Posts Tagged ‘human touch massage chairs’

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The New Acutouch 9500 Massage Chair & iPhone App. from Human Touch

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

I’d like to thank Steffanie, my commercial sales manager, for writing this little review and giving us her input on this new AcuTouch massage chair and iPhone app from Human Touch:

AcuTouch 9500 massage chair


Human Touch has a new technology- minded massage chair in the works to come out in May. It is called the AcuTouch 9500 massage chair.  It is able to be used with your iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad.  It has an app that you can download for free to personalize and customize your massage experience while using this chair.

I, myself, have not joined the iPhone bandwagon so this doesn’t mean a whole to me except, does this mean that MY massage in this chair will not be as good since I don’t have an iPhone?  However, if you do have an iPhone this app sounds pretty cool.  You can use it to customize what massage auto programs you want it to perform and you also have access to lots of health advice and tips for utilizing your chair to the best of its abilities.  Besides that, it will “save” the programs that you have done in your phone so that you can go back and see what program it was that you really enjoyed.

The AcuTouch 9500 has the same look and feel of the ever popular HT-1650 massage chair.  This has been a top seller for us and gives the best lower leg and foot massage of any chair in the market.  It has a very regal and classy look to the upholstery and can pass for a regular recliner.

Keep in mind that information on this chair has still been limited so take this blog post for what it’s worth!
Thanks, Steffanie. I like the idea of having info on the cell phone about the chair and the benefits of massage that I can access while I am sitting on the chair. I’m not sure, though, if the iPhone app is going to be that great of a deal for prospective buyers. Can the remote control be used just like with the other Human Touch massage chairs? I will be very curious to see how you, the shopper, respond to this chair when it hits the market in May. Any feedback would be appreciated from you. We will be carrying the chair if it will be available to us in May. We don’t even know what the price will be until closer to May. I’ll keep you posted.

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Changes at Panasonic…Thank Goodness!! (I hope)

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

I just saw a press release announcing a new head of the Home and  Health Company at Panasonic. This division of Panasonic includes the massage chair division. A fellow named Dan Silver is moving up from the Home Appliances Group to head the Home and Health Company.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dan-silver-to-head-panasonic-home–health-company-as-president-82784402.html

You may ask why I say “Thank Goodness” and why I say “I hope!”. Well here are my reasons:

1. Panasonic is notorious for pricing their “new” models high and then letting retailers butcher the pricing to where their is little to no profit margin. Why is this a concern? Let me explain…

When we carry a new model for Panasonic, we are told that we have to charge the Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) or else we can’t carry the model. So, we price it accordingly. For example, when the new Panasonic 30007 massage chair came out we were told that we had to charge $5999 for this massage chair. Obediently, we charged that amount (Panasonic still charges that amount on their website). Well, before long I get calls from folks around the country telling me that they can get the 30007 on another website for $5499…then, a little later, $4999…then, $4499, then $3999, etc. As a matter of fact, now you can get this $5999 massage chair for about $3300 – 3400!! It is laughable. It cheapens the image of the chair, it makes retailers who are obediently charging the MAP look like money-grubbing idiots, and it builds distrust in the mind of the consumer. They wonder, “What is wrong with this chair that it keeps dropping in price?”. I just tell them that Panasonic is terrible at price-integrity and, eventually, they will discontinue such-and-such model, and come out with some new super-duper chair that will be priced high and then butchered again. I have seen this happen already to the Panasonic 30003 and 30004, which were just introduced 2 years ago! They are already discontinued. Unbelievable. It won’t be long before the 30007, the top of the line Panasonic massage chair, is discontinued. Then I will get the same old questions, like “What is wrong with this chair?”, “Will I be able to get parts for this model now that it is discontinued?”, etc.

Needless to say, I have dropped my price and I STILL honor our 110% low price match on even these low priced chairs (I have actually LOST money on some of these price matches!). Inada and Human Touch have had many of their models around for years and their prices remain consistent. Hhhhmmmm…I wonder if there is a correlation between price integrity and longevity of a product in the market.

2. I had a very disturbing experience with a customer of mine, named Lou. Lou is a wonderful client who was great to work with every step of the way. Well, she ordered a Panasonic 30007. It was delivered on time, as promised. When she opened up her box and pulled out her new massage chair (which was a Christmas gift, by the way), she noticed that it was warped when she first sat on it. It didn’t sit level on her floor. The box it was delivered in was in perfect condition…no holes, no dented sides, no sign of abuse by the shippers. When she called Panasonic customer support they told her it was not their problem. She called me about this issue. I called my Panasonic rep. He provided two companies in her state who dealt with Panasonic warranty work. Lou called them both…only one would help her. They came out and, after working on the chair for awhile, determined that it could not be fixed. She would have to call Panasonic back.

So, Lou called Panasonic back and they said that there was nothing they could do about it. After some complaining and pleading, Panasonic agreed to replace her chair but that SHE had to ship it back…at her expense or at my expense!! Neither of us could believe it. Again, I called my Panasonic rep and told him what Panasonic was suggesting. He said he was aware of this situation and, when I said that it was ludicrous that myself or the client should be held responsible for the return shipping, he simply said, and these are his words, “They (Panasonic) just don’t care!” Unbelievable. Here is a chair that my customer ordered from me, that I ordered through Panasonic, and that Panasonic delivered. Yet, with a structural problem that neither of us had anything to do with, Panasonic would not replace their chair with a new one AT THEIR EXPENSE. Every single other massage chair manufacturer who I represent on my website would have changed out that chair in an instant, without a murmur of complaint or resistance. That is why I carry their chairs…because I love their customer service. This incident of customer service by Panasonic was atrocious. I shudder to think how many other innocent customers have gone through a similar experience.By the way, Lou is now thinking about exchanging her Panasonic for an Inada or Human Touch massage chair.

Don’t get me wrong…I love the chairs; I just can’t stand for customer service like this.

I sure “hope” Mr. Dan Silver can make a change for the better for his retailers and his product consumers!

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Human Touch Massage Chair Extended Warranty Special

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Hey, I just found out that Human Touch is offering a full 2 year on-site, comprehensive warranty for their massage chairs until early next year. What they have right now is a 5 year limited warranty, which Human Touch HT-1650 massage chairis basically 1 year on-site parts and labor and 5 year structure/chasis. They are extending the 1 year on-site parts and labor to 2 years. A great offer for the holiday shoppers.

Massage Chair Relief is also offering a comprehensive 5 year warranty on the HT-7450 and HT-1650 massage chairs for the holidays! Aren’t we nice? Well, we know how much an extended warranty means to many of you, so we figured we’d offer that on the Human Touch chairs for this time of the year.

Some other massage chair notes:

1. Inada is offering a standard, factory 3-year warranty on their Sogno, i2A, and Doctor’s Choice massage chairs.
2. We have the Inada Cube massage chair in our showroom now and I sat on it for 1/2 hour last night and I must admit, for such a small and cute chair, it has a great low back and leg air bag massage. I was quite impressed. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much because of it’s deceptively small size, but the quality of the massage truly impressed me. And only $799!!
3. Your company’s FLEX plan pays for massage chairs. Take advantage of that before year’s end.
4. We have the new zero gravity massage chairs from Omega on our site…the Serenity and Skyline models. Pretty cool, eh?
5. Omega is discontinuing the Prestigio 510 model. Manufacturing costs have gotten too high so they are selling existing stock and then it will be no more! So, the bottom line is…if you want an Omega 510 massage chair, you better order now before existing stock is gone.

Have a super day!

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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International Massage Chair Orders

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

We have been selling a lot of massage chairs internationally lately. Just in the past 3 weeks, we have sold massage chairs to Costa Rica, India, Bermuda, and Chile. I suppose the dollar exchange rates are International Massage Chair Shippingaffecting this recent jump in international sales. I also find on my website statistics that we get quite a few visitors to our site from around the world. There are a couple of things to know about international orders:

1. some countries do not have the same electrical output as North America. For example, here in the USA we have 110 V outlets…in Europe it typically is 220 V. A transformer is necessary to make the transition. With a good transformer, it should not miss a beat when you plug your new massage chair in. Make sure that when you shop for a transformer, you get one that can handle the wattage of the chair model you want. We can provide you with the wattage of any particular model. We can provide a transformer for you too. Just let us know and we can get you hooked up with one to coincide with your chair shipment.

2. Warranties on some of the chairs do not apply overseas. For example, Human Touch massage chair warranties are void once their chairs leave US soil. Panasonic and Sanyo massage chairs have the largest worldwide distribution networks, so their warranties are typically supported in other countries. We have shipped all manufacturer models all over the world. But, the Panasonic and Sanyo models are probably the safest best for warranty support.

3. We, at Massage Chair Relief, will not ship the bonus gifts overseas.

4. Shipping costs for international orders are to be paid for by the buyer. We offer free shipping on all our domestic shipments, but not on our international orders. However, we won’t leave you high and dry. On some models, we can give you domestic shipping credit for your overseas shipping costs. For example, if our shipping cost would have been $150 to ship to continental USA, we could give you a $150 credit on  your shipping cost overseas.

5. We can get you ocean and air shipping quotes. Ocean freight is always cheaper, but it is not door-to-door. It will ship to the closest port and then you will be responsible for getting the massage chair to the final destination. Ocean freight will also take quite a while longer, sometimes up to 45 days (boats just travel slower than airplanes!). Air freight is more expensive, but goes door-to-door and only takes a matter of a few days to get to it’s destination.

6. Payment for international orders can be done by wire transfer, paypal, check or credit card. Of course, some overseas credit card transactions are considered a higher risk and would require some verification. Checks would have to clear before shipment is made.

7. Some countries have customs, duty, and/or import taxes/fees that they place products when they arrive to the destination country. You will be responsible for those fees so make sure you are aware of how much those taxes/fees are before you purchase your new chair.

8. We offer an industry-best 90 day money back guarantee on all our massage chairs, including international orders. However, you will be responsible for return shipping if you decide to return your new chair within the 90 day period. For transactions that required payment of fees, eg. credit card fees, wire transfer fees, etc., you will also be responsible for the fees. But, other than that, you will be refunded the total balance of your purchase, minus the initial shipping costs to your country.

Hope this information helps!

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Difference Between HT-135 and Panasonic 1285 Massage Chairs

Monday, June 8th, 2009

Some of the best material for my blog comes from questions that shoppers, like you, ask about different massage chairs. It actually challenges me to make sure I know the models well enough to offer Panasonic 1285 Massage Chairconstructive input on a chair, alone or in comparison to another. I had another email request for information about the differences between the HT-135 massage chair by Human Touch (same family as the HT-125 and HT-136 massage chairs….exact same chairs except for the looks!) and the Panasonic 1285 massage chair. Below is the question, as asked by the shopper, and my response to him. I hope this assists you good folks in your massage chair buying decision:

Question:

Hi I have spent much time on your website looking at massage chair info. I am considering the Panasonic ep1285 and the Human Touch HT135 and wondered if you had a preference of one or the other and if so why?
Thanks for any info you may be able to offer.
Also your web site is very informative.

Gary

Answer:

Hi, Gary
Thank you so much for your email. Two great chairs you are looking at. Here are the differences and similarities as I see them (we have both chairs in our showroom):

1. both chairs have leather upholstery
2. the HT-135 has a swivel base, where the chair can be swivelled 60 degrees, whereas the Panasonic 1285 is fixed on the ground.
3. the Panasonic 1285 has a calf AND foot massager ottoman with a 6 inch extender for taller folks, whereas the HT-135 has just a calf massager (which can be rotated so that the calf wells do not show when not in use).
4. the HT-135 has 3 main auto programs: full back, low back, and upper back. The Panasonic 1285 has 4, more sophisticated, auto programs: Shiatsu, Swedish, Chiro, and Quick.
5. neither chair has an intensity adjustment for the rollers.
6. both chairs have vertical roller height adjustment for taller and shorter folks.
7. the Panasonic 1285 has the following manual functions: kneading, compression, swedish, hawaiian, soft shiatsu, tapping
8. the HT-135 has the following manual functions: kneading, compression, percussion, roller width adjustment.
9. the HT-135 has a stretch function, whereas the Panasonic 1285 has a leg stretch feature.
10. neither chair has thigh/buttock massage.
11. neither chair has heat function.
12. generally speaking, the HT-135 has a more vigorous roller massage on the back than does the Panasonic 1285.

Except for the less vigorous massage, I would prefer the Panasonic 1285 massage chair over the HT-135. The HT-135 model has been discontinued so will only be available until stock runs out.

Well, that about does it. I hope this helps in some way. Let me know if I can be of further assistance. You can always reach me on my personal cell phone, 801-651-2026.

Dr. Alan Weidner
President
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Lots of Massage Chair News!

Monday, April 27th, 2009

A lot is going on right now with the massage chair biz! I told you last week that Inada is discontinuing their D-5 Robo Chair and D-6 Robostic massage chair models because of the popularity of their new Sogno massage chairs.

Well, I learned last week that Human Touch has dropped their Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) on the HT-1650 massage chair to $3999 (from $4795) and on the HT-7450 zero gravity massage chair to $3299 (from $3999). They have also dropped their MAP pricing on the HT-125 to $1999 (from $2299). I wondered if perhaps they were planning on discontinuing these models, too, especially the HT-1650 since they dropped the price on that chair to such a low MAP. I was frankly stunned by the low price on the HT-1650. But, it is great for you, the consumer.

The Panasonic 1285 “Urban” massage chair is now in stock. It has been a popular seller and was out of stock for quite some time. It is now in stock…but for how long, I have no idea.

We sold our Inada Sogno PLUS floor model last weekend because we wanted to bring in the chocolate Inada Sogno PLUS Chocolate with Black Interiormodel with the new black interior material. It had previously had gray interior, but I think with the ease with which that color dirtied, they decided on a black interior. Good move, if you ask me. It stays cleaner and it actually looks pretty sharp…don’t you agree? Well, we got our new Sogno PLUS on Wednesday and Steffanie and I put it together right away. It looks very handsome.

Well, that’s about it for today. Spring is finally in the air here in Utah. It has been a long and cool winter and spring so far. I am so looking forward to a warm summer (I love summer!!). I hope you all have a wonderful and rejuvenating spring.

Dr. Alan Weidner
President
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Maximum Weight Limits For Massage Chairs

Friday, February 13th, 2009

One of the most common questions we get from visitors is “How much weight can a massage chair take?” Some of our visitors are concerned that their weight might damage the chair or void the warranty. Well, we called our manufacturers and asked them each what the weight limits are for their chairs. Now, these are the numbers that they publish, but I will suggest that these limits do not mean that a person weighing more than these numbers can’t get the chair. There is a good possibility that a 300 pound person can get just as many years out of a chair as a 250 pound person. These are just guidelines:

1. Human Touch Massage Chairs
All Human Touch massage chair models have a warranty that recommends the user weigh 285 lbs. or less. A user weighing over this may use the chair but if anything were to happen it might not be covered under warranty (I can’t imagine that they would ask you your weight when you call in for warranty work!).

2.  Inada Massage Chairs
“If you can fit, you can sit” is the slogan that Inada uses to describe their weight limits. In other words, if you can fit in one of their chairs, no matter your weight, you can sit in it without concern for breakdown or voiding the warranty.

3. Sanyo Massage Chairs
Maximum user weight on all models is 264 lbs.

4. Panasonic Massage Chairs
Maximum user weight on all models is 264 lbs.

5. Omega Massage Chairs
The maximum user weight is different, according to the model:
M2 – 225 lbs.
OM 510 – 250 lbs.
Montage Elite/Premier – 300 lbs.

I hope this helps those of you who are concerned about this common question.

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Massage Chairs in our Showroom

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

We are getting more and more visitors to our website from surrounding states. We find ourselves constantly telling folks what massage chairs they can try out in our showroom. So, I figured it would do you, our cherished visitor, some good to know what massage chairs we carry in our showroom (the biggest complaint we get from massage chair shoppers is that there is no place to go to try out all the chairs):

iJoy 250
HT-5005
HT-125
HT-7120
HT-7450
HT-1650
Panasonic 30007
Sanyo 5000
Inada i2A
Inada D5 Robochair
Inada Sogno PLUS massage chair

Once the HT-125/135/136 family is phased out later this year, we will probably replace our HT-125 with a Panasonic 1285 massage chair, which is becoming a fairly popular chair because of the price point and the features included. We may also finally carry the Perfect Chair which, though not a massage chair, is made by Human Touch and is a popular therapeutic chair for low back sufferers.

Now come down, visit us, and enjoy these awesome massage chairs.

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Another Great Massage Chair Shopper’s Question!

Monday, January 19th, 2009

I love sharing massage chair shopper’s questions with you on this blog  because I figure if one person is asking, their are probably others that are thinking the very same thing. So, I post the visitor’s question along with my response…

Here is the inquiry:

“Dear Dr. Weidner
I am extremely hopeful you will assist me in narrowing down my choices for a massage chair as I have never owned a massage chair, but have sat in models (at Relax-The-Back, the chiropractor, Sharper Image and a few furniture stores) made by Sanyo, Human Touch, iJoy and Inada, but not Panasonic or Omega. Relax-The-Back is the only viable option to purchase a chair in my area. However, I will not do so due to their extreme lack of product knowledge of and poor customer service. I am looking for the highest quality chair available equipped to provide a complete deep full body massage from head to toe. Price is not an issue as long as it suits my needs. I am 6′1″ and 225 pounds with a very long torso and a relatively athletic build. The chair need NOT be voice responsive, resemble a fashionable piece of living room furniture or be constructed with real leather. I do not desire an iJoy, and the Sogno Plus is the only option from Inada I will consider. My criteria eliminates a number of chairs so I hope you are able to steer me to my viable options. Thank you so very much in advance for your kind assistance. It is most appreciated. Yours Truly, “

Here is my response:

“Thank you so much for your insightful email. I can tell you have done a lot of research and I hope my input assists you in your search.

I will start off by saying that, hands down, my manager, who is a licensed massage therapist, and I, who am a chiropractor, believe the Inada Sogno PLUS is the best chair out there, with the best and most innovative features, for the dollar spent. We have one in our showroom, along with a number of other Inada chairs, Human Touch chairs, the Panasonic 30007, the Sanyo 5000, and the iJoy 250. We used to carry the Omega Montage in our showroom, but we had so many customer service issues with the chair that we stopped carrying it in our showroom.

The Panasonic is a great chair, but we find that for the money, the Inada Sogno PLUS beats it. The Panasonic chairs seem to be more suited for a shorter body, but it doesn’t have the Dream wave technology or the neck traction feature, both of which are so innovative in the Sogno that it is hard to compare that chair with anything else. We carry the 30007 in our showroom, which retails for $5999, but there are other models in the 30000 family that are less expensive, with the same rollers and internal function, but with some differing features and airbags.

Human Touch makes very good chairs that are quite aesthetically pleasing, but feature-wise, again, they can’t fully compare to the Sogno PLUS. I love the HT-1650, personally, but would still suggest the Sogno PLUS for complete therapeutic benefit.

Here are some other things about the Inada Sogno PLUS massage chair to take into consideration, pros and cons, especially relative to your input in your email to me:

1. it is not voice responsive

2. the pad, to which the cervical traction unit is attached, can be lifted and snapped into a position out of the way so that the user of the chair can have an even more vigorous massage from the rollers. When the pad and traction unit is down, the rollers must work through two pads to get to the spine of the user. Some who want a more vigorous roller massage can lift that pad and traction unit out of the way so that the rollers only have to go through one pad, as is the case with most other chairs. I hope this makes sense. (By the way, if anything I explain doesn’t make sense, feel free to call me at my personal cell number, 1-801-651-2026, and I can explain it moreso over the phone.)

3. the neck traction unit uses air bags and rubber nodular inserts to massage the trapezia and levator scap muscles…it is unlike anything else we have ever seen before. A great neck and shoulder massage.

4. square inch massage coverage for most massage chairs is around 400 sq. inches. The Sogno PLUS covers over 1200 sq. inches of your body. That addresses your comment “a complete deep full body massage from head to toe.” The arm airbags cover your arm, forearm, wrists, and hands (including fingers).

5. the dream wave technology for the hips is absolutely fantastic if you have any acute or chronic low back pain. I use it all the time for an unstable left SI joint in my back and it is wonderful. Also a very unique technology that we have not seen on any other massage chair.

6. it is upholstered in faux leather, a fancy way of saying “fake” leather or synthetic/manmade leather.

7. won a design and engineering award from the international CES symposium in November 2008.

8. it has a heat function in the lumbar region but it is not remarkable.

9. Like the Sanyo and the Panasonic, the vertical track of the rollers go down to the very low back, i.e. sacrum, which, I think is crucial for a low back massage. The Human Touch and iJoy typically do not go so low.

10. customer service on the Inada chairs, like the Panasonic, Sanyo, and Human Touch chairs, is great. Should you ever have a problem with this chair, or any of the chairs we carry, you will have great customer support from each of the manufacturers we represent. The head technician for Inada USA came by our showroom a few weeks ago and told us that they have a .01 percent problem rate on new chairs….which is extremely low. In other words, the chance of you having a functional problem with the Sogno PLUS when you get it is very low.

11. Sogno PLUS comfortably fits persons from 4′11″ to 6′4″.

Well, Bruce, I hope I have covered everything. Again, I hope you call me if you have any questions that I can’t answer with the written word. If you have more questions about the other chair models we carry, I can give more info regarding those models as per any future request from you. Again, my number is 801-651-2026.

Just a reminder to you, also, that we offer bonus gifts, free shipping, and a $100 -$300 visa gift card (or $100-$300 off the price of the massage chair) when you purchase  from our site. If you decide to get the Inada Sogno PlUS from us, you must call to place the order, as Inada does not permit online purchases of this chair. You will also be free of sales tax if you live outside of Utah. We will also throw in free white glove delivery, which will take care of assembly of the Sogno PLUS (it comes in two boxes) and disposal of all the packing material when your chair is delivered to you. You can expect a 1 1/2 week wait for your chair. Inada delivers quite quickly…even with the white glove service.

I look forward to hearing from you again. Best of luck to you in your massage chair shopping. “

Hope this helps all of you in your massage chair search!

Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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Massage Chair Visitors from Georgia!!

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

I had a great day today! We had our first Massage Chair Relief visitors from Georgia come to our showroom today. They flew in first thing this morning to attend the Sundance Film Festival. They had done some online homework about massage chairs before they left and saw that one of the sites they had visited, OURS, had a store in Salt Lake City so they figured they’d come for a visit once they landed. So, first thing this morning, Doug and Katrina and Skip came for a visit to our showroom. We had a wonderful visit and fast became friends.

Now, we have had visitors from Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Idaho…all neighboring states within driving distance, but this was the first visitor that actually flew in to see us! I was just thrilled. They ended up getting the HT-1650 massage chair after having sat on all the chairs over the course of 3 hours. By the way, if you ever come to our Massage Chair Relief showroom, plan on spending AT LEAST 1 hour trying out the chairs. We have 11 in the store, and you will want to take your time trying them all out.

Should you ever come to Utah, please come visit us. We would absolutely love to have you. Call ahead and we’ll make arrangements for lunch or dinner. We’ll take care of you the moment you walk through the doors…yes, and that includes a meal for your effort to get here!

Dr. Alan Weidner
President
www.massage-chair-relief.com

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