With gyms unlikely to open soon, sale of fitness equipment rises

 

                                       

MORE DEMAND FOR VIRTUAL TRAINERS

 Under lockdown, online streaming by gyms, health clubs and fitness studios has gone up. Some e-commerce portals, too, have added a ‘digital personal trainer’ section on their app. A Snapdeal spokesperson says, “Customers are buying fitness coach and nutrition expert consultations that we’ve recently added on our website. It lets them see how they’re doing compared to virtual classmates.” Fitness enthusiasts say that using apps and virtual classes keeps them motivated. Kavita Duggal, who works in the hospitality sector, says, “I like training through fitness apps. It is not expensive, and if you follow diligently, it is as good as a gym session.”

                                    

FITNESS EQUIPMENT SALES RISING WITH PEOPLE UNSURE OF GOING BACK TO GYMS

                                    

                                

 The demand for fitness equipment is booming in lockdown, with people setting up gyms at home.  A staff member at an ecommerce website says, “Even with social distancing norms, it isn’t safe to use gyms for at least a few months. So, we expect more people to order treadmills and cycles.” Nitin Kumar, who works for a transport company, says, “I spent half of the lockdown watching fitness videos lying on my couch. I didn’t exercise much as I didn’t have weights. But now I’ve ordered them. Most of my friends and colleagues are also buying gym equipment as in a month or two, we’ll have to go back to office.”

EQUIPMENT IN HIGH DEMAND

                                    

 ■ Exercise bands    

 ■ Weights           

■ Tummy trimmers 

■ Skipping rope 

■ Pushup bar 

■ Yoga mat 

■ Sauna belts 

■ Exercise ball

                                                                        

‘FITNESS EQUIPMENT DEMAND UP BY 60%’ 

1. A Snapdeal spokesperson says, “The demand for fitness equipment in the last two months was nearly 60% more than the same time last year. The hotselling equipment is priced under `500. Exercise bands are popular due to their versatility and price, and sales of gym bags and bottles has significantly reduced as compared to prelockdown.” Most of these orders come from NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Mumbai. A Flipkart spokesperson says, “With social distancing being the new norm, consumers have turned home spaces into gyms. Fitness products such as yoga mats and dumbbells are seeing a rise in searches.”