Transcript of Video Titled “Massage Chair Industry Update – January 2, 2015”
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Massage Chair Industry Update – January 2, 2015
Massage Chair Industry Update – 12/11/14
Transcript of Video Titled “Massage Chair Industry Update – December 11, 2014”
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Massage Chair Industry Update – November 13, 2014
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Massage Chair Industry Update – October 30, 2014
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Massage Chair Industry Update – July 10, 2014
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Some Changes Coming Oct. 1, 2012 for Human Touch
Some big news from Human Touch this week. Here is the gist of what will be happening on October 1, 2012: Continue reading “Some Changes Coming Oct. 1, 2012 for Human Touch”
Massage Chair News!
Massage Chair Relief News
Here is my most recent massage chair news update. I have a few things that to address today:
1. Price Increase for Inada Massage Chairs
I’ve already mentioned this ad nauseum, but it is good for you to know that the Inada massage chairs are going up in price on February 1, 2012. The Inada Sogno is jumping up $800 to $7799, while the Inada Yume is going up $500 to $5999. These are significant price increases and Inada blames the weakness of the US Dollar and the strength of the Japanese Yen for the new pricing. It will be interesting to see if the price of the Inada massage chairs come down when the US Dollar strengthens. Hmmmm…I wonder.
2. Osaki 7000 Massage Chair
The Osaki 6000 massage chair, which was just introduced earlier this month, is now being followed up by the new OS-7000 massage chair. I
absolutely love the look of this chair and am excited to see how it works. I plan on getting one in my showroom soon. I have included a pic of it so you can see why I like the styling so much. Some of it’s unique features include: zero gravity, body scan technology, pelvis and hip massage, infrared heat, 13 motors, head air massage, and outer shoulder massage.
Like all Osaki models, this is a chinese-made massage chair. I believe that Osaki private labels volume-manufactured chairs from China. The price point of this model will be $3790 and will have the standard 1 year on-site parts & labor/2 year parts/3 year structural warranty. It will be available in beige, taupe, and black.
3. Human Touch Acutouch 6.0
Human Touch is coming out with a new model known as the Acutouch 6.0 massage chair. I am told that it will only be available through Costco stores at this point. On www.humantouch.com, it is priced at $4999 and the following features are highlighted: cloud touch massage and 8 auto-immersion programs. Not sure what those mean, but they sound interesting. Nothing is mentioned about the roller system or whether the ottoman is retractable like the Acutouch 9500, but I am sure that data will come out as the chair enters the market.
This model will be available in black, espresso, and butter colors.
4. Massage Chair Comparison Feature
I have been working on this for months and it will finally be available this week. I am so excited about our massage chair comparison feature because it will be the first of it’s kind in our industry. It is a very comprehensive and detailed comparison chart that compares and contrasts 51 different massage chair features. This comparison feature will make shopping for massage chairs so much easier.
You will be able to check off a box on each massage chair model and then compare the ones you have checked off in a spreadsheet format. I believe you will be able to compare up to 5 massage chairs at a time.
That’s about it for this week. If you have any questions or any information about any old or new massage chairs that you’d like me to do a little homework on and report on this blog, let me know. You can always email me at alan@massage-chair-relief.com or call me directly on my personal cell phone, 801-651-2026.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Massage Chairs: News and Specials
We are getting close to the holiday season, so it is time to get geared up for it as far as massage chairs are concerned. Here are some things you need to know before it gets too late:
1. Human Touch Promotions are going strong. There are three that apply to our massage chairs:
a.) If you purchase an Acutouch HT-9500 massage chair, you will also get a free iTouch with your purchase. Human Touch will mail that gift to you separately once you purchase the chair and fill out the redemption paperwork,
b.) Free 2 year extended warranty with the purchase of any Human Touch massage chair, except the HT-9500 and the iJoy and Perfect
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Chair models. This is called the Premium Protection Plan and gives you on-site, in-home warranty support for 2 years, rather than the standard 1 year warranty. And finally…
c.) Free Human Touch CirQlation foot and calf massager with the purchase of a PC-085 or PC-086 Perfect Chair. The bad news with this promotion is that there won’t be any PC-085 or PC-086 Perfect Chairs until early 2012. According to Human Touch’s own website…
Due to severe weather and flooding throughout Asia, our factory production is temporarily suspended. As a result, this product is out of stock online until early 2012.
So, go ahead and order anyway, so that you can still get the bonus gift when the chairs finally do come in.
2. Inada Sogno massage chairs stock update:
It seems that Inada is always backordered on one color or another of the popular Inada Sogno massage chair. Well, currently they are stocked up on every color, except chocolate which should be in next week. But, take it from me…if you are even remotely thinking about getting an Inada Sogno for Christmas, order NOW so that you can make sure to get one. They sell out like crazy!
3. Delivery of massage chairs by December 25th is a big deal.
I will be posting Christmas shipping deadlines for each massage chair manufacturer within a week or so. That way you will know how far you can procrastinate! 😉
And, as always, please feel free to contact me by email or my personal cell phone (801-651-2026) anytime! I am always at your disposal.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Foot Rollers in a Massage Chair?
Is There A Massage Chair Out There With Foot Rollers?
UPDATE TO THIS BLOG POST (02/15/2012): Recently, Omega has introduced a new model, the Omega Montage Pro massage chair which has rollers in the feet. You can check out this new model here: http://www.massage-chair-relief.com/massage-chairs/omega/omega-montage-pro/
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I spoke to a gentleman yesterday afternoon who asked me about finding a replacement for his old King Kong massage chair. It had been irreparably damaged by flooding in his home and was looking to get a new chair.
The main thing he was looking for in a chair was rollers in the foot portion of the ottoman. The reason he just doesn’t get a new King Kong chair is because they exist no more. Apparently, they went out of business after they lost a law suit to Human Touch.
http://www.massage-chair-relief.com/blog/general/king-kong-massage-chairs-no-more/
Other than the Human Touch Acutouch HT-9500, which has a phenomenal calf and foot massage ottoman, I couldn’t think of any other massage chair that has actual mechanical rollers under the foot. Virtually every other massage chair that I am aware of uses airbags in the ottoman. Even though each manufacturer uses airbags differently so that the feel is unique to their particular line of chairs, it is all still airbags. By the way, of all the massage chairs we sell, I’d have to say that the foot and calf massage of the Acutouch HT-9500 massage chair is the best, hands down. It really feels awesome!
I’d like to know if any of our readers are aware of a massage chair that has foot rollers. If you do, drop me a line at alan@massage-chair-relief.com or call me on my cell number at 801-651-2026. I’d be very interested, as would my client, to find out if there are any other massage chairs with mechanical foot rollers. Here is a picture
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of the rollers, for your enjoyment and curiousity…
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Massage Chairs and Surge Protectors – a good mix!
We had a lightning storm here a few weeks back and a subsequent power outage as a result of it. Well, when the storm was all said and done and the power was back on, I learned that our HT-9500 massage chair by Human Touch was “on the fritz.” It didn’t work and the red lights on the remote control were flashing incessantly. I immediately gave Human Touch a call (their customer service department is awesome, by the way) and told them about my problem. My customer support rep assumed it was a blown computer module from the storm’s power outage. They created a ticket for me and before I knew it, I was receiving emails from them noting the problem and that the damaged part was on it’s way. Within 24 hours, I received a phone call from a local technician who asked me to call him when the part arrived so that he could come out and replace it for me.
Pretty impressive service. When the part arrived and the technician replaced it for me, I was surprised to see that the part that needed replacing was just a little computer chip “thingy” and it took virtually no time to replace it. The service was great, but what bugged me was that I had to retire one of our popular massage chairs because I was ill-equipped during an electrical storm. I had to wait for about a week before my clients could sit in the HT-9500. I realized then that if I had had a surge protector between the outlet and my massage chair, the chair would never have been out of commission.
So, my message today is to get a surge protector for your massage chair! If it is under warranty, then you will still get your chair fixed at no monetary expense to you. The only expense is that you won’t be able to use your chair whilst waiting for the repair (and we all know how much we hate not having our chair available to us everyday!). If your chair is out of warranty, not only will you go without for a week or more, but you’ll also have to pay for the damaged part. That is a bummer!
I think you can pick up a cheap surge protector for a few bucks at a local store. It is worth the money!
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
The Acutouch HT-9500 Massage Chair by Human Touch Has Arrived!
I just received the shipping notices from Human Touch for my clients who pre-purchased the new Acutouch HT-9500 massage chair, which means they are here in the USA and have shipped! Great news for those of us anticipating this new model. As soon as we get one in our showroom, we will do some reviews on this exciting new chair and share them with you through this blog and website.
A couple of other things to tell you:
1. 3-week old Serenity zero gravity massage chair from Omega for only $1899 which includes free shipping. Here is the link to learn about it and buy it, should you want it…
http://www.massage-chair-relief.com/serenity_massage_chair.html
2. 2-month old Doctor’s Choice 3A massage chair by Inada – their latest offering in the world of massage chairs. This is a chair that focuses on postural correction. Very unique with an exceptional massage…one of my favorites!
http://www.inada-3a-massage-chair.com
This chair goes for $5799. This chair has very limited production and is thus very hard to come by. We have this floor model for only $4899, which includes free shipping.
Jump on them while we have them. First come, first served!!
“The Massage Chair Doctor Is In!”
We’ve added to our website what I think is a great feature for you, the massage chair shopper. If you look on our home page or any other page of the site, underneath the video on the top right hand corner, you will see a traffic light that is
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either green or red. If it is green, and you see my name next to the light, that tells you that I am in the office and can handle your calls personally should you have any questions about any of the chairs or if you want me to assist you with placing your order. If it is red, and my name is next to the light, then I am not in.
If Steffanie is in, and I am not, you will see a green light with her name beside it. That way, you will know whenever there is someone in the showroom office with whom you can chat should you want to discuss massage chairs. Of course, you can call our toll-free number anytime and one of us should be able to take your call as well. But, this way you will know exactly who is in and who you can talk to should you have any questions or inquiries.
In other news, I will find out today the status of the arrival of the new Human Touch Acutouch HT-9500 massage chair. It has been a long time in coming and we are expecting it this week. When I learn more, I will post on this blog right away.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Acutouch 9500 Massage Chair by Human Touch now on our website!!
Well, we finally have the Acutouch 9500 massage chair product page up on our website. Check it out here:
http://www.massage-chair-relief.com/human_touch_ht-9500.html
You can see from the images that this chair looks almost exactly like the discontinued HT-1650.
You can order now, but the first shipment isn’t here until the first two weeks of October. Get your dibs in now.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Acutouch 9500 Massage Chair Arrival!
We got word that the Acutouch 9500 massage chair by Human Touch should be arriving the first two weeks of October. We are excited about this. Our website will have a product page up this week for you to pre-order. Our price will be $4799,
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based on minimum advertised pricing (MAP) established for us by Human Touch. I recommend ordering this thing ASAP even though they are not in stock yet, or else all the chairs will be spoken for and shipped by the time you order. I have experienced this back-order game on new products before. Trust me…if you are expecting to get this massage chair when it first arrives in the USA, pre-order now to make sure you get a stake in that first shipment.
Once we get one in the showroom, we will test it thoroughly and give you a full review of the Acutouch 9500.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
New Panasonic MA51 Massage Chair
I learned a little about the new massage chair from Panasonic, called the EP-MA51. Here are some of my observations and thoughts about it. I haven’t sat on it or even seen it in person, but from my review of the literature out there, I have some things to say:
1. The body styling looks a lot like the Panasonic 1285 massage chair. The only markedly obvious difference would be the arm rests having the familiar Panasonic arm massage feature, which is a “flapping” arm rest that comes down on the fingers, wrist and forearms to facilitate an airbag massage on the arms.
2. Panasonic touts a pelvic tilt and trunk rotation feature which seems pretty cool. Inada introduced that idea a couple of years ago with it’s Inada Sogno and Doctor’s Choice 3A massage chairs. The idea is for the seat airbags to rotate the hips so that the lower back joints are rotated instead of just pushed forward by the rollers. I love that feature on the Inada chairs, so I suspect it will be a lovely feature on the Panasonic MA51 model.
3. They’ve added a feature called a “Leg Stretch” which looks to me like a basic stretch program, which most massage chair manufacturers now employ on at least one of their models. Stretching is a nice feature in a massage chair. I particularly like the stretch function on the Human Touch HT-7120 family of massage chairs. My clients sure love it too.
4. Seems quite pricey at $5499. Of course, when Panasonic came out with it’s highly anticipated 30007 a couple of years ago, it ‘s initial price was $5999. And as you may or may not have read in an earlier post of mine on this blog, Panasonic’s dismal pricing integrity model allowed the price of the 30007 to drift, rather quickly, down to the $4000 range. Pricing and value tend to drop with Panasonic chairs. I suspect this chair will be no different. I suspect that competing retailers will gouge the price down to below $4000 before long….if the 30007 history (or any Panasonic massage chair for that matter) is any indicator.
When you compare this chair to the Inada Sogno or Doctor’s Choice massage chair, or the new Human Touch Acutouch 9500 massage chair, you’ll probably intuitively assess that the MA51 is over-priced at $5499.
5. I called my Panasonic distributor today but he was not aware of whether this chair is even on the market yet. I await his response. I will tell you more when I hear more. I will also notify you when we have placed this chair on our site.
Here is a link to a video that explains the chair visually:
http://www.panasonic.com/promos/video/massage_chairs/Panasonic-MA51.html
One of my competitors has a neat comparison chart that will show you the differences (and similarities) between this chair and the 30007 and 1285 which are also Panasonic chairs or any other chair you wish to compare. Here is a link to their site: http://www.massage-chairs.com/compare.php
Well, hope this helps you in some way, if you are considering this chair for your home or business. We will be posting it on my website shortly.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
More Acutouch 9500 Massage Chair by Human Touch Info
I have learned that the new Acutouch 9500 massage chair from Human Touch will be shipping to the US during the first two weeks of October, 2010. It has been a long time in coming and is a very much anticipated massage chair. I have read countless articles and press releases about it. I will be very eager to get one in my showroom and begin getting a sense of the public response. My guess is that it will be a hit with our customers, as was the HT-1650, it’s predecessor. It was a very popular massage chair in our showroom while we had it.
Here is somemore data for the Human Touch Acutouch 9500 massage chair:
1. The ottoman raises 6 inches off the ground. The HT-1650 stayed on the ground keeping the calfs at a 45 degree angle. It was quite comfortable but made it difficult for shorter people to sit in the chair and get a good back massage at the same time as getting a good foot and calf massage. Good change!
2. It will come in the black and espresso colors. Espresso is a dark brown color, which is quite popular on the Human Touch product line. I have an HT-7120 massage chair in my showroom in that color and I can tell you it is a very handsome color.
3. The MSRP on the chair is $5999, but it’s minimum advertised price (MAP) will be $4799. This means that you should be able to get this chair for $4799. Human Touch is very, very good at maintaining pricing integrity of their chairs. If $4799 is the MAP, that is what you will find it for…not any less.
Hope this helps build your excitement for this chair. I know we are fired up about having one in our showroom.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
More Info on the Acutouch 9500 Massage Chair by Human Touch
I saw a short review video from zedomax.com this week on the Acutouch 9500 massage chair by Human Touch. I have talked about this new model from Human Touch a few times on this blog. So far we know that:
1.) it’s MSRP will be $5999
2.) the 9500 will be an upgraded model of the popular HT-1650 massage chair by Human Touch, which has since been discontinued preparatory to the release of the Acutouch 9500.
3.) the 9500 will be released some time in the fall of 2010, perhaps as early as September.
4.) the chair look is like the HT-1650, but with a different stitching on the leather upholstery.
5.) the ottoman is supposed to lift off the floor, unlike the HT-1650, which sits on the floor in full position.
Well, I have included the video from zedomax.com for your perusal. It goes over the iPad/iTouch/iPhone interactivity with the chair, called HT-Connectivity. It has standard programs, but has also added programs designed specifically by certain professionals who have had input on the programs available through the HT-connectivity feature. I really like the feature where the user can pick three areas of focus and emphasis and the chair will work on those three areas, specifically.
Here is another video, this one created by Human Touch, which shows how to use the iPhone to control the massage:
Very cool! I will like this chair. We, at Massage Chair Relief, already loved the HT-1650 so we can’t wait for the Acutouch 9500 to hit the market.
Hhhhmmm, I wonder what percent of the population have iPhones/iTouch/iPads?
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
New Inada Sogno Massage Chair Video
I just realized that it’s been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry. You are probably chomping at the bit for more massage chair info, aren’t you! 🙂 Well, nothing too terribly exciting to report. We are still waiting on the new Acutouch 9500 massage chair by Human Touch; Inada will be introducing a new color for the Sogno in a few weeks; we will finally be getting one of the new Omega zero gravity massage chairs in our showroom, now that we have sold the Montage floor model.
I also have another video to share with you of the Inada Sogno massage chair. We get asked all the time if we will make videos of other chairs. YES, we will. I am just too dang busy or lazy to get them done. But, we will be doing them later this summer on other models.
This video introduces the headpiece function of the Inada Sogno, which is very unique. It is the only chair that has a headpiece like this. Check it out…
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4084978/inada_sogno_headpiece_functions/
Inada Sogno Headpiece Functions – Watch more funny videos here
Enjoy!
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Human Touch HT-1650 massage chair officially done!
I just got word this morning that Human Touch is now out of the stock on the HT-1650 massage chair and no more will be made! That is it…the end of the life cycle of one of our most popular chairs. Of course, we can all now wait for the Acutouch 9500 massage chair, which is a sister to the HT-1650, but with some improvements. Rumor has it that it will be out in September for the general public. I am excited to see this new chair. Features that I’ve heard, which differentiate this chair from the HT-1650 include the ottoman being able to be lifted off the ground, remote programming from an iphone, different stitching of the leather upholstery, and a higher price point.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Acutouch 9500 massage chair – a little more info!
I just read a review today of the new Acutouch 9500 massage chair from Human Touch. You can read the review here:
http://www.electronichouse.com/article/new_iphone_app_to_control_massage_chair/C157
Nothing new about the technology that we haven’t already discussed. But, for the first time I see a price for this bad boy. According to the author of this piece, the chair will retail for $5999. Quite a jump from the $3999 for the sister chair,and predecessor, the HT-1650 massage chair. I am very interested to see this chair in comparison to the HT-1650.
The author also mentions that it will be a “few months” before the chair is available to the public. My sources tell me September now. I have also learned that the ottoman on the Acutouch 9500 will actually raise off the ground to facilitate a more horizontal positioning. As you may or may not know, the foot and calf ottoman on the HT-1650, which we have always felt is the best foot and calf massage in the business, always rested on the ground at a 45 degree angle because, as we were told, it was too heavy to raise off the ground. Well, the new 9500 will actually raise off the ground. I think this is a good thing.
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com
Now the HT-1650 massage chair is being discontinued
I just heard this week that Human Touch plans to discontinue the popular HT-1650 massage chair once their stock of black models is gone. They figure another week or two and the chairs will be gone. Apparently, Huma
n Touch will replace the HT-1650 with the new Acutouch 9500 which won’t be out until summertime. I’ve not heard of anyone who has actually sat on the Acutouch 9500 massage chair, but I have heard that it looks a lot like the HT-1650. I was told by Human Touch yesterday that the ottoman will raise off the ground, which the ottoman did not do with the HT-1650. It is also supposed to be higher priced than the HT-1650.
Human Touch has told us that the new 9500 will not be sold through the usual distribution channels; it will be sold exclusively through one of their large chain retailers. Not sure who, but maybe Costco or someone like that. Hopefully we at Massage Chair Relief will be able to sell it as the HT-1650 was one of our most popular massage chairs.
You’d think that since my office is in back of the Massage Chair Relief showroom, I would be sitting on massage chairs all day long. Well, think again! I rarely sit on them because I am so busy at my desk. But, the other day I went onto one of the chairs, to do some work reading. I fell asleep and later, after I had woken up, I found a picture of me sleeping on the massage chair on my cell phone. Thanks, Steffanie! Dang, they feel so good but, man…I look like a corpse!
Dr. Alan Weidner
www.massage-chair-relief.com