There is a substantial increase in massage chair importers that are bringing in low quality chairs and selling them through various channels. In response to some of our customers that have experienced bad situations, I personally surveyed a number of venues such as the internet, home shows and county fairs for such importers. The result of input from my customer's experience and first hand insight from my surveys has yielded the following list of 5 key tips on how to avoid being taken.

1. Massage Chair Components are Critical: Ask what country the main components are from. The critical components are the motors and the pc board. The motors should be made in Japan and the pc board should be from either Japan or Singapore. If the components are from other locations, then these components are of inferior quality and subject to short life spans or in other words - junk!

2. Look for These Warranty Points: You want to get adequate warranty protection when buying a massage chair at a home show or county fair. You can sometimes even negotiate longer terms, since many times you are dealing directly with the manufacturer. You should at least get 3 years parts, 3 years labor and make sure they have in home technician service. You want at least 90 days as part of your deal. Check to see if it is nationally available. If its only available where you are buying the chair, then they obviously do the service from one location.

3. We Get Our Massage Chair From Panasonic's Factory: One of our favorite sales claims is where the massage chair comes from or where it is made. Some of our customers told us that salespeople would claim to get their massage chair from Panasonic's factory. This is a weird claim and we see it as a tactic to get you to believe somehow their quality is the same, but of course at a substantial discount to the Panasonic chair. Now, how could this be? It must be the same as the Panasonic, be careful!

4. Jack of All Trades, Master of None: Beware of vendors at fairs and home shows that sell everything but the kitchen sink. This is a sure sign of a one man importing machine. Now, I have a healthy respect for the entrepreneur, but one must specialize. I have seen booths with a couple of massage chairs along with a million other gadgets. It is like a one man flea market. These guys import everything and anything, especially what they just got a good deal on. Seriously, who knows what massage chair will be on the next shipment? They are armed and dangerous. Use Extreme Caution!

5. The Deal is Too Good to Be True: Finally if a chair is selling way below market value of a name brand chair. You may be thinking, Wow, I can't believe the deal I am getting. It is almost too good to be true. Well, we hate to say it, but? Chances are it is too good to be true! Stay away! You're probably buying a refurbished chair or a piece of absolute junk. You get what you pay for!

We have put these tips together from many of our customers that have made these mistakes and we are passing this one so you do not fall into these same traps. There are many excellent massage chairs on the market. They will bring you years of enjoyment and relief. Take your time and find the right model from a reputable manufacturer. This will ensure years of relaxation (rather than frustration).