Probably this? What is surprising to me is how this surpassingly cheap price is NOT for an annual contract, paid monthly. It’s a month-to-month one you can cancel anytime! bsky.app/profile/o.si... - ThreadSky

gergely.pragmaticengineer.com • 57 days ago

Probably this?

What is surprising to me is how this surpassingly cheap price is NOT for an annual contract, paid monthly. It’s a month-to-month one you can cancel anytime!

https://bsky.app/profile/o.simardcasanova.net/post/3leye6l4hts2t

Reposted from Olivier Simard-Casanova

I’m assuming many people who basically never show up don’t cancel their membership quickly

Even if they cancel after 2 or 3 months, it’s still 2 or 3 months of basically pure profit for the gym

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robinschlinkert.bsky.social•57 days ago

Much lower barrier to entry (as you observed, it looks like an amazing offer)

And there is the psychological lock-in of "if I cancel and then rejoin, I have lost this deal, maybe I will use it in the summer"

numerius.bsky.social•57 days ago

Not surprising at all. It’s sticky via the best imaginable way. Your own guilt. It takes a lot to accept you won’t be using it and should cancel.

teromknen.bsky.social•57 days ago

Gym donorship :)

djc.ochtman.nl•57 days ago

Also, marginal cost for additional members for the gym is ~0.

renatooliveira.bsky.social•57 days ago

Also canceling your membership means giving up, people don't like to do this. Here in Brazil a common joke is "I'm investing in a gym"

billkarwin.geek.org•56 days ago

Also even when you do decide to cancel a membership, be prepared for a marathon test of wills with the gym staff. They will literally tag out to a coworker to outlast you.

guysie.nl•57 days ago

You can cancel any time, but doing so is admitting that you have failed to get fit - yet again. So it’s not a rational decision. As long as you have the membership, the potential for you not to fail exists.

bidetofevil.wtf•57 days ago

All you have to do is add a bit of friction (e.g. you have to call) and all those with ADHD will keep paying until their credit card expires

ggn.me•57 days ago

I don't think it's possible to cancel after the first month with Basic Fit. This link mentions a minimum one year contract unless you sign up for Flex (which is, of course, more expensive) https://www.basic-fit.com/en-nl/cancel

jvoorhis.bsky.social•57 days ago

Yeah, this is a well known phenomenon. Big US chains are backstopped by an aggressive call center for those who try to cancel

ymar.bsky.social•57 days ago

And lots of upselling at the gym, sports water subscription, energy bars

dsims.bsky.social•57 days ago

This is why I bought home equipment instead. I get the same result but at a one time cost.

neil-vass.com•57 days ago

Interesting discussion of gym membership economics here!

"At a gym, emptiness equals success... gyms want to be a product that everyone buys, but no one actually uses."

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