1. The Illusion of “Free” Offers
“Four weeks free” or “$0 joining fee” looks like a steal, but look closer. You will often find a joining fee still payable, or an “admin fee” that’s payable if the joining fee is “free”. The free period usually masks the upfront cost. Vice versa, if the joining fee is waived, the first 4 weeks’ offer is generally removed and you’re paying for access from day 1.
2. The 12-Month Trap
“First month on us” promos are almost always tied to a 12-month contract. These offers are rarely linked to flexible no-contract membership options, and it may not be made clear in the offer that you are signing up for a full year of payments. Breaking the contract early can mean exit penalties that can be equal to, or greater than the savings you thought you scored. Avoiding payment of any outstanding debts can also mean that you’re pursued by debt collectors that have been engaged by the Gym/service provider (creditor).
3. Paying More but Getting Less
Many chains justify their significant joining fee by suggesting that the physical 24/7 access fob and the cost involved with commissioning it to your account covers the charge, but this is false. These fob’s take less than a minute to commission and don’t cost a lot of money. A lot of the time you aren’t provided with anything of value once you’ve signed up. There is little to no genuine value added for new members despite the high entry price.
4. Promo Roulette Hurts Loyal Members
When a gym rolls out a fresh discount, current members feel cheated. They signup, then see newcomers buy a membership for less the following week. Over time this behavior trains prospects to wait for the next sale instead of starting or resuming their fitness journey sooner.
It also turns a life-changing essential service into a bargain-bin commodity product where price, not quality or value becomes the only talking point. All gyms are unique in their environment, equipment list and amount of support that’s provided and on offer, so you are never comparing apples to apples.
A low weekly membership price generally means a lower level of service or care. An incredibly low membership price means that the facility expects and requires a significant number of memberships, which generally leads to peak-time chaos and a lack of respect for equipment and other members.
5. Forged Fitness Studio: Transparent and Loaded with Value
At Forged we keep it simple:
No Lock-In Contracts: Just give us a week’s notice to cancel.
Welcome Pack Value: Includes a high-quality gym bag and gym towel, sauna hat, plus a complimentary private session in one of our Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna rooms.
Added Perks: Free use of our elite InBody Body-Composition Scanner any time you need a progress check. Access to less than $RRP on our Supplement range.
6. Final Thoughts: Choose Respect And Value, Not Promos
Contract-heavy gyms can push confusing deals, hidden fees, ever-changing promos and FOMO to keep new sign-ups rolling. At Forged we rely on respect, transparency and value. Stop waiting for the next sale. Join a space that serves you and provides you with all the elite equipment and support to help you reach your goals.
Visit us at Shop 18, 10 Shuter Ave., Thurgoona, NSW 2640, and experience the Forged difference today!
