Contours Express vs Zoo Health Club Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Contours Express vs Zoo Health Club including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Contours Express Franchise
Zoo Health Club Franchise
Investment $35,000 - $50,000$47,969 - $171,799
Franchise Fee $12,500$19,999
Royalty Fee $395/mo.greater of $399/ month or 7%
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 1998-
Year Franchised 1998-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Contours Express Franchise
Zoo Health Club Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options
 
Contours Express Franchise
Zoo Health Club Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/-
Start-up Costs No/No-/-
Equipment No/Yes-/-
Inventory No/No-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support
 
Contours Express Franchise
Zoo Health Club Franchise
Training --
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet

# Protected Territory # 5 days of Training at Contours Express University # 3-Day Training at your gym # Adjustable Weight Stack Equipment # 16 Stations - 4 extra stations optional # Butt-n-Gut cd # Preferred Vendor Discounts # Unlimited Ongoing Training # Advertising and Marketing Advice # 24/7 Online Marketing Materials Library # Personal Gym Website # Prepared PowerPoint Marketing Presentations # Nutritional Counseling Program - C.O.R.E. # Site Selection Assistance

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Marketing Ad slicks-
Operations 50% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2

Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

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Expansion Plans
 
Contours Express Franchise
Zoo Health Club Franchise
US Expansion --
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion Yes-

Company Overviews

About Contours Express

After operating coed clubs, working as consultants and working in other areas of the fitness industry, Daren Carter, Mike Widener and Charlie Woodward joined forces to create a fitness center just for women. In 1998, the partners founded Contours Express, a women-only center catering to towns with populations too small to support a full-scale, coed gym.

Contours Express members follow a 29-minute cue tape that keeps them moving through aerobic stations and strength training machines. A fitness trainer (the franchisee or an employee) works with the members during their workouts, providing motivation and other services.

Clubs, which are usually located in strip centers, are about 1,200 square feet in size and can accommodate up to 20 members at a time.

About Zoo Health Club

The appeal of a Zoo Health Club is far-reaching. Demographic studies indicate that members will routinely travel up to ten miles to attend a given location. This level of customer interest and loyalty speaks volumes of our success. Each year, Zoo Health Clubs contribute to their communities by hosting and supporting cancer walks, marathons, and a variety of other events and activities. Such involvement makes Zoo locations popular gathering places for local and regional events. Such is the appeal of the Zoo Health Clubs. Members love to return time and again in order to enjoy the familiarity of their Zoo, with its clean facilities, helpful staff, immaculate equipment, and friendly environment. Since the early 1970s, Zoo Health Clubs have promoted a carefully balanced atmosphere that is both family-friendly and appealing to serious athletes. Everyone-from those seeking a general fitness program to hard-core body builders-find what they need at their Zoo. The Zoo's unique business model benefits both the franchisee and its members:
* Location, location, location! Convenient, easily accessible locations in secondary shopping centers make frequent visits routine for the entire family.
* Small- to medium-size locations limit lease costs and ensure a friendly, community-like environment.
* Low monthly fees attract and retain members.
* Top-of-the-line equipment offers a competitive edge and keeps members challenged.
* A variety of special products and services please members and increase revenue.

"Top
#99 in Gator's Top franchises.