A gym that costs $600 a month but gives you back $50 each time you go training for a hour.
Posted by Phedericus@reddit | CrazyIdeas | View on Reddit | 69 comments
Unlikely-Ad9537@reddit
How is that even work.
thegamerdoggo@reddit
I mean it’s a cool idea but it’s really bad business and there’s near no incentive on the customers side since you said they can’t make money off showing up more than 12 hours
The only way they can profit is by making the experience so bad you hate being there
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
they would still keep their usual monthly subscription, in that sense they would profit just the same... the point isn't making money, is not losing money! it was a joke but I kinda believe there's a potential audience for this, in the right place haha
wootiown@reddit
Will they keep paying past 12 hours? Bro I'll bring my work laptop and work on the treadmill and double my hourly income and get hot
Hey_Giant_Loser@reddit
Always someone who games the "good idea" to their advantage.
wootiown@reddit
Almost like it's a crazy idea subreddit and not real
Hey_Giant_Loser@reddit
Its not actually even that crazy. there's services similar to this already.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
no they would keep their normal rate. i guess it's just for those who lack motivation
Healter-Skelter@reddit
This would be a gym that’s incentivised to keep people from showing up. Would be a horrible experience overall
SummertimeThrowaway2@reddit
Yeah but if the experience is bad enough people just won’t buy the membership anyways
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
well this system incentivises people to show up. they would still get at least their usual fee. unless you mean that they would make the experience bad on purpose just to keep people's money, but I fail to see the long term advantage for that
SummertimeThrowaway2@reddit
Dude I’ll even eat lunch in the locker room. Oh wait I already do that.
vky_007@reddit
Terrible idea. Stop using insecurity as a way to force people. That’s a terrible business model. Instead, charge 100-150 per month but offer free trainer guidance every time they come to train from a professional trainer for say 300-400 per month. Make people feel safe and comfortable. That’s it. Some of y’all still don’t understand why Apple is the most successful company of all time. Just make people feel safe and comfortable ALWAYS, the exact specs don’t matter as long as it’s comparable. We’re human beings, not ChatGPT robots bro. Treat us like one. We work on emotions way, way more due to millennia of evolution than we work on logic which is a much, much more recent development in human history. Try and understand and thereafter exploit that fact for your business ideas.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
sir, this is r/crazyideas
vky_007@reddit
It’s not crazy enough. It’s just terrible.
Bogeybo@reddit
This is like that one app that failed. GymPact. Only that only charged you when you missed your goal of going to the gym a certain amount of times a week and paid when you met it.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
I didn't know someone actually tried this haha. I wonder why it failed
Bogeybo@reddit
https://gizmodo.com/app-that-paid-users-to-exercise-owes-nearly-1-million-1818632078
FTC got em for some deceptive practices and then didn't have the money after the judgement to keep going.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
hey thanks!!
tnavas@reddit
This model exists in the Netherlands. Trainmore charge €50 to€100 p/m depending on the facility, and you get a €1 discount for every visit. Which means you could never make all of it back but you still get the feeling that going to the gym “pays off” and that your gym promotes it.
I don’t know how they manage, but the whole thing has been quite viral. I’ve been contemplating on switching as they’re supposed to be quite nice gyms.
RewRose@reddit
If its 50 a month and you can make like 20 back, that's plenty good.
Jokkitch@reddit
Fits the sub
Colonol-Panic@reddit
How do they make money if they give it all away to the gym bros who show up every day?
recycleddesign@reddit
Side hustles. Protein shakes, sexy outfits, fight milk etc..
TimeForWaluigi@reddit
Fight like a crow
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
they keep their usual rate. it's just an incentive system. if you go back, you get your money back. if they don't, they keep your money
Colonol-Panic@reddit
But if everyone goes they don’t make any money. They lose money.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
let's say it normally costs 50, under this program you pay 600 and get 550 back if you go training enough times. if you don't go, they keep it
Colonol-Panic@reddit
But what if you go 30hrs a month?
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
the max you can get is the amount you pay initially - their normal rate. you can even put it 2000 if you want
Colonol-Panic@reddit
What does “their normal rate” mean?
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
the gyms normal monthly subscription cost. Let say their usual price for the gym subscription is $50 a month, you would instead pay 600. then they will give you back the exceeding 550 little by little as you train as in incentive system, aka if you don't go to the gym you lose money.
idster@reddit
I think it’s a good idea but what if there’s an emergency preventing someone from going? They’d lose 1k in a month.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
certified medical exemptions are accepted for a refund (:
Nuzina@reddit
Well why wouldn’t you just get a normal gym membership then?
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
it's an incentive for people who need motivation... if you don't train you lose money (:
memermeme1211@reddit
I understand what you mean now but you could have phrased it better. What you’re basically saying is that alongside their regular fee(s), they also make you pay a $600 deposit that you only get back by actually attending. Yes?
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
yeah that's said better. apologies for my English
Mysticsurgeonsteam@reddit
That’s stupid no one would do that lol they would go bankrupt in a month
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
no, you can only get back you money, minus their monthly fee. it's just a reward system, not a job
Mysticsurgeonsteam@reddit
Oh ok didn’t knew that
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
lol I'm just making this up (: I love that people really thought about this
Atrave@reddit
I like this as motivation to get people to go. Not to steal this but I had a similar gym-motivation idea last week! High Risk gym. Waivers to sign and whatnot. Treadmill but there's an amateur boxer who works there waiting for you behind the treadmill and he'll beat the shit out of you if you start slowing down and get within reach of him. Fear best motivation
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
motivational violence, I like how you think
Mouse1701@reddit
So basically go to the gym at a minimum of 12 days out of the month and the gym is free.
Or at least got the gym three days a week during the month and it's free.
Any more they are paying you.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
no no, you can only get back what you pay initially. they would still keep their usual monthly fee. it's just a motivational system based on not losing money lol
bushnellwc@reddit
Most public gyms want people to sign up, pay and NOT go.
The fewer people that use the gym, the less wear and tear on the equipment, and in turn lower maintenance costs. They specialize in getting people to sign up and have the cost as high as possible while remaining low enough that people will sign up and won’t cancel due to exorbitant cost.
pragmojo@reddit
Put in the terms and conditions that you have to pass a fitness gauntlet to cancel. Like you have to bench 1 plate, squat 2 plates, and run continuously for 20 minutes.
Matt_Shatt@reddit
I, for one, welcome my new gym overlords
Ateist@reddit
...and that's why gyms should always have other sources of revenue, like vending machines.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
crazy idea not a good idea lol
Stonedpanda436@reddit
I’m at the gym for 2-3 hours a day, 5 days a week…lifting, cardio, sauna. This would be incredible
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
you'd only get your money back, no more than that :D the idea is for people lacking motivation finding motivation in not losing money... if you're highly motivated already, you have no use for this crazy idea lol
Bubbly-Pirate-3311@reddit
So I can make my money back and then some in two weeks?
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
no of course they keep their normal rate
gcko@reddit
Why would anyone sign up for this?
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
that's an incentive to go to the gym :D it's for people who need motivation
gcko@reddit
Why wait for a gym to do this. I’ll tell you what. Give me $600/mo now and I’ll give you back $50 each time you go to the gym up to a max of 10 times per month. You don’t even have to send me proof.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
lol someone in the comments said that there was an app that did that... it failed ):
gcko@reddit
Earning something is a stronger motivator than losing something. Your brain will always try and rationalize the loss all the way up until the point where it stops bothering you. If that wasn’t the case, losing the monthly fee would already be enough to motivate people.
Instead of paying a gym and hoping for a refund.. why not put $500 in a bank account somewhere you can’t easily access by tapping your card.. and every time you go to the gym transfer $20 back into your checking account as a “reward?”
That will give you the little dopamine hit, and therefore motivation hit, that you crave.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
I love how deep you thought about it lol. feels less effective to me, as those money are always in your control ultimately and quantity matters. losing 40 is acceptable, losing 600 maybe not... who knows, we need some testing!
gcko@reddit
Only problem with that is how many months will it take you to cancel and stop going if losing $600 becomes THE only motivator?
Personally I’ve already given up.
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
well, maybe after a while you just like to go to the gym. I see it as a way to force yourself to start. you can always stop paying next month like in every other gym
macnutz22@reddit
I’d rather have a gym that cost $25 and charges you $1 a pound for every weight a person doesn’t put back. Some asshole left 2 plates on barebell? That’s $180 fine or you don’t come back.
Mark_Underscore@reddit
Bro this is actually a really good idea! I’m shocked by the number of people who didn’t understand your idea! This could actually work!
Phedericus@reddit (OP)
lol thank you! I thought it was very intuitive but I didn't phrase it well apparently.
GrandmaForPresident@reddit
Most gyms are intentionally inexpensive so you sign up, stop going, but keep paying because it is only 15 dollars a month and you keep telling yourself you will go. Buy a membership to a nice gym and use the payment as your motivation
FortWendy69@reddit
Good idea. Make a cheap minimum monthly payment, you’ll make so much money off the lazy ones.
AlisonWond3rlnd@reddit
Wait I need this lol