Calif. Wow

[mr.buffalo]

Just got membership for Calif. wow at 9,600 baht a year, then after that only 100 baht renewl fee every year plus they threw in a gym bag. I am happy with that.

[scorecard]

Just got membership for Calif. wow at 9,600 baht a year, then after that only 100 baht renewl fee every year plus they threw in a gym bag. I am happy with that.

And you expect that your lifetime membership will be honored?

How can any business survive on this arrangement. These places have big monthly outgoings for rent, electricity, water, salaries, commissions, franchise payments, and a lot more.

And they have many competitors, many of them offering ridiculously cheap lifetime memberships.

Not a logical or workable business model. Has to eventually fail.

Good luck.

[Theyreallrubbish]

Just got membership for Calif. wow at 9,600 baht a year, then after that only 100 baht renewl fee every year plus they threw in a gym bag. I am happy with that.

http://www.set.or.th/set/companyhighlight....&country=US

Net profit in Q2 2009 -175 million Baht.

They've lost 385 million in the last nine months. And the rate of losses is accelerating

If I was going to sign up for anything with this company, the longest would be a month to month contract!

[mr.buffalo]

Ok will contact TV in 2 years time after having been a member of C wow for 2 years, having paid 100 baht for the second year and will be as fit as a racing snake.

[Pattaya Diver]

Too bad your membership is only for the Pattaya club. When it closes, you're out of luck.

[beekaykay]

Its not just Thailand, closures can happen anywhere in the World, hope for the OP he gets his moneys worth....

[PattayaBunLover]

Agree that Cal. WOW is basically a version of a Ponzi scheme (or maybe we should now say Madoff Scheme). Build allot of clubs, sell memberships for whatever you can get for them (it doesn't really matter as long as you get cash flow to keep the scheme afloat), and then at some point, declare bankruptcy (after you have been paying yourself big bahts for years as the MD and/or shareholder) and shut the whole thing down or just sell the assets to a new company (but not the liabilities, e.g., memberships) and start the whole merry-go-round all over again.

If they are still in business for a year, at least you will have had a place to work-out for that time for less than B1000 per month..not a bad deal. If they hang on a few years and honor your renewal price, your deal will be better. Hope they stick around awhile for you to enjoy your new slimming body...and I hope that gym bag also included a pair of ear-plugs.

[doggie888888]

Was going to join and then I met some American farang who claimed to be high up the California ladder. Smarmy and typical snake oil salesman...promised that membership is useable in overseas California gyms. He said "trust me"...and that was when I decided not to join. Never trust a farang in Pattaya who says "trust me".

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I also doubted WOW, but it's been there two years, and has enough members to survive. They are pushy in selling extras, but I'm not aware of them closing any of their gyms in BKK.

BTW - what are the hours at Avenue? I need to find an early morning gym with A/C.

[losworld]

Ok will contact TV in 2 years time after having been a member of C wow for 2 years, having paid 100 baht for the second year and will be as fit as a racing snake.

Probably because you'll be running to work due to the money you lost on your membership.

Hope not but sounds sketchy.

[MisterFingers]

Can I go in there and pay for a single workout? How much?

Going to be staying near there for my next vacation soon.

[tropo]

Can I go in there and pay for a single workout? How much?

Going to be staying near there for my next vacation soon.

I think you'll be paying close to 1000 baht for a single workout.

Most of these type of fitness clubs discourage single sessions so that people can't "try before you buy". They use high pressure sales tactics to get you sign for a membership.

I'm a member, but there are things about the club which I am dissatisfied with and sometimes I feel I may have been too hasty in signing on the dotted line.

[soundman]

Two inflamatory posts have been removed - keep it civil please.

[ricklev]

I'm pretty down on California Wow in every way. However, last time I visited the one in Pattaya, the music volume was low, the AC was excellent, the equipment was good, and there were wipe down towels and spray readily available.

I wish the ones in Bangkok and Chiang Mai followed a similar pattern!

Credit to them for common sense in Pattaya. Slime to them for their gyms everywhere else which destroy the hearing of their employees and pump musical stress into the Bangkok atmosphere through loudspeakers on Silom, Sukumvit etc.

[WhalerJoe]

I visited and heard the pitch. They initially offered:

1 day B856

1 week 1605

1 month 5350

1 year 16000

1 life 21400

no sauna, pool or racquet sports.