As I am almost through my month of ClassPass, I thought it would be a great time to review this service and let you know the good, bad and ugly. Well, there's nothing really ugly about it- it's a beautiful app. It's easy to use, and overall gives you so much access to fitness options you'd otherwise have to spend a ton of money and effort on seeking out, it's a win in general. However, there are some critical things you should know.
NYT ClassPass Article
I was admittedly enamored with the app (also can use via PC) at first. However, as I used it, I realized that while it's a interesting concept, it may not be viable long term for me.
In case you haven't picked it up, I live in the Sacramento area, and ClassPass is currently priced at $79 per month. I have read that in other cities like NYC the price has gone from $99 to $125. I imagine it's only a matter of time until it increases in this area.
ClassPass is a service that charges a monthly fee and gives you access to any studio or gym that signs up for the service. In Sacramento, it seems like that's about 30 studios from Folsom to Vacaville. At first the choices seem limitless, but there are limitations that generally make this a little less appealing:
#1: Three Visit Limitation for Each Studio
For each paying month, you have a three visit limitation to each studio. If you like a particular yoga studio or spin class, you can enjoy them only three times a month. I can see using ClassPass indefinitely if I could have unlimited Cycle In and Yoga Shala classes, but I cannot commit to them through ClassPass. ClassPass only works if you never intend to settle down with one format or one studio. The other issue this creates is that by mid monthly billing cycle is that you have to travel farther and farther out to access available classes. Soon I'll be going to Butt Naked Bootcamp in Davis. Just kidding, it doesn't exist. I would BE THERE WITH BELLS ON if it did.
ClassPass, the solution would be simple.... offer alternative formats all hovering around the same price as your unlimited. You could do a closed studio pass, where users pick two to three studios and they have access to 15 classes. It looks like ClassPass might be in the process of doing that because the app is set up to choose your plan. However, there is only one plan available.
#2: Twelve Hour Cancellation Penalty
This varies by studio, but typically there's a 12 hour cancellation penalty, which may or may not exist with drop in pricing or membership. In addition, it appears from my experience that the cancelled class that you paid $15 counts toward your three visits. Isn't the penalty of counting toward the three visits enough? The three visit limitation prevents people from over booking, and stops studios from having to accommodate class droppers. If the studio doesn't get paid directly for class drop, then I would conclude that this is as big of a money grab as certain red light cameras in Puyallup, Wa. Yes, I am bitter even after three years gone.
#3 Studios Might Lose Out
I couldn't find much on how ClassPass pays it's studios, and it seems to be sort of nebulous even for studio owners. With the three visit limitation, I am not sure how someone can switch out ClassPass for their favorite studio membership. It might be that over time, you might only want to go to three classes a month and do yoga or barre at home. Classes that win are classes that have high end equipment like Spin or Pilates with the Reformer. ClassPass introduces new students, but if you like it, you're going to have to dump ClassPass and move to that particular studio's payment.
LA Times Talks About Studio Benefits
#4 ClassPass Cancellation Requires Too Much Work and is Subject to Additional Penalties
I actually had to log in on the website rather than mobile to cancel my account. Even then I had to search for a cancellation option. When I cancelled, I got a notice that I'd get confirmation in 72 hours. It can't really take that long the cancel an account. In addition, I will have to pay an additional $79 to reactivate my account. That seems quite silly for something that is supposed to deliver a higher level of convenience and savings. In lieu of the $79 reactivation fee, you can keep your account on hold (and take one class a month) for $20. Again, seems like a silly money grab.
About 24 hours after cancellation, I received a confirmation that my account was indeed cancelled, but if I wanted to pay $49 a month, I could get 4 classes a month. It's surprising to me that they don't allow this alternative option on the outset. What could it hurt? $49 for 4 classes is a pretty good deal in my neck of the woods. It looks like studios I went to charge about $15 per class, so it's almost like getting one free. Buuuuttt... you can get that type of deal from your studio, once you pick it, and let the funds flow straight through to them.
All this being said, I still highly encourage ClassPass if you are new to an area and already like to work out, or you are like me and are trying to find your groove. This might just be the jump start you are looking for. Also, if you love trying new things all the time and will workout at least 8 times a month, this is a GREAT deal.
I'm actually loving the adventure and writing, and it's keeping me in the work out mode. Rather than sticking with ClassPass, I am moving on though. Once my ClassPass runs out on 9/21, I am going to switch it over to a more eclectic gathering of deals - Groupon, LivingSocial, etc. Maybe community classes? I want to invite others along and work my daughter into the equation. I'm going to buy some credits at my favorite Yoga studio and spin studio and still move on with this quest.
NYT ClassPass Article
I was admittedly enamored with the app (also can use via PC) at first. However, as I used it, I realized that while it's a interesting concept, it may not be viable long term for me.
In case you haven't picked it up, I live in the Sacramento area, and ClassPass is currently priced at $79 per month. I have read that in other cities like NYC the price has gone from $99 to $125. I imagine it's only a matter of time until it increases in this area.
ClassPass is a service that charges a monthly fee and gives you access to any studio or gym that signs up for the service. In Sacramento, it seems like that's about 30 studios from Folsom to Vacaville. At first the choices seem limitless, but there are limitations that generally make this a little less appealing:
#1: Three Visit Limitation for Each Studio
For each paying month, you have a three visit limitation to each studio. If you like a particular yoga studio or spin class, you can enjoy them only three times a month. I can see using ClassPass indefinitely if I could have unlimited Cycle In and Yoga Shala classes, but I cannot commit to them through ClassPass. ClassPass only works if you never intend to settle down with one format or one studio. The other issue this creates is that by mid monthly billing cycle is that you have to travel farther and farther out to access available classes. Soon I'll be going to Butt Naked Bootcamp in Davis. Just kidding, it doesn't exist. I would BE THERE WITH BELLS ON if it did.
ClassPass, the solution would be simple.... offer alternative formats all hovering around the same price as your unlimited. You could do a closed studio pass, where users pick two to three studios and they have access to 15 classes. It looks like ClassPass might be in the process of doing that because the app is set up to choose your plan. However, there is only one plan available.
#2: Twelve Hour Cancellation Penalty
This varies by studio, but typically there's a 12 hour cancellation penalty, which may or may not exist with drop in pricing or membership. In addition, it appears from my experience that the cancelled class that you paid $15 counts toward your three visits. Isn't the penalty of counting toward the three visits enough? The three visit limitation prevents people from over booking, and stops studios from having to accommodate class droppers. If the studio doesn't get paid directly for class drop, then I would conclude that this is as big of a money grab as certain red light cameras in Puyallup, Wa. Yes, I am bitter even after three years gone.
#3 Studios Might Lose Out
I couldn't find much on how ClassPass pays it's studios, and it seems to be sort of nebulous even for studio owners. With the three visit limitation, I am not sure how someone can switch out ClassPass for their favorite studio membership. It might be that over time, you might only want to go to three classes a month and do yoga or barre at home. Classes that win are classes that have high end equipment like Spin or Pilates with the Reformer. ClassPass introduces new students, but if you like it, you're going to have to dump ClassPass and move to that particular studio's payment.
LA Times Talks About Studio Benefits
#4 ClassPass Cancellation Requires Too Much Work and is Subject to Additional Penalties
I actually had to log in on the website rather than mobile to cancel my account. Even then I had to search for a cancellation option. When I cancelled, I got a notice that I'd get confirmation in 72 hours. It can't really take that long the cancel an account. In addition, I will have to pay an additional $79 to reactivate my account. That seems quite silly for something that is supposed to deliver a higher level of convenience and savings. In lieu of the $79 reactivation fee, you can keep your account on hold (and take one class a month) for $20. Again, seems like a silly money grab.
About 24 hours after cancellation, I received a confirmation that my account was indeed cancelled, but if I wanted to pay $49 a month, I could get 4 classes a month. It's surprising to me that they don't allow this alternative option on the outset. What could it hurt? $49 for 4 classes is a pretty good deal in my neck of the woods. It looks like studios I went to charge about $15 per class, so it's almost like getting one free. Buuuuttt... you can get that type of deal from your studio, once you pick it, and let the funds flow straight through to them.
All this being said, I still highly encourage ClassPass if you are new to an area and already like to work out, or you are like me and are trying to find your groove. This might just be the jump start you are looking for. Also, if you love trying new things all the time and will workout at least 8 times a month, this is a GREAT deal.
I'm actually loving the adventure and writing, and it's keeping me in the work out mode. Rather than sticking with ClassPass, I am moving on though. Once my ClassPass runs out on 9/21, I am going to switch it over to a more eclectic gathering of deals - Groupon, LivingSocial, etc. Maybe community classes? I want to invite others along and work my daughter into the equation. I'm going to buy some credits at my favorite Yoga studio and spin studio and still move on with this quest.
The smartest move Soulcycle made was staying a Premium Service and saying no to classpass.
ReplyDeleteI have run studios for years. Classpass does not work for studios. Your membership will leave you for classpass once members learn they are paying double what the others in your classes are paying. Your user base will be very angry at you. Incremental revenue is the fantasy that classpass is selling. It does not work out that way. Members abandon studios for classpass. Your loyal user base will not be happy to learn that they are paying $25 and you just sold classes to classpass at $10. You will become a $10 an hour studio and will compete with every other $10 studio around you on a per class basis for users. You will be owned by classpass.
article against Classpass in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/fashion/classpassdeep-discounts-but-some-discontent.html?_r=1
She would rather pay full price at SoulCycle than see the studio become even more crowded. “I’m like, ‘Please don’t join ClassPass,’ ” she said.
Fitness Studios must not sign up with Classpass. It puts yours and everyone else's fitness studio in danger. You cannot simply supplement your income with a little Classpass. That is the fantasy Classpass sells. Membership is critical to a Fitness Studio's success or failure. Classpass takes this away. It is the money earned "no matter what" -- the "recurring membership" that is critical to a fitness studio. Classpass takes this for itself when they take your members. A studio will need 10 regular new classpass members for every membership they lose. This is not happening and fitness studios are beginning to die. Users like Classpass just as they loved restaurant deals on Groupon. Restaurants dropped Groupon because it didnt work. Fitness studios are entering into a deal with the devil that they will not escape from because unlike a single Groupon deal... Classpass is recurring. When they take away your membership it will never come back. Classpass is a wolf in sheep's clothing. They present themselves as a studio's friend but really they are taking memberships away from studios. Until and unless Classpass institutes a rule to stop members leaving fitness studios to become members of classpass they are killing fitness studios. Classpass attempts to fake fitness studios out by their rule of only allow a member to go to a specific studio 3 times in a month but that only furthers the Classpass goal by getting members to go to many fitness studios belonging to nobody but Classpass. Already according to the CEO Payal 50% of Classpass members dropped their memberships with fitness studios to join classpass. By attempting to supplement a fitness studios income using Classpass a studio introduces classpass to all its members and teaches them to use Classpass.
I wish you would have read my blog entry before you copied and pasted this rant against ClassPass. You would notice that not only am I not a studio, I posted the article you are referencing, and NYT shows a mixed review.
DeleteOne of your claims is that ClassPass will allow students to quit memberships for ClassPass, which cannot be true, because ClassPass only allows three visits to one studio per month. If you took the time to read my notes, I am cancelling ClassPass to join two studios I have enjoyed through ClassPass that I would have NEVER even known about had it not been for ClassPass.
If members are dropping their membership for ClassPass, they don't want to be at the studio anyway. If ClassPass gets people into fitness and studios like it, then I applaud the company. Studios need to be responsible for deciding how and when they get new members. If you don't like ClassPass, don't use it; and you wont reap the benefits of new members trying out various studios with ClassPass. It's a choice.
One more note in general... ClassPass is an industry disruptor. You'd spend your time better either trying to coexist with ClassPass or disrupting the industry yourself rather than just railing against change and new ideas.