California Fitness
The first California Fitness club was established in 1996 in the business district of Hong Kong near Lan Kwai Fong. There are 16 clubs in Hong Kong, Singapore and China. California Fitness was acquired in 1999 by 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, which sold it to the Ansa Group in 2012.[2]
The mission of the company is to help members live better through fitness.
California Fitness launched Hong Kong’s first human-powered exercise machines designed to power a gym building in 2007.[3]
Clubs
- Mainland China (3)
- Hong Kong (9)
- Central, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Whampoa (temporary closed on New Year's Day of 2016 and relocate in 2nd quarter 2016[4]) , Tuen Mun, Quarry Bay, Megabox, Leap by California Fitness: One Kowloon
- Singapore (4)
- Bugis, Novena Square, Orchard (CLOSED DOWN on 14 FEB, members were given only 10 days notice), Raffles
Beginning in 2005, California Fitness partnered with two fitness superstars, Jackie Chan[5] and Yao Ming,[6] to create signature clubs in the region. There were two California Fitness-Yao Ming Sport clubs in Mainland China which were re-branded as normal California Fitness in 2010. Also were four California Fitness-Jackie Chan Sport clubs in Asia (two in Hong Kong and two in Singapore) re-branded as normal California Fitness in 2012. California has chosen Richie Jen as new spokesman since 2012. California Fitness is infamous for having the most number of complaints lodged against them to the Consumers' Association of Singapore (CASE).
- The Thai and Korean chains were spun off into California WOW Xperience in the early 2000s.
- Three former Malaysian clubs were acquired by Celebrity Fitness in 2009.
- Six former Taiwan clubs were acquired by World Gym in September 2010.[7]
Products, services and facilities
In addition to cardio and resistance equipment, free weights, group exercise studios, all California Fitness clubs have free internet access (wifi or in-club kiosks). Most of its clubs have steam and sauna rooms and there is an outdoor swimming pool in one of its Hong Kong clubs.
Controversies
Consumer Watchdog
California Fitness clubs in Singapore were hit by a significant number of consumer complaints filed against them with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) between 2011 and 2014. Grouses against California Fitness and a rival True Fitness made up more than three-quarters of 86 complaints involving fitness clubs filed last year[8] with the former receiving 35 complaints against it in 2013. As of April 2014 nine complaints were filed against California Fitness with CASE.
California WOW Xperience
California WOW Xperience (SET: CAWOW), a totally separate company, with the California Fitness founder Eric Levine as the CEO, was established when Thailand and Korea locations were spun off from California Fitness in the early 2000s.
In August 2008, cross-membership agreements between California WOW Xperience and California Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness were terminated.
Despite company changes, California WOW Xperience is still frequently confused with California Fitness.
In 2012, California WOW Xperience found itself entangled in a financial dispute and was sued in Thailand's Bankruptcy Court by Bangkok Bank Plc. which sought the repayment of a 72 million baht loan including 4 million baht in interest.[9] As a result, California WOW Xperience shut down seven of its eight Thailand branches. The company faced much criticism for continuing to sign up customers at the various branches until their date of closing. In August 2012, more than 200 members, many of whom found themselves unable to travel to California WOW Xperience's single remaining Thailand branch to make use of longterm or lifetime memberships, filed complaints against the company in hopes of being refunded. The Foundation for Consumers along with 100 former customers have filed a lawsuit against California WOW Xperience which is now awaiting a court order.[10]
Aggressive sales problems in Hong Kong
In April, 2016, Consumer Council (Hong Kong) names and criticizes California Fitness specifically regarding to aggressive sales problems for the first time. The council claimed that the complaints regarding to California Fitness had increased continuously in the previous few years although the council had already given several warnings, from 227 cases in 2013 to 296 cases in 2015. In 2015, California Fitness occupies more than half of the complaints regarding to fitness centre and the value involved reached to 8.5 million Hong Kong dollars.
In most of the cases, The sales use "free trial" or "free gift" as excused to attract new costumers to enter their centre and collect identity card and credit card from the costumers, then convince, mislead and force them to sign the contracts and pay for membership, as well as training courses. Some of the sales even force the costumers to take a picture with smiling face in order to prove the contracts are based on their own willing. Some of the cases involve persons with intellectual disability. [11]
References
- ↑ "Central club". California Fitness.
- ↑ "24 Hour Fitness Sells Asia-based California Fitness, Focus on U.S. Operations". Business Wire. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
- ↑ Inhabitat » Human-powered gyms in Hong Kong 8 March 2007
- ↑ "We will be staying in Whampoa!". California Fitness. 4 December 2015.
- ↑ Winning Partnership – Jackie Chan Teams Up with California Fitness to open New Blockbuster Signature Health Clubs 15 March 2005
- ↑ World's Leading Health Club Company Appoints Basketball Superstar, Yao Ming, to Unveil New Beijing Club 11 April 2007
- ↑ California Fitness Refocuses on Key Markets in Asia 29 September 2010
- ↑ Lin, Melissa. "Two fitness clubs hit by complaints". Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ↑ California WOW faces bankruptcy suit 26 April 2012
- ↑ Club members sign complaints 23 August 2012
- ↑ https://www.consumer.org.hk/ws_en/news/press/fitness.html
External links
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China, Hong Kong, Singapore