Nowadays, fitness has become a fashion, but many people are busy with work and have no time, which leads to the delay of courses. Can I return my fitness card after I get it? In the past few days, the reporter learned that the biggest headache for consumers is that once they want to return their cards halfway, they will often be rejected by merchants for various reasons. In this regard, a number of gymnasiums replied that gymnasiums have regulations that fitness cards cannot be returned. If citizens have special circumstances, they can transfer their cards to others, but they need to charge a certain handling fee.
The public reported that the coach who changed frequently in private classes wanted to return the fitness card but was rejected.
Ms. Zhang, a citizen, told the reporter that in October 2017, she met the coach of a fitness club near Nanning Zoo through purchasing, and agreed to buy private lessons at the price of 300 yuan/Festival. Subsequently, she transferred 2,000 yuan as a course deposit through WeChat. After that, because Ms. Zhang’s company started her initial business, she was very busy at work and never had time to go to the gym. In April 2019, the coach told her that if she didn’t make up the final payment, the previous deposit would be invalid according to the company’s regulations. At the end of April, she went to the gym to make up the final payment. According to the coach, she bought 12 private lessons for a period.
After Ms. Zhang attended the first class, the coach said that her leg muscles were tense and she needed to buy stretching courses to train better. To this end, Ms. Zhang purchased five more stretching courses. Unexpectedly, just halfway through the first stretching class, the coach said something was wrong and asked another female coach to continue the class. After four stretching classes, the female coach was informed that there was a change in her work, so she could not continue to teach Ms. Zhang and was docked with another coach to teach her.
At the end of June, before the private education course was finished, the coach said that the course was offered a discount. At the suggestion of the coach, Ms. Zhang bought 15 private lessons at a price of 4050 yuan.
After that, because of the company’s many things, Ms. Zhang has not been able to insist on finishing the private teaching class. During the National Day holiday, the coach informed Ms. Zhang that she still had nine classes, and if she didn’t go to class at the end of the month, the courses would expire. Therefore, Ms. Zhang found time to attend classes in the fitness club. As a result, she only had a class. The coach also said that she could not continue to serve Ms. Zhang because of job changes.
"I changed six coaches in a row, which greatly affected the fitness experience. Other coaches simply don’t know my training progress and adaptation intensity, and the effect of temporary classes can be imagined. " In addition, it is suspected that the fitness club has the behavior of inducing consumption, so that Ms. Zhang insists on returning the card. On October 12th, Manager Qin of the fitness club told Ms. Zhang that the results could only be given after consulting the company. Two days later, manager Qin replied that according to the company’s regulations, the fitness card could not be returned and the gym continued to serve her.
The gym said: the fitness card will be invalid when it expires, and there will be a fee for returning the card and transferring it.
If the consumer fails to finish the private teaching course for some reason, the course will expire and become invalid? Manager Qin of the fitness club said that according to the company’s system, exercisers can take two months off for a one-year card, which means an extension of two months, and a two-year card can take four months off.
"After members purchase the course, they begin to follow the process. The coach should make a fitness plan according to the members’ physical condition and personal needs, and make preliminary, medium and late arrangements." Manager Qin said that if the company wants to operate normally, it also needs rules and regulations to regulate it. At that time, Ms. Zhang bought regular classes to reduce fat, gain muscle and shape. Once the contract was signed, it was agreed according to the contract, and the fitness card could not be returned. If you can’t continue to exercise for personal reasons, the club can apply to the company for Ms. Zhang to transfer her card to her relatives and friends, but a certain handling fee is required to transfer the card, and both parties have to go to the fitness club to issue a certificate and an agreement to transfer classes. Or they apply to the company to transfer Ms. Zhang to other stores in the company to facilitate Ms. Zhang’s fitness.
Regarding Ms. Zhang’s reflection on the frequent change of coaches in private lessons, Manager Qin said that Ms. Zhang bought the private lessons of the company, not the courses of the coaches who docked with her at the beginning. "There is really no way about the turnover of people. The turnover of people in the fitness industry is relatively frequent, and we can’t stop the coaches from leaving."
Then, what is the agreement of this fitness club on the membership card in other gymnasiums? Is it a general rule in the industry? During the visit, Xiao Zou, a staff member of a fitness center in Changchun Road, told the reporter that fitness is not compulsory consumption. If citizens do not pay the final payment for a long time after paying the deposit, they will basically not cancel the subscription after the expiration. After the card is issued, there will be a card opening time. Whether you go to the gym or not, it will be expired after it expires.
Coach Zhang of a fitness center in Ming Xiu East Road said that after ordinary citizens buy annual cards, the number of times they exercise is not limited, but it will be automatically invalidated as soon as the time comes.
The reporter visited and found that many gymnasiums have the regulation that fitness cards are "once sold, they will not be returned". When a gym signs a contract with a consumer, it will indicate in the contract that if it wants to transfer or return the card, it needs to pay a certain fee. For example, buying a 2-year fitness card costs 2,000 yuan, while returning or transferring the card costs 300 yuan or even more. The shorter the card is, the higher the fee charged for card return and card transfer. In this regard, many gym staff said it was the company’s regulations, because the fitness card was issued by real-name registration system, and if you want to transfer the card, you need to re-do the system.
Impulse consumption: many people spend money on cards and have no perseverance to keep fit.
During the visit, many citizens said that it was a temporary fever to run a fitness card. Maybe I feel fat, or I am envious when I read a chicken soup article about fitness and see someone else’s vest line. I got a fitness card on the spur of the moment without a fitness plan and I am not sure whether I can stick to it.
After getting a fitness card, many people can’t stick to fitness. For example, Ms. Wei, a citizen, heard that a gym in Taoyuan Road had preferential activities, and the two-year card was only 1380 yuan, so she went to get a card. She thought that fitness was nothing more than running, lifting iron and push-ups, but when she came to the gym, she looked at the equipment and didn’t know its name, so she was a little at a loss. Moreover, she didn’t know how to exercise and what kind of training plan she was suitable for, and with no one to accompany her to exercise, Miss Wei gave up. Two years later, in order to motivate herself to fall in love with sports, she got a card in another newly opened gym. Then, due to tight working hours, going to the movies, eating delicious food and other reasons, the fitness went away, and the membership card for two years only went several times.
Mr. Luo, a citizen, said that because he was too fat and disliked by people around him, he made up his mind to develop abdominal muscles. So, he held a private education class in a gym on Hengyang Road. According to the agreement, Mr. Luo should buy private lessons at every stage of fitness. In the meantime, because he couldn’t bear the intensity of exercise, he gave up fitness after only a few classes.
Consumer reminder
Pay attention to restrictive regulations when handling cards.
Don’t rush to spend money and get a large card.
Can citizens return their cards if they don’t go to the gym for a long time after getting them? Is it reasonable to pay a handling fee to the gym for card transfer? In this regard, Zhao Mingtang, a lawyer of Guangxi Guanghe Law Firm, said that the gym refused to return the card, which is a market behavior. In terms of contract disputes, gyms and consumers are equal subjects. Whether the card can be returned mainly depends on whether there is inducement or fraud when the gym handles the card for consumers. If there is such behavior, consumers can ask the gym to return their cards; Otherwise, we must abide by the provisions of the contract agreement.
Sign a written agreement
Lawyer Zhao Mingtang reminds everyone that when applying for the annual fitness card, it is best to sign a written agreement with the merchant on whether to charge for returning or transferring the card, and learn more about the contents of the agreement.
The staff of 12315 suggested that consumers should pay attention to the fitness card, and must sign a written agreement with the merchants, especially pay attention to the restrictive provisions, and don’t be confused by the preferential conditions of the operators. In the complaints about the consumption of fitness prepaid cards accepted by the market supervision bureau, most merchants do not sign any form of contracts, but only verbally agree. Once disputes arise, consumers’ rights and interests cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, before signing a written contract, consumers should read all the terms carefully and be aware of them. At the same time, the other party is required to stamp the official seal and ask the operator for invoices or receipts in case of consumer disputes.
It should also be noted that there is not much difference in the probability of problems with fitness cards between chain stores and non-chain stores. Consumers should not easily believe that chain stores are more reliable. If a chain store claims that it can be used in multiple chain stores when handling the card, consumers can check with other chain stores on the spot and write the commitment into the supplementary agreement.
Try to avoid handling large fitness cards.
To apply for a fitness card, you should fully consider your own actual situation, such as your physical condition, hobbies, fitness time, etc., and don’t believe in the promotion of the fitness shop for a while and blindly consume. (Reporter Wei Wei)
