Sears recently completed construction on its latest “Fitness Flagship”
store-within-a-store. Continuing a roll out that began last year at
select Sears locations and now in more than 35 sites, these 6,000 sq.
ft. Fitness Flagship specialty stores feature polished hardwood floors,
tall mirrors, expanded equipment layouts and resemble a modern, high-end
gym.
The Fitness Flagships are staffed by expert salespeople who have
been trained on fitness products and trends, and feature dozens of floor
models to try from leading brands like NordicTrack, LifeFitness, Sole,
Smooth, ProForm, AFG, Bladez, Schwinn and others.
They are part a series of innovations that integrate in-store and online fitness retailing to help consumers achieve their fitness goals, according to a statement.
“Whether just starting a new workout routine or a longtime fitness enthusiast, customers want a complete solution,” said Hugo Malan, SVP and president, Fitness, Sporting Goods and Toys at Sears Holdings. “Sears sells more fitness equipment than anyone else and we believe in continually improving our offering, so we have built an online fitness community and developed new destinations that attract customers both in-store and online.”
Sears' online fitness website, FitStudio, has become the most comprehensive online fitness community for both fitness enthusiasts and professionals. FitStudio was created with the help of an advisory board of fitness and nutrition professionals and features free access to a range of training resources, including: blog posts about fitness trends, a content-rich video library demonstrating individual exercises, complete workouts and multi-day exercise programs. The site connects members to a community of thousands of motivated experts and allows them to purchase gear and equipment from top brands. Members can also access FitStudio's database of more than 130,000 personal trainers and identify a local trainer and fitness events by a zip code search.
“People need to adjust their thinking and realize a fitness plan is not about weight loss, but about empowering yourself to meet realistic goals,” said Andrea Metcalf, author of Naked Fitness, and a FitStudio advisory board member and blogger. “Your chances for success rise when you're not going it alone, which is exactly what FitStudio gives you a comprehensive resource to live a fit life.”
Customers looking to take their fitness routine to the next level can sign up in-store at Sears or online at FitStudio for the new FitStudio e-trainer service. FitStudio e-trainers are certified personal trainers who interact with individual subscribers daily with a step-by-step plan including nutrition/meal plans, workout regimens and interactive tracking tools to motivate their client and adapt the plan to reach their fitness goals. Membership starts at $9.99 per week for a six-month (26 weeks) plan and is also available in three-month and month-to-month options. As an additional incentive, now through Jan. 31, 2012, Sears is offering one free week of FitStudio e-trainer with the purchase of any piece of fitness equipment of $500 or more.
