News

Life Fitness takes personal approach to shopping

November 23, 2008

SCHILLER PARK, Ill. — Step into an Apple store or a neighborhood Whole Foods and consumers are greeted with texture, color and movement that's highly sensory. This approach to merchandising appeals to target shoppers' imaginations, while providing an interactive, tactile presentation in the retail environment.

Leading fitness equipment manufacturer Life Fitness is addressing this trend by designing a more sensory shopping space for its retail partners that empowers customers to make an informed decision.

"Today's consumers are looking for an interactive purchasing environment where it's convenient for them to see, understand and experience a product's features and benefits," said Tim Wild, vice president of the consumer business for Life Fitness. "We want it to be easy and exciting for customers to discover what fitness equipment they need to make their home gym a place they'll use for years to come."

The Life Fitness "store within a store" concept is centered on a three-pod format that presents multiple room scenes and lifestyle graphics to put the equipment, and its benefits, into everyday context. Life Fitness treadmills, elliptical cross-trainers, Lifecycle Exercise Bikes and strength-training systems are positioned comfortably around the pod to encourage customer trial. The accessible design also includes product information stands that feature key benefits and make product comparisons for empowered shopping.

Through market research, Life Fitness determined there was an opportunity to create a more relatable fitness shopping experience - especially one that connected with women. The new concept enables the consumer to self-educate in a welcoming environment, as well as envision what the equipment might look like in their home. It also provides customers with a better understanding of how exercise can benefit them, and allows them to select products that best suit their needs.

The design also features an interactive kiosk with educational videos, attractive lighting and flooring that highlights key products in the retail environment.