[Andrew W Scott]

On Tuesday I checked out Pure Fitness at 2IFC (not the Kinwick one).

Looks like a very nice club indeed.

So then we get down to the money business. They charge HK$1999 joining fee and HK$999 per month on a 12 month contract, or HK$1,199 month to month. It was HK$799 per month offpeak (but I think from memory that had to be a 12 month contract). I am definitely a person who could go offpeak.

So then I try to try negotiate, California Fitness style. No way, this guy ain't budging - he said no ifs no buts they simply DO NOT DISCOUNT.

He said the only discounts are:

1. If you are a member under a corporate plan (your company has to have at least 45 people joined up there), then it is HK$899 a month instead of HK$999 per month

2. If you have a HSBC credit card then you get the joining fee for 1/2 price.

3. If you join for 2 years, there is no joining fee and it is HK$21,888 for the 2 years. You can finance this interest free on your credit card.

So then I jokingly say to him, "so if I pay full price and then I become friends with another member and discover he is paying less than me, I can come come and strangle you, can i?" He says, "yup, the only thing was we used to have a $999 joining fee instead of the current $1999 joining fee, but the monthly charge ever since we opened in 2004 has always been $999".

I'm interested in knowing if this is true. Does anyone know whether it is or isn't?

Don't get me wrong I'm not a cheapstake, and if every is paying $999 that's ok by me and it has certain advantages (like keeping the membership down a bit), but I don't want to pay $999 a month and then discover that Edwin over there on the Smith machine or Sally over there in the Yoga class is paying $699.

Cheers
Andrew

[RBinHK]

They were offering residents of Four Seasons Place 50% off the joining fee last month.

[KnowItAll]

Andrew, of all the fitness centers we hear about .. Pure is one where we've not heard about any negotiating. They have some published discounts and some corporate deals .. but thats it.

[jayinhongkong]

They don't negotiate. I was offered the $799 for off-peak too.

[applefan]

I've heard the same. If you join under a corporate plan, do you still have to pay the joining fee?

[Andrew W Scott]

Originally Posted by applefan

I've heard the same. If you join under a corporate plan, do you still have to pay the joining fee?

I'm 90% sure you still have to pay the joining fee of $999. The joining fee is $999 if you sign up for 12 months (which you have to do to be paying the $899 a month under the corporate plan). Otherwise it's $1199 a month, month to month WITH a $1999 joining fee.

They also have a lump sum one-off payment for very short term memberships like a few months. But the amount for 3 months (my time period in HK on this occasion) was $5,000 exactly. As opposed to $1999 + 3x($799 offpeak) = $4396 which is obviously a better deal.

But no matter how nice PF was I couldnt justify it this time with California offering me $1500 for the whole 3 months and FF being effectively free (using my Aussie membership which I chose not to freeze which costs me AU$83 = HK$498 a month).

If I come back to HK for good next year I'll definitely have a serious look @ PF because I reckon its the best gym in HK. Seasons is pretty good too but they don't have barbells of various different weights already made up for you like some gyms. And its a little bit out of the way for me.

By the way, I got California in Central down to $398 a month (no joining or other fees) for a 12 month contract! Go chat to a fairly young Chinese guy, his English name is Ivan. He's one of those conscription officers, er, I mean "membership consultants".

PS. Thanks for the confirmations that PF do not discount. Actually, I don't think it's a bad way to run a business at all if you emphasise the advantages of "one price for all". At Cali, everyone seems to be paying a different price so the price you pay comes down to your skill as a professional negotiator. Which is a bit unfair for some people I think...I mean you just wanna go and workout, right? Not have your introduction to that gym be the stress of hard bargaining at the start which can leave a bad taste in the mouth long-term if you got a bad deal.

[sailor86]

If your partner is already a member at Pure, you do not have to pay the joining fee. You need to be able to prove with 2 different utility bills in different names but same address or similar but might be worth thinking of if you are 2 planning to join.