Anyways, Chrissy Kim, you’re the owner of Tru Massage Chairs. We started carrying Tru Massage Chairs in April of 2022 when we opened our Northern California store. At the time, we had a couple of your models: the Tru Eclipse and the Tru Symphony. Since then, we’ve started carrying the Tru Eclipse in our Arizona store, and we’re making room for more of them in our other two stores. We also have the Tru Iconic in our Utah store.

We’ve sold both models to our customers, and so far our experience with you has been great. Welcome, Chrissy. It’s good to have you here today. It says “Christine Andrew” on the screen, but Andrew had something come up, so it’s just you today. Thank you. Maybe you could tell us a little bit about your company and how you came to be?

We started in 2013 carrying different types of massage chairs. We began as a retailer, and my brother and my husband Jean became very knowledgeable about massage chairs. We decided to open a separate line for wholesale, so that’s how Tru started about five years ago. The Eclipse has already been upgraded three times now. I’m very comfortable selling it because it has a very quiet brushless motor, and it has more airbags and more air cells than any other chair on the market.

What was it that made you want to start your own line of chairs?
The reason is that we became very knowledgeable—we know what to do with massage chairs. I think my brother Andrew could make one himself if he had all the equipment. So we decided to open up to dealers like you, Dr. Weidner. We also have dealers in Seattle, Fremont, California, and Baltimore. Our ethic is service over sales. The word “service” is very important to us.

Yes, and I appreciate that about you. When we carry a new line of chairs, people always say, “Oh yes, we take good care of your customers. We have good chairs. If there’s a problem, we’ll take care of it.” But my experience has been that a lot of companies don’t. When you said that, we had already communicated before we started carrying your chairs, and then we decided to move forward. Honestly, everything you’ve said about your customer support has been true.

We’ve had a few things happen to the chairs that needed attention, and you’ve been very attentive to taking care of them. For me, that’s a big deal because we offer a lifetime labor warranty on every chair we sell. Having a company that backs up their chairs is huge for us.

We know how it is. Customer service is very important to us because we used to carry different types of chairs and had a very hard time getting parts in a timely manner. So now we like to fix chairs right away. We have plenty of parts, four technicians in Georgia, and a lot of contacts nationwide.

That’s wonderful, and we appreciate that. You’ve lived up to your word with our experience so far.

Thank you.
Now, where are you from originally?

Well, we are Korean American. I grew up in Hawaii, then moved to California for college. Andrew went to UC, I went to UCLA. We moved to Georgia about 20 years ago, and I love it here. I plan to retire here. I still have family in Hawaii, but I love Georgia.

When I think of Georgia, I think of hot and humid.
It’s only like that for a short time in the summer. Winters are short, and we don’t get snow. We have four seasons, and fall is beautiful here. The air quality is good, and housing is much cheaper than California, so I really like it here.

For someone from Hawaii, that says a lot! If you love it, it must be good.

Tell me a little about creating your own line of chairs. How did you know what kind of factory to work with?
We went to trade fairs, visited factories directly, and got samples before placing orders. For example, the Eclipse has been upgraded three times. We feel very comfortable with it now.

And the Eclipse is still built in the same factory?
Yes.
Do you have trouble getting parts or service from them?
No, everything is good.

Are all your chairs from the same factory?
No, three different companies. For example, the Symphony 4D is from another company, but they are reliable too. We hardly have issues with the Symphony. Early on we had some issues with the Eclipse, but those are solved now.

How many models do you have?
We have four major ones: Eclipse 4D Plus, Symphony 4D, Majestic 4D, and Iconic 4D (a lower-priced version). The Iconic has voice command, 32 airbags, dual rollers, and manual massage. It’s excellent quality for the price.

We brought the Iconic into our showroom because we wanted something at that price point. Many of our chairs are $9,000 and higher. The Iconic filled a gap for us. It’s also a beautiful chair with LED lighting.

So all four of your chairs are 4D?
Yes.

Which one is your top line?
The Eclipse 4D Plus is our bestseller. It has a brushless motor, it’s very quiet, space-saving, has excellent stretching features, and its manual settings pinpoint specific areas well. The parts are very high quality. It also has a modern design, LED lights, and good speakers with Bluetooth.

The latest version also has open-toe design, calf rollers, and palm rollers for hand massage. Very few chairs offer that.

We like the Eclipse a lot. We also had the Symphony in our Northern California store. Someone bought the floor model, so we need to replace it.

Tell us about the Symphony.
It’s popular among Asians who want very strong deep tissue massage. It’s quiet, detailed, and brushless. It’s easy to use with a side controller, has zero gravity, USB, eight manual modes, and 24 auto programs. It’s priced below the Eclipse but higher than the Iconic.

And the Majestic?
It’s built for big and tall people, supporting up to 300 pounds and 6’5″. It’s 4D and brushless as well. Pricing is closer to the Symphony.

You also provide white-glove delivery, which can be very expensive now. How do you manage that?
I have a few reliable shipping companies, so I don’t charge much for white-glove delivery.

What advice would you give someone shopping for a massage chair?
I think the best option is 4D, because it gives more detailed and accurate massages. Brushless motors are also better for longevity and quieter operation.

What are some common chair issues?
Many times users walk out while the chair is still reclining, which can bend the footrest. It’s important to let the chair return fully to its original position before standing up.

What warranty do you offer?
For Eclipse Plus, we offer five years. Starting this year, Symphony also has five years (five years parts, three years labor). The Iconic has three years (three years parts, one year labor). Extended five-year warranty can be purchased for $350.

That’s a fantastic warranty, especially for upper-end chairs. Not many companies offer five years parts coverage.

If someone has a problem with their chair, what’s your protocol?
They can call or email me directly. We take action right away. We ship parts usually the next day and assign a technician right away.

That’s impressive—customers being able to speak with the owner and get quick parts shipping is rare.

In all the time I’ve dealt with you, this is the first time we’ve met face-to-face. It’s nice to meet you.

Any plans for future models?
Yes, next month we’re bringing a dual-roller “5D” chair called the Crown. It has six rollers total (four lower, two upper). We’ve tested it and believe it’s better than any 5D chair on the market.

It will come in pearl white and dark chocolate brown. The interior will match (white inside, brown inside).

Right now we have four models and are adding one more. We’d like to get more dealers and expand marketing. Thank you, Dr. Weidner, for becoming a dealer.

Do you warehouse all your chairs in Georgia?
Yes, we have three warehouses full of chairs. It’s a little slow right now, but we hope sales will pick up again.

Would you like to share your phone number?
Sure, you can reach me at 404-924-58XX. Or just Google Tru Massage Chairs and you’ll find us.

Thank you, Chrissy. It was great having you today. I wish Andrew could’ve joined too, but it was nice to finally meet you face-to-face.

Thank you so much, Dr. Weidner. Please visit my showroom and warehouse when you have a chance.
Absolutely, I’d love to.

Thanks again for joining us today.