Hello, this is Dr. Alan Weidner from Massage Chair Relief, and we welcome you to the Massage Chair Relief LIVE! streaming podcast. It’s good to have you here today. For those of you watching later on YouTube or Facebook, I hope you find this helpful. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to me through our website or by phone—we’re happy to help.

I also want to welcome those attending live. Thank you for taking time out of your Friday, especially since it’s Memorial Day here in the United States.

Our guest today is Michael Roedeske, owner and founder of Massage Chair World (“Massage Sessel Welt”) in Germany. Michael, it’s great to have you here. We first connected last November or December when you reached out to ask if I would be attending CES in January. We arranged to meet there, and it was a real pleasure. I also had the chance to meet your wife, and I was impressed by how you’ve built a business in a completely different market on another continent.

Michael explained that his business started during COVID. His wife had prior experience with massage chairs through her ex-boyfriend’s business in France, and together they decided to pivot from Michael’s IT work into massage chair retailing. They converted office space, put chairs in a conference room, started marketing with Google ads, and quickly realized there was strong demand.

Now, four years later, Michael’s company is a multibrand retailer with two showrooms they operate directly, plus four other locations across Germany. Customers travel hundreds of miles—even from Spain, Italy, and the Czech Republic—to try their chairs.

Initially, they carried around 35 models from many brands, but this proved unsustainable. Michael wanted to offer something for everyone, but with so many options it was hard for customers to choose, and support varied widely between brands. They also offer five years of on-site warranty, so reliable service and parts availability are essential. This led them to scale down their brands, and now they source directly from trusted manufacturers in Asia, ensuring both quality and accountability.

Michael also described how they handle service and delivery. Unlike third-party logistics companies, their own teams deliver and service the chairs, giving customers a better experience. They’ve even delivered across long distances, though they now focus primarily on German-speaking markets—Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—due to language and support challenges.

We compared demographics in Europe and the U.S. In both regions, chair buyers are split about 50/50 between men and women. Many start out shopping for pain relief but discover additional benefits like stress reduction, better sleep, and overall wellness. Interestingly, younger buyers are also entering the market, especially those working long hours from home during the pandemic.

We also discussed differences in body size. Massage chairs were originally designed in Asia, often too small for taller or heavier Western customers. Both Michael and I emphasized the importance of testing chairs on different body types to ensure they fit properly.

We touched on marketing as well. In Germany, health claims about massage chairs aren’t allowed, so Michael relies on customer reviews and testimonials. In the U.S., we face similar restrictions but can discuss physiological benefits like reduced stress, improved circulation, and lower blood pressure.

Michael noted that while many competitors are just online resellers, his company focuses on showrooms and direct support. He currently offers about 15 models, aiming to maintain a balanced range across price points and user needs.

We also talked about industry trends: the growth of low-cost “disposable” massage chairs, the importance of warranties and customer support, misleading online reviews, and the need for customer education. Both of us agreed that having a physical showroom is crucial, since people need to experience a chair firsthand before making a decision.

Toward the end, Michael suggested revisiting this conversation later in the year, perhaps with a multi-country panel of retailers. That would provide valuable perspectives from Germany, the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

Michael, thank you again for staying up late—especially after a long day in your showroom. We appreciate your time and insights. And to everyone watching or listening, thank you for joining us. We’ll be back next month with another guest.

I’m Dr. Alan Weidner from Massage Chair Relief. Good night, everyone.