Was I wrong thinking that if I sign up before the gym opens and never change my membership my prices wouldn't increase? My experience changing tiers.
So EOS took over a building by me and so I signed up for the top tier for like $18/mo and I swear it was explained to me in-person during my little tour that if rates increase that because I locked in before the gym opened that my price is for life. My ACH was even waived (I saw posts about that on here).
I received an email the other day that my top tier plan is being increased to nearly $9/mo more. I go online and it's like $1 less or so than if I sign up fresh right now. My gym is so crowded good luck using most of the amenities in this tier. Even the movie theatre just stays packed so I'm like well I don't use this stuff anyway let's see if this is correct and either drop or cancel. I see horror stories online and I'm like it can't be as painful as it is. I'm g00000d at ish like this. You are all correct. It is a royal pain in the a$$ and completely anti-consumer. Here is my experience:
I have never had a gym membership or canceled one. So like everything else in 2026 I go in the new EOS app to look around. No easy options. FAQs talk about the myIclub or whatever website. OK. No problem a lot of tv subs make you change your membership in a browser and not via the app. Not too bad.
I go to the my club whatever and create an account. It shows me my EOS club number I requested but says an account can't be made. I've had this membership at least two years with zero bank or tier changes etc. Nothing funky to discredit my experience.
So it tells me to call a 1800 number. I'm put on hold for 18 minutes while I'm googling and reddit redditing stories and this phone number etc. I have to do this annually with my ISP to lower my bill (cox cable) so I'm prepared to have to disarm pressure tactics from people who don't care about anything but my money. Finally, someone gets on and it is from a very foreign country so I was surprised EOS outsources? I thought I was gonna get a salesman type person. Anyway, bless this poor soul on the phoneline for listening to me explain why my rate goes up or how wrong I was to believe in the guy when getting my membership that it wouldn't increase. They tell me politely all they can do is cancel my membership. I cannot switch tiers I need to call my CLUB lol. No problem it makes sense. I thought EOS was centralized. No problem.
I call my club and ran around the telephone tree maze a bit before finally getting someone live and on the air in my gym. I explained it to the young fellow who said yeah they are getting calls about this. It sucks. He lamented for me. It sounded authentic at least. I said bro is the bottom tier sh!t still $9.99? Your gym is too crowded there is no parking and the amenities have waits even random hours. They confirm the bottom tier is not going up in cost. They apologized and seemed to agree with me that early adopters shouldn't increase but are (I still think that is too good to be true and I misunderstood at signing but I'd love to hear feedback from you guys).
They grabbed their manager who said I would have to speak to a THIRD person to take care of this but that he gave his blessing? So nice third guy was like you can only switch tiers in person because you have to sign stuff. OK. I sign insurance stuff legal documents etc way more critical online but my big box gym can't implement that? I understand the tactics of this game. Fine. I ensured the hours managers are there cuz they had to get approval in person too. Probably more pressure like a car sales lot. Fine. Whatever. I go to a mental gym too so I can handle whatever.
I drop into the gym and it took 3-4 people for me to switch tiers in their system. I'm still not sure it worked. They said their system was having an issue and that they would have to submit a ticket??? I said ok well no email no confirmation no receipt nothing that I was even here so I'm praying guy at the front desk wasn't blowing me off he seemed dope. Stressed. I wasn't sat down in a cubicle I was up front as everyone checks in. Front desk staff shout out you're just doing your best. They ultimately said I would notice my bar code change to basic b1tch or whatever the $9.99 tier is by the end of the week. I'm like... it is 2026 no confirmation email from whatever you just clicked homie? He and the other worker both said no. No notification. So I'm trusting but verifying this stuff. This all happened today so I won't know but will return if I need to. Front desk staff seemed real and genuine but idk.
Oh and all that stuff about not being able to cancel online or by phone or even change my tier without going in person cuz I had to sign stuff? Well, I left not signing anything on the little pad. So idk.
I just paid my annual fee like a few months ago so I figured I'd give this tier a try vs signing up and paying a new fee which they said I'd have to do if I canceled. And if I do need a higher tier my incentive as an early adopter of a new opening gym is basically $1 less than it would be now that I'm basic and if I decide to change back down the line. Lol.
Anyone else have experiences to share? I'm laughing at how obviously painful it is this company is anti consumer and is a puppy mill for young people interested in exercise and helping people. Only with that car stealership vibe added on there. Idk man I wish my rec center had better hours. Hard to beat certain times of the day when I work or when it is less busy where I live.
Frustrating. All this just to change a tier! Let alone I swearrrrr my rates would never evah change if I locked in before this gym opened. I must have made that part up or misunderstood.