You can research, compare and review treadmills all from the comfort of your own home. But that's not the only advantage the Internet gives you.



Believe it or not, there are actually some major benefits to buying a treadmill online. Here are the main benefits and what you need to know before you buy.

1) Free Shipping

Buy a treadmill online and chances are high that you'll get free shipping. Many online treadmill sellers appreciate that you are buying online, so they offer you free shipping and delivery.

How can they afford to do this - because they don't have the costs associated with maintaining a storefront. Most treadmill or fitness stores on the other hand will charge you a shipping fee, which can run you from $100-$250.

2) Choose from a Larger Selection of Treadmills

Why spend money on gas driving to a fitness store that maybe carries 2-3 brands when you can go online and choose from 10 or more brands? Plus, if you have a particular brand in mind, many stores often do not carry all the models that the brand makes.

Shopping online gives you access to many brands - and very often their full lineup. You also get access to brands that you may never find in your area - brands that you may like better or brands that may give you more for your money.

3) Save Money on Store Markup

It's an unfortunate fact that most of what you buy in a store has been marked up from the manufacturer's cost - simply to pay for the store itself: rent, heating and air conditioning, sales peoples' salaries, etc.

It all has to be paid for and that means marked up prices on most items - including treadmills. Buy treadmill online and you save on store markup: $100, $200, or $500 on the same treadmill.

Even better news is that some treadmill brand manufacturers are starting to sell directly to the consumer online - which means no markup. I've even seen price differences of up to $1000 between the store and the manufacturer's website.

The other advantage in buying direct from the manufacturer's website is that you're dealing directly with them - should you have any questions about your treadmill. Many people feel more comfortable dealing directly with the manufacturers.

In some cases, the manufacturers can do a lot more to help the customer should problems arise, than if they bought that same treadmill through a store.

4) No Sales Tax

When you buy treadmill online (in most states) you pay no sales tax. This is a great way to save some extra money and maybe put it away for a pair of running shoes or an mp3 player to listen to while you workout.

5) Online only deals

This is similar to #3 above however did you know that some online treadmill stores/manufacturers offer special "online only" deals? This means you can't get this price in the store - and often you can't even find that treadmill in a store.

Many manufacturers will do this if they have too many units of a certain treadmill. They just want to get rid of inventory - and their loss can be your gain.

So those are 5 major benefits when you buy a treadmill online. While buying online can save you a lot of money and give you a larger selection of treadmills to choose from, make sure you take into account your unique fitness goals and needs before buying.