Fabletics, Planet Fitness, and an Unwanted Birthday "present"

 

So this morning I got this email from Planet Fitness: In "honor" of my birthday, here's a chance to pick up an overpriced pair of shorts from Fabletics for $10 instead of the Normal, Perfectly Sane price of $75.  Remember, this is for a pair of shorts.

I can smell a scam from a mile away, but I go ahead and check out the "offer."  Yep, I can pick out a pair of $75 shorts for only $10- but wait, there doesn't seem to be any limit to how many pairs I can order at that price.  I put two random pairs into a virtual basket, check the total and- yep, it comes to $20 plus $6.95 shipping.  Wow, $150 "worth" of shorts for $26.95, that doesn't seem sketchy at all.

I really want to see where the catch is so I go ahead and go to Billing- and there it is, in fine print you could easily miss (though admittedly does include a box you must click) under Terms and Conditions- you know, that thing people usually just skip over and DON'T read.  Clicking the agreement signs you up to some kind of "club" that gives you "access" to regular 80 percent discounts on fitness swag.  Once I join up, I'll have regular opportunities to buy reasonably-priced shorts, shirts, etc. that looks like a huge bargain because of the inflated, I-Bet-Nobody-Actually-Buys-It-At-These-prices.  

The "membership" costs $59.95 a month.  No kidding.  Sixty bucks a month to have the opportunity to buy shorts and tees at a discount.  Oh, but you can "skip" as many months as you want, as long as you go to the website, find the "skip" option, and click it before the 5th day of the month.  Every month.  Which means that there are a LOT of people out there who regularly forget to skip months and find themselves spending sixty bucks accidentally, no doubt encouraging them to go ahead and buy something at a discount so that it's not a total loss.  

Yeah, hard pass, Planet Fitness.  I don't care if you've partnered with Fabletics; my idea of a "birthday gift" is not to get locked into some ridiculous Buyer's Club.  I have enough shorts, I have enough tees, but I don't have enough money to throw it away on this nonsense.  I do have enough sense to read the fine print, though.  Sorry not Sorry.