Well, I guess this is a lesson for trying to save money and purchasing exercise equipment online.

I had ordered my Proform 900 Space Saver Elliptical from Fogdog. Shipping cost $100, but the sale price of the item was below what it goes for at retail stores and there was no sales tax. Well...it arrived with a big gash in the side of the box. I didn't really notice it when it was delivered because the box weighs 150lbs and could only be dollied into the garage. The delivery guy placed it down and I couldn't get a good look at the hole on the bottom of the box until I took most of the parts out of it first.

I was hopeful that the styrofoam padding had taken the brunt of the force. But, when I took out all the pieces out last night, I found that the crank arms were nearly cracked in half! Not to mention there are numerous cracks running all around the plastic shell of the main chassis. I have no idea what damaged the box, but I'm guessing maybe the tip of a forklift... :confused:

I called Fogdog up today and they were reluctant at first to exchange it, but they are sending a freight truck next week to pick it up (I have no idea how I'm going to fit all the pieces back in the box!?...not to mention the bottom of the box arrived with a huge hole in it) and once it gets back to them...HOPEFULLY they can send me a replacement...this time with no damage.

I'm mainly disappointed that it will be at least another two weeks before I can start a cardiovascular work out! It's raining almost everyday, so I can't run outside :) The customer service rep admitted that it is actually a common problem for their packages to be broken or at least opened upon delivery. It has to do with them hiring a third party freight company to do their shipping. Well wouldn't it be time to find a new shipping service??

Anyone else order heavy exercise equipment online, only to find it broken inside the box?