Quebecers are snapping up the dumbbells

The closure of gyms in the red zone has exploded the demand for weights and dumbbells in Quebec. Consumers must now scramble to grab hold of the scarce quantities available.

“We are completely overwhelmed. With the new gyms closing, demand is totally crazy, ”noted Jean-François Landry, manager of the Fitness Depot in Laval.

Since the first wave of COVID-19, big box stores have faced an unprecedented shortage of dumbbells and China’s supply has been sluggish.

The stopped gyms gave a hard time to shops specializing in equipment such as Fitness Nutrition Equipment in Laval, which experienced “crazy days” at the beginning of last week when the government announced the closure of the gyms. .

“We have nothing left. Before the pandemic, we were dealing with 3 or 4 different suppliers and now we are fighting with everyone. The ball is now on their side, ”said Maxime Potvin, manager of the Fitness Nutrition Equipment website, which launched his own brand of dumbbells in front of the deadlock.

The first order made in June has still not arrived in Quebec.

Almost double the price

With the shortage comes a drastic increase in prices. Normally, a pound costs approximately $ 1.20 to $ 1.60. Today, we are talking more about $ 1.80 to $ 2.50 a pound, said Potvin.


Quebecers are snapping up the dumbbells

Photo QMI Agency, Mario Beauregard

So a pair of 25-pound dumbbells that could previously sell for $ 60 is now selling for around $ 125, more than double.

Big-box chains that normally sell several types of weights and dumbbells have also faced a shortage since the first wave. On their respective websites, the quantities are minute. On Amazon, the quantities are almost zero and the prices, exorbitant.

During our visit to the Decathlon store in the Eaton Center on Wednesday evening, the section dedicated to weights and barbells was practically empty, apart from weights of 0.5 kg. Ditto for training balls and boxing equipment.


Quebecers are snapping up the dumbbells

Photo QMI Agency, Samuel Boulay

The used taken by storm

On the Kijiji classifieds site, the number of dumbbell announcements from September to October increased 104% compared to the same period in 2019. Prices are between $ 125 and $ 150 on average.

Faced with explosive demand, there are many resellers on classified ads sites and on Facebook’s Marketplace platform.

Andrea AC, as her name appears on Facebook, advertises adjustable dumbbells on the Marketplace for presale. Affiliated with a business in Toronto, but working independently in Montreal with its suppliers, the latter takes orders for dumbbells that will not arrive for several weeks in Quebec.

“The demand has been crazy since the gyms closed. Most of the stocks of large companies are sent directly to the United States, because of the larger market than that in Canada, ”he said.

The latter sells each pair of dumbbells for $ 740 and in as little as 24 hours the quantities are almost sold out.

www.journaldequebec.com

About Victoria Smith

Victoria Smith who hails from Toronto, Canada currently runs this news portofolio who completed Masters in Political science from University of Toronto. She started her career with BBC then relocated to TorontoStar as senior political reporter. She is caring and hardworking.

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