My blog today is about gym memberships and Gold’s Gym in particular.
Their Strategy is to have you sign up for an entire year, even though as students we are only generally in the campus area
either commuting on living out here during the 8months of the school year.
I was told that if I am not able to use my pass in the summer months I could just put it on hold no problem and would have to pay a fee of $10.00 a month. When this time came I was told that the there was a fee to put it on hold as wel as 10.00 a month. Even though I explained to them the person who sold me my pass had never mentioned any fee when putting on hold aside from the $10 a month. They said essentially for lack of better words “too bad he doesnt work here anymore and you have no proof” even though my friend was told the exact same thing. After that whole thing I won a draw at blenz for a free year pass at golds gym but was called and informed they didn’t want to do a full drawing as there were only a few participants and that I am being given a courtesy one week pass. This is false advertising no? I won the draw… they just decided not to give me what was advertised?
And now to add insult to injury when I came back after the summer to take my membership off hold they charged me 3 times in one month as opposed to the regular bi-weekly charges and when I called the girl tried to say oooh thats normal those are the charges as if I would just say okay and put the phone down. I explained to her I was being charged an extra time and that it wasnt even on the regular bi weekly scheduled days. I feel that these payments are automated, so its difficult for me to understand why there was a charge on a random date that wasnt the set date. I feel that golds is trying to take advantage of ppl who don’t keep a keen eye on their visa bills as automated payments go to gold so often that ppl wont notice and they can weasel 22 more dollars out of you. I was insulted at this and the fact that the girl on the phone tried to act as if this was a normal payment. I eventually had them credit my account but now fear that she was just saying that and nothing will happen. I dont understand what this company is thinking and even though i like the location and working out there, the costs and lack of trust outweigh the benefits for me at this point and I recommend avoiding membership at any costs and will DEFINITELY NOT be renew my membership EVER!