Functionality of site- the best online exercise equipment sites are clearly organized and easy to navigate. The best exercise equipment sites will also let you search easily by price or category to quickly find the exercise equipment that would fit your needs. Look for an easy-to-use shopping cart and checkout process.

Customer service- the better the online exercise store, the better the customer service they will provide. Look for exercise equipment sites that have extensive FAQ sections, have a friendly interface, and several options to contact customer service (via email, chat, or by phone, etc.). Find out what hours customer service is open and how long the response time is.

Frequent buyer/membership program- check to see if the online exercise equipment store you'd like to use has any sort of program that gives you benefits if you use their service multiple times. It might not make sense to pay more for the same exercise equipment just to be a part of such a program, so compare around to see if it will be worth it to you.

Shipping- shipping costs add to the total cost of anything you buy online, including exercise equipment, but this cost is usually offset to some degree because you typically don't need to pay sales tax as you would in a retail store. Compare shipping costs among online exercise equipment sites as they may vary; some sites will base shipping on total pounds, and others will charge for shipping based on the total volume of the order (a much better deal for heavier items). If applicable for your particular order, you might want to find out if shipping insurance is included or available as an option, and find out if the exercise equipment will be shipped assembled or unassembled.

How to find the best exercise equipment for you
The main advantage to shopping for exercise equipment in retail and/or sporting goods stores is that you can see and touch the items for yourself; you may also be able to bring them home that day instead of waiting a few days or weeks for shipping. In contrast, shopping online can be a lot more convenient and efficient than driving across and around town to visit the various stores in person, especially if there is no store close to you; shopping online for exercise equipment can also be done 24 hours a day. If you are thinking about making a larger purchase but have some anxiety about buying online, many of the better exercise equipment sites will send you a free video or DVD that shows how the equipment works, the features and functions, etc. You might also have the option of visiting a retail store just to 'touch' the exercise equipment you're looking at and compare competing models. Then, when you have narrowed your choices down, you can go online to compare prices and get the best exercise equipment deal.

In conclusion, we hope you have found the information we have put together for you useful. We recognize that this guide was in no way exhaustive, and that there is more to exercise equipment than what is included here. We suggest that you use the information in this guide as a starting point in your search for the right exercise equipment for you.