Having been in the fitness equipment business for a long time, I am often asked a very practical question – when should I place an order so that I can get the goods that meet my expectations while also keeping the cost more manageable? Especially for equipment like treadmills that take up a considerable amount of space and require meticulous calculation for transportation and storage, there are actually many tricks to choosing the right time to purchase. It is not merely about looking at which page the calendar turns to, but rather following the breathing rhythm of the industry, the usage curve of the venue, and the subtle fluctuations of the supply chain.
In the first two months of the year, gyms, studios and hotel fitness areas have just ended their pre-holiday hustle and bustle, mostly taking stock of the losses of the previous year and planning new schedules. At this point, the demand is like a newly awakened river that has not yet fully risen. The production scheduling pressure on the factory end is relatively light, and there is also more time for customized communication. If in places like Sydney or Cape Town in the Southern Hemisphere, the beginning of the year coincides with the end of summer, and the popularity of outdoor fitness has slightly declined. At this time, indoor venues are preparing to expand their spring course capacity. If the purchase is finalized at this time, when the new equipment is in place, it will be just in time for the early warm-up of the local fitness season, and the venues can be seamlessly updated.
As spring sets in and summer begins, the fitness market in the Northern Hemisphere starts to heat up. From urban fitness studios in Tokyo to community clubs in Berlin, the number of reservations is gradually increasing, and venues are busy adding equipment to cope with the flow of people. But this is precisely the hottest time for the supply chain – raw material stocking, ocean shipping space, and production scheduling are all in a rush to keep up the pace. The procurement window is likely to narrow, and the delivery cycle may be prolonged. On the contrary, when the Southern Hemisphere enters autumn and the Northern Hemisphere is still at the tail end of midsummer, some factories will process the remaining orders from the first half of the year in advance to prepare for the off-season in autumn and winter. At this time, if you negotiate, you might encounter more flexible supply flexibility.
From June to August in the middle of the year, most fitness venues in the Northern Hemisphere enter the summer peak period. The fitness areas of children’s camps, corporate group classes, and resort hotels are almost operating at full capacity, and the purchasing demand is pushed back by actual usage. However, on the factory side, orders for the first half of the year have been delivered in a concentrated manner, and the production line has entered a phase of adjustment. If it is in Helsinki in Northern Europe or Vancouver in Canada, with long summer days and many outdoor activities, the purchase plan for indoor fitness equipment is often postponed to the end of summer to complete the installation before the return of members in autumn. During this period, when chatting with the factory, apart from the stable delivery time, there might also be some flexible space released to reserve production capacity for the second half of the year.
From September to November is another period worth paying attention to. Fitness venues in the Northern Hemisphere are starting to offer autumn and winter cards and indoor training camps, while those in the Southern Hemisphere are gradually entering summer. There will be an overlap in procurement demands between the two regions. However, experienced purchasers will avoid the logistics peak around October – that is one of the most crowded periods for global sea and land transportation, especially for containers sent to Southeast Asia or the Middle East, where port congestion can consume a lot of time. If orders are placed in advance in September and ships are loaded before the peak logistics period, when the equipment arrives at fitness complexes in Dubai or high-end apartment clubs in Bangkok, it coincides with the local peak season opening time, and the venue can save the cost of waiting for vacancy.
At the transition point between the end of the year and the beginning of the new one, factories are generally conducting annual settlements and equipment maintenance. The production plans for the New Year are still being sorted out. If the purchasing demands are not urgently fulfilled in January, this time can be used to refine the specifications and functional details more thoroughly, and even conduct a round of sample confirmation for the large-scale demands in the spring of the following year. In places like Buenos Aires in South America or Johannesburg in South Africa, the year-end holidays are long, and the renovation of venues is mostly scheduled to start after the festival. Once the purchasing intentions are locked in before the New Year, the resumption of work after the festival can be advanced rapidly.
Ultimately, the timing for purchasing a treadmill is not about choosing a fixed “discount month”, but rather following the off-peak and peak curves of the fitness industry, the usage habits of different regions and seasons, as well as the tightness and looseness of the supply chain to strike the right spot. Placing orders during off-peak hours not only ensures that the venue can use the equipment precisely when needed but also makes the rhythm of transportation and installation more practical. A good timing for procurement is like laying a smooth prelude for the future operation of the venue, making every start-up run less anxious and more confident.
Post time: Dec-04-2025