is very small. There are no classes. It is literally just machines, which do not have individual TVs. However, there are shared TVs up against the wall. The locker room has no amenities, but it looked clean and nice. There were renovations going on around me.
I figured this gym would be perfect for me since I planned to use only the treadmill. I figured it would be much cheaper than NYSC since NYSC lets you use any of their locations all over New York City, has individual TVs on the machines, has a much larger variety of machines, offers lots of classes and has amenities in their locker rooms. Strive only has the one small location. And I read some reviews online that put the monthly price as low as $30 a month for some people.
Once the tour was finished, I told Malou I enjoyed the tour and was interested in the one month trial. Malou shook her head, looking at me like I had two heads:
“There is none,†she told me.
“But it says it on your website.â€
“No such offer exists.â€
“OK, but why does your website mention this offer on both the homepage and the membership page?†I needed to know.
But Malou seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. She would not give me a one month membership.
Malou and her husband Yves are the owners. So I assume they control what goes up on their website. I assume they approve the content. I assume they KNOW the content. But based on Malou’s reaction, either she truly has no idea what’s going on with her own business or she lied to me.
I decided to find out the prices for the 3 month membership and was SHOCKED to find out that each month is more expensive than a month at NYSC. That’s right. Strive is charging members a higher price for a small club with no classes & no amenities than NYSC charges for big clubs with individual TVs, locations all over the city, amenities, classes, etc. What a major ripoff. I really hope some of their members find this post and switch to NYSC. Even Crunch Gym is cheaper than Strive — and they are famous for all their unique classes!
I’m not saying anything is wrong with a gym that isn’t fancy. I’m not a snob. I just think that a less fancy gym should charge less fancy prices.
I told her that I was paying less at NYSC. Malou shrugged. I walked out. Malou did not try to make me any better offer. I went home with a bad taste in my mouth and pulled up the Strive website. Just to double check.
Yep. The offer was right there, both on their homepage next to a highlighted Special Offer image and also on their membership page.
I sent them an email using their contact form and pasted the one month trial text. I explained I was in there earlier and was told this offer doesn’t exist, and I asked why they advertise it on their website. I never heard back.
*Update: In a Google search of Strive, I found this case study from their web developer. As stated here, “I worked closely with the owners to create a clean and welcoming design aimed at attracting a wide audience.” So it is confirmed: the owners DO know the text on their website. They just don’t feel like honoring it.
I don’t like to bash businesses that are just trying to survive in a very expensive city, but I have no tolerance for blatant deception like this. I was willing to pay Strive a fair price for one or even three months. The owners at Strive don’t seem to care about standing by their offers or running an honest business. They don’t know who I am or that I’d write about their horrible customer service on the intertubes for everyone researching New York City gyms to see.
But they should treat every customer as if he or she writes a fitness blog. Because you never know who just might.
j.
February 4, 2010 at 9:38 pm (15 years ago)it blows my mind that any business owner would practice such poor customer service.
Janna (Just Flourishing)
February 4, 2010 at 10:00 pm (15 years ago)That’s awful!
When I first moved to NYC, I went to a gym near my place that was very similar to Strive actually. No amenities, no classes, no tv’s, just machines. I was just planning to just use the treadmill as well. I assumed this gym would me MUCH cheaper. But it was basically the same price as (or even more than) other, MUCH nicer gyms I had looked at.
And it makes it so much worse that Strive lied about that offer. Some people!
melissa
February 4, 2010 at 10:22 pm (15 years ago)I am so surprised that there are no nysc near you. Are you near the 92nd st y or a 24 hour fitness, lucille roberts, or ballys? they are all semi affordable.
Dori
February 4, 2010 at 10:24 pm (15 years ago)I know right! There is NYSC on every corner in the city except in the 10 block radius around my apartment. I’m not near 92nd or any of the other gyms — they are actually farther from me than my closest NYSC which is too far! I do have the following gyms VERY close: Sports Club/LA, Equinox, Crunch. Too much $ for what I need, not worth it.
Jen, a priorfatgirl
February 4, 2010 at 10:48 pm (15 years ago)I cannot believe the owner would deny such an offer existed if its on the company website! HAHAHA…doesn’t she know the internet means published to everyone?
Amanda, another priorfatgirl
February 4, 2010 at 11:06 pm (15 years ago)bam!!!! big mistake on their part.
Kristine
February 4, 2010 at 11:31 pm (15 years ago)I can not believe that!! It’s crazy. All I can say is wow that’s horrible.
Rachel @ Shedding It
February 5, 2010 at 9:18 am (15 years ago)I don’t know if it’s worth it to you but last year I did “outreach” at Equinox for two hours a week….helping in the membership sales office…and got a free membership. It was SO worth feeling like an intern for two hours a week; that gym is boss!
Dori
February 5, 2010 at 8:17 pm (15 years ago)Not worth it since I am trying to save time with this, not use more 🙂
Amanda
February 5, 2010 at 10:03 am (15 years ago)Horrible! I would report them to the BBB. I hope their members read this and make the switch.
MelissaNibbles
February 5, 2010 at 10:30 am (15 years ago)I hope you send them a link to this blog post as well since you have a lot of NYC readers that will probably avoid their gym now.
I guess the bad economy hasn’t affected their business and they can afford to turn away customers.
Lindsey @ Eat, Read, Run
February 5, 2010 at 12:13 pm (15 years ago)Wow – that place stinks and these owners sound shady. Was there anyone even working out there? I feel like most people searching for a gym are pretty savvy and I can’t believe that anyone would be conned into their high prices and subpar service.
Jen
February 5, 2010 at 1:20 pm (15 years ago)That’s ridiculous. Every part of it. How does a place like that stay open w/ actual members??
Shannon
February 6, 2010 at 9:07 am (15 years ago)Wow! Either way that really says bad things about that club. Either they don’t honor their deals or they are just too forgetful to know what deals they advertised! They just lost some business!
Erin
February 6, 2010 at 11:29 am (15 years ago)Wow, what a strange experience. Gyms are usually so eager for members that they’re pretty accomodating. Sounds like a great business plan they have….
Kat
February 6, 2010 at 5:21 pm (15 years ago)Ha, ha, ha. They picked the wrong person for the whole bait and switch deal. Pretty sure the whole thing is illegal. Crazy.
caronae
February 7, 2010 at 1:08 am (15 years ago)Ugh I hate dishonest companies, even small ones. Good thing I have my school gym for now; I don’t know how I’ll afford any gym membership in NYC when I graduate.
Elina
February 7, 2010 at 4:11 pm (15 years ago)Eh, I hate companies like that – trying to take advantage of honest consumers. Hope you’re able to find another gym that doesn’t try to screw you over… or maybe just invest in some warm running gear – that also works! 🙂
Jess (Fit Chick in the City)
February 7, 2010 at 8:04 pm (15 years ago)Wow!!! They totally suck! Nice job on writing a post about it. They really should have honored it or at least apologized. Maybe they don’t really want members? Perhaps the fitness thing is some sort of front.
A@ Please Don't Eat Me!
February 9, 2010 at 10:47 am (15 years ago)thats insane, i cant believe they would turn you away like that!!! heres hoping they read this post.. and then people who go to that gym read this.. then we’ll see what happens then!!
i dont go to the gym, i only get little blocks of time to work out.. and usually its on my lunch break, so i use the gym here at work- its small and the tech guys work out at the same time & they kind of stink. but, as long as its sanitary.. i just put on my ipod and go.. lol
Ashley
February 24, 2010 at 5:38 pm (15 years ago)Just catching up on your blog….I live in that area also and was going to check out Strive but decided to join Crunch. I’m glad I didn’t waste my time at Strive. That is so bizarre and unprofessional! I highly recommend Crunch. It’s great, clean, full of fun classes, etc. I sadly had to cancel my membership though b/c I’m moving. =(
When you do run outside do you use the 63rd st entrance to the walkway along the water? I love it there! it’s so peaceful and pretty.