Buying fitness equipment in Switzerland: delivery, assembly, and returns explained honestly

When buying fitness equipment in Switzerland, the price is rarely the deciding factor; logistics are. The cable machine tower box measures 220 cm, and the long rowing package 216 cm. Measuring the door width, stairwell and space for placement in advance saves you from the most expensive exercise of all: returning bulky goods at your own expense.

Contents

• Is ordering from a German shop worth it?
• How is bulky fitness equipment delivered in Switzerland?
• What arrives pre-assembled, and what do you assemble yourself?
• How can I pay by invoice or in instalments?
• How do the warranty and spare parts work?
• Who pays the return shipping costs?
• Can I collect the equipment or view it beforehand?
• Checklist: what to measure before ordering
• Frequently asked questions
• Our conclusion

Is ordering from a German shop worth it?

Sometimes for small accessories, almost never for bulky equipment. The reason is not the equipment price, but everything that comes afterwards. When ordering from abroad, import duties and the carrier's customs clearance fee are added, and you usually don't see either until the carrier's invoice arrives in the mailbox. We deliberately do not give specific amounts here because they depend on the value of the goods, the carrier and the tariff.

The second part is more interesting, and is never shown in price comparisons: the return journey. An indoor bike weighs 40 kg, a Pilates reformer 75 kg. If such a device has to cross the border on its way back, you pay for an international freight return shipment and handle the customs formalities a second time. The same applies in a warranty case: Replacement parts from the EU go through import procedures again.

Our position on this is hardly surprising, but it is not a quality argument against German suppliers, merely a practical one: We store our products in Weesen, our support team responds in German, French, Italian and English, and a replacement part can be sent from here as a domestic parcel.

How is bulky fitness equipment delivered in Switzerland?

Smaller devices arrive as regular parcels; heavy and long items are shipped by freight carrier, often on a pallet. This is the point many people overlook when ordering: Freight delivery usually ends at the first lockable door or at the curb, not in the living room on the third floor. It's better to clarify in advance whether a different arrangement is possible.

Usually, you'll be notified by phone so that you have a time-slot appointment. Usually does not mean guaranteed. We deliberately quote one of our worst reviews for this, because it describes exactly what can go wrong:

«Ordered on the 10th, delivery was announced for Tuesday, but it arrived on Thursday evening shortly before eight without any advance notice. The driver left the pallet in front of the garage and drove off again; I was left alone with the entire weight. One corner was dented and the headrest had a crack. Support sent a replacement immediately and was genuinely decent, but I am still absolutely furious with the shipping company.»

Goran Bär, 1 star, verified purchase

That is how it is stated in the shop, and that is how it will remain. Two things can be learned from this. First: For palletized goods, plan for a second person on the delivery day, even if you think you can manage alone. Second: Photograph any damage to the box before unpacking and report it as quickly as possible, ideally on the same day.

There is another way, and that is the norm. A customer wrote to us about the cable machine, saying it had been delivered within four days, was carefully packaged, and had been set up by two people in just over an hour. The honest summary: The goods are well packaged, assembly is manageable, and the risk lies in the final mile.

What arrives pre-assembled, and what do you assemble yourself?

The large pieces of equipment arrive partially assembled or ready to use. We list the box dimensions on our product pages because they play a decisive role in the purchase: It is not the equipment dimensions that determine whether something will fit into your home, but the package dimensions.

The Walking Pad is at the top as our recommendation because it arrives 100% pre-assembled: unpack it, pick up the remote control, and start walking. The Indoor Bike is only slightly behind at 90%, but it weighs 40 kg, and you feel those 40 kg much more clearly in the stairwell than the missing ten percent of assembly.

The cable machine is the only case with an active assembly service: Planzer handles the setup for CHF 300 in 30 to 60 minutes. It is money you are initially reluctant to spend, but then glad you spent when the wall-mounting kit is meant to go on a wall whose construction you do not know. If you do not want to drill, choose the version with standing feet. One family deducted a star from their rating for this: assembly without experience with wall plugs is tricky, and in the end the neighbour helped. Fair enough, and we are leaving it as is.

How can I pay by invoice or in instalments?

Both are possible, through two separate providers. We process purchases on invoice through PowerPay and instalment payments through HeyLight. You select either option at checkout; the respective provider handles the assessment and terms, not us. That is why we deliberately do not state any interest rates or terms here: what applies to you will be shown bindingly during the ordering process.

What is particularly relevant in practice is that you do not have to choose between equipment and budget just because a Pilates Reformer starts at CHF 1'499 and a cable machine at CHF 1'649. If you want to understand the process before reaching checkout, you can find the details in the article about instalment payments for fitness and e-mobility in Switzerland. We will leave it at this one paragraph here.

How do the warranty and spare parts work?

Our equipment comes with a 2-year warranty, explicitly covering all parts of the cable machine. In addition, you have a 120-day exchange policy. And then there is what no advertisement mentions and what matters most in everyday life: spare parts down to the last screw.

You only realise why this matters in the third year. Fitness equipment rarely fails completely: a screw is missing, a footrest is worn out, or a spring needs replacing. We therefore stock rowing machine footrests and reformer springs as separate items, so the entire machine does not have to be returned. Questions about this: info@twheels.ch or +41 43 508 20 26.

Who pays the return shipping costs?

The customer. We say this deliberately and clearly, not in the small print. With a heart-rate monitor strap, it is a minor detail; with a Sprinting Machine weighing 80 kg net and 106 kg gross in its large shipping carton, it is the most expensive item in the entire process. Returning bulky goods means a freight forwarding rate, not a parcel price, and the equipment must also be capable of being repackaged.

This leads to an uncomfortable but honest recommendation: Measure beforehand. Returning bulky goods is never a convenient Plan B; it creates damage for both sides. Every single return costs someone money and an afternoon, on both sides.

Making the right decision beforehand is more effective than dealing with a return afterwards. We have written an article about this that honestly sorts out which fitness equipment for home is still actually used after six months.

Can I collect the equipment or view it beforehand?

Yes, at our Swiss warehouse in Weesen. This is the question we receive most often by phone, and it is justified: when buying equipment priced between CHF 849 and CHF 1'849, you want to see the wood and upholstery in person. Contact us beforehand at +41 43 508 20 26 or info@twheels.ch so that the equipment is ready.

Picking it up has two practical advantages: The entire freight-delivery process is eliminated, and you can see the package dimensions before it is in the stairwell. However, if you are coming by station wagon, it is best to calculate this beforehand. A 220 cm-long box will not fit in any normal passenger car, not even diagonally.

Checklist: what to measure before ordering

Five minutes with a tape measure can save you a return in the worst case. It is worth going through these points before ordering; our support team can help if you are unsure:

1. Door width and door height at every door along the route, including the building entrance and basement stairs. Not just the destination door.
2. Stairwell and turns. A 220 cm-long box fits through almost any door, but not around every corner in an older building.
3. Elevator: interior dimensions and diagonal. For long packages, the diagonal matters, not the floor area.
4. Space with room to move: The water rower requires 210 cm of length in use, while the Reformer requires 241 cm. You also need space to get on and off.
5. Flooring: parquet, laminate, and impact sound insulation in a rental property. A 226 x 90 cm floor protection mat covers a rowing machine and treadmill.
6. Second person for the delivery day as soon as the equipment weighs more than 40 kg or arrives on a pallet.
7. Power connection where the equipment will actually stand, not where there happens to be a free socket.

Anyone planning the location and use together will find the relevant system in our guide to setting up a home gym.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be at home for a freight delivery?

Yes, plan for this. Advance notification is customary for palletized goods, but it is not guaranteed, as one of our reviews shows. Be available, keep the route clear, and make sure someone can accept the goods and check their condition. If you are unsure, call us beforehand: +41 43 508 20 26.

Will the equipment be carried into my home?

For freight deliveries, delivery usually ends at the first lockable door or at the curb, not inside the home. Clarify this before ordering if you live on the third floor without an elevator. The Pilates Reformer weighs 75 kg, and the Sprinting Machine weighs 80 kg net.

Can I pay by invoice or in installments in Switzerland?

Yes. Invoice purchases are processed through PowerPay, while installment payments are handled through HeyLight. You select either option at checkout, where the respective provider displays the binding terms. We deliberately do not state any figures because they depend on the provider’s assessment and do not originate from us.

What does a return cost?

The customer bears the return shipping costs, and for bulky goods this is not a parcel rate but a freight forwarding tariff. For equipment with a gross weight of 106 kg in a large box, this can quickly become the largest single expense. That's why we'd rather measure with you beforehand than arrange a collection afterward.

Can I collect or view a piece of equipment in Weesen?

Yes, our warehouse is in Weesen, and you can collect equipment there. Contact us in advance at info@twheels.ch or +41 43 508 20 26 so that the model you want is ready. When transporting it, allow for the box length: the cable machine tower box measures 220 cm, and the second rowing package measures 216 cm.

What should I do if the equipment arrives damaged?

Photograph the box before unpacking it and report the damage as quickly as possible, ideally on the same day, to info@twheels.ch. We keep spare parts down to the last screw in stock, so replacing a damaged individual part is usually much faster than processing a complete return. We handle transport damage separately, independently of the 2-year warranty.

Is buying from an EU country worthwhile because of the price?

Calculate the final price, not the shop price. Orders from abroad incur import duties and the carrier's customs clearance fee, and in the event of a warranty claim or return, bulky goods have to be sent back across the border. With a 40 kg bike, this can eat up the savings shown on the product page.

Our conclusion

For bulky goods, the purchase is decided not at checkout, but with a tape measure. If you measure the door width, stair turns, and space for setup beforehand and plan for a second person on the delivery day, you've handled the trickiest part before the truck arrives. Payment, warranty, and spare parts are easier with a Swiss warehouse behind you than across the border anyway. And when in doubt: calling is cheaper than returning.

When you're ready: Our TWHEELS fitness equipment is all available at our Weesen warehouse, with package dimensions listed on the product pages, a 2-year warranty, and spare parts down to the last screw. If you're looking for equipment that's easy to get into your home while still training your whole body, take a look at the oak water rowing machine: 29.5 kg, 80% pre-assembled, and can be assembled by one person in about 20 minutes.

About the author: Lena Brunner writes and tests for TWHEELS. For this article, she checked the assembly requirements and package dimensions, device by device, against the product pages on August 30, 2026, and deliberately did not state any unverified figures for customs, payment, or returns. Learn more on the author page.