Don’t Settle for Cheap Massage Chairs: Tips & Questions to Ask
Cheap massage chairs can cost you more in the long run, purchase a certified pre-owned massage chair for real savings.
Everyone loves a bargain, but some products are steeply discounted because of a defect or poor-quality — which can quickly turn a successful purchase into buyer’s remorse.
This is especially true of “cheap” massage chairs — if you’re bringing home a $200 massage chair then you’re likely to wind up with a sore back later! If you want your money’s worth, then you need to be sure of the quality of your massage chair.
Here’s your guide to avoiding a cheap massage chair.
What Is a “Cheap” Massage Chair?
Cheap massage chairs will usually display a price tag that ranges from $200 (or lower) to around $1,400 before any discounts are applied. Prices this low are often indicative of unreliable parts, poor construction, or a lack of basic features and functions.
Cheap massage chairs may also come at the price of low-quality or nonexistent customer service, inhumane factory working conditions or a host of other negative factors. While these cheap massage chairs may seem like a bargain, they may end up costing you more in the long run.
The Risks of a Cheap Massage Chair
If you assume that the drawbacks of purchasing a cheap massage chair aren’t so bad — think again. A cheap massage can carry heavy risks for your investment and your health:
- Sacrificing health & wellness: The biggest problem comes if the massage chair isn’t configured correctly or if shoddy construction causes more pain than it relieves. Suffering from a sore neck or back after a massage chair session means that the money you saved was actually used to make you feel worse.
- Poor features & parts: The only thing worse than a lack of a feature is a poorly implemented one. Lukewarm heat therapy? Barely-there foot rollers? Lower prices don’t guarantee that features will work as advertised. Not getting your money’s worth from a feature is added stress and frustration.
- Bad or no warranty: Cheap products are often priced as a way to move units, not because the retailer wants to build positive customer interactions. This usually means these “priced to move” massage chairs will lack a warranty or return policy. Which means buyer beware if your purchase breaks or malfunctions immediately after purchase.
- Difficulty finding parts or repair services: Cheap massage chairs are often old or discontinued models, which can make finding replacement parts difficult. Also, even the most simple of massage chairs should be repaired by a certified technician. When you buy a cheap massage chair, chances are you’re on your own. Alternatively, when you purchase a massage chair from a reputable manufacturer or retailer, they’ll have recommendations for certified technicians in your area, as well as a standard warranty that will cover parts and repairs for the first several years.
- Poor customer service: Reputable sellers will also have customer service experts who can answer your questions and help walk you through any issues. A company that sells cheap chairs is likely to have a customer service department that’s poorly trained or difficult to reach — if they even have one at all.
- Higher long-term cost: All this is to say, spending less up front will likely cost you more in the long term. Having to make more frequent replacements, needing to hunt down parts, getting scammed by an uncertified technician, stress and injury from a low quality massage… that all adds up to quite a headache!
A chair that can deliver a quality massage in the comfort of your own home is a product worth investing in. A standard, high quality massage chair can cost anywhere from $1,500 to upwards of $12,000.
A better way to secure sizable savings is by purchasing a certified pre-owned massage chair — this will get you all the features and comfort of a premium massage chair, but with a discount that comes with an assurance of quality, service and support.
What to Expect from a Certified Pre-Owned Massage Chair?
It’s not always possible to test a massage chair before a purchase, so if you’re buying sight unseen there’s a few things to ask prior to purchasing a pre-owned massage chair.
- Is the chair under $1,000? Generally, anything under $1,000 should trigger some questions or further research.
- Does the chair only offer a 2D massage, or does it provide 3D or 4D massage mechanisms? The higher the dimension, the higher the massage quality.
- Consider the premium features you’re interested in and see how many a chair includes. You may have different priorities for zero gravity, heat therapy, or bluetooth connectivity, so eliminate the ones you don’t need, but ask about the ones that you’d like to have.
- Investigate how many massage programs the massage chair features? Ask if the programs customizable. Higher end chairs should provide at least a few different massage programs to better meet your therapeutic needs.
- If the massage chair is pre-owned, what is the company’s certification process for inspecting and repairing the massage chair? Even “little things” like cleaning and repacking the massage chairs should tip you off as to the quality and care of the company’s service.
- Is the upholstery well-sewn and made of high quality, genuine or synthetic leather? Cheap upholstery materials on the outside could indicate cheap parts on the inside.
- Be sure to look into how the company operates as well. Is customer service accessible? When you contact them, are they friendly and helpful? What is their warranty/return policy? Less-than-satisfactory experiences or answers should be red flags.
By starting your search for certified pre-owned massage chairs around $1,500 and up, you’re nearly always guaranteed to experience:
- Better long-term health and wellness
- More reliable parts and repairs
- A higher quality massage every time
- Better customer service
- A longer massage chair lifespan
- More savings in the long run
Questions to Ask Before Buying a Massage Chair
In addition to the questions about quality listed earlier in this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of questions every massage chair shopper should ask during the buying process.
Before you begin shopping in earnest, it will help to answer these questions for yourself:
- Should I buy a chair online?
- How will I find the right massage chair?
- What do I want my massage chair to do for me?
- What features are important to have?
- What’s my budget?
Once you’ve settled on your ideal massage chair, ask the retailer:
- Is it possible to test a massage chair?
- What are the delivery and setup options?
- What kind of warranty is included?
- What is the return policy if I don’t like the massage chair?
- How long will my massage chair last?
If you would have any questions about our certified pre-owned massage chairs, our professional customer service experts are available for a free consultation.
Find answers and helpful guidance in our free eBook, Massage Chairs 101: 15 Tips to Relieve Purchase Pressure.
As always, the team of certified specialists at The Best Buy on Massage Chairs are on hand to answer any questions you may have about pricing, features or longevity of your dream massage chair. Get in touch today and book your free consultation!