Equipment guides
Buying Pilates equipment online
The short answer
Before ordering online, confirm the published specifications, the delivery method and whether it reaches your room, the return policy on large freight items, and the parts program. Freight returns on a 200 lb crate are the clause that catches people out.
Confirm delivery before you order
Standard freight is curbside. That means an 8 ft 6 in crate weighing up to 250 lb arrives at the curb and becomes your problem from there.
Measure your route — narrowest doorway, tightest stairwell turn, lift depth — before ordering, and consider threshold or white-glove delivery if you do not have a second person.
Read the returns policy for freight items
Returning a reformer is not returning a parcel. Many policies require the original crate, charge return freight, and apply a restocking fee. Those three together can be a substantial share of the purchase price.
Keep the crate until you have assembled the machine and used it a few times.
- Measure the delivery route before ordering
- Check whether delivery is curbside, threshold or white-glove
- Read the freight returns policy, including restocking fees
- Keep the crate until the machine is assembled and tested
- Confirm the parts program exists before buying
Ask for the specifications that are missing
Maximum user weight, carriage travel and bearing type are the three most commonly omitted figures, and all three matter. A supplier who sells the machine should be able to answer within a day.
An inability or unwillingness to answer is itself a useful signal about what happens if something goes wrong later.
Check the machine on arrival
Before assembly, check the crate for damage and photograph anything visible. After assembly, run the carriage through its full travel with no springs, check every bolt, and confirm the machine sits level.
Report any damage immediately — freight claims usually have a short window, often a few days.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it safe to buy a reformer online?
- Yes, provided you confirm specifications, delivery method and the returns policy for freight items before ordering.
- What does curbside delivery mean?
- The crate is delivered to the curb or driveway, not into your home. Moving it inside is your responsibility and usually needs two people.
- Can I return a reformer if I do not like it?
- Usually, but freight returns often require the original crate and involve return shipping and a restocking fee. Read that policy before ordering.
- What should I check when it arrives?
- Crate damage before assembly, then carriage travel with no springs, every bolt, and that the machine sits level. Report freight damage immediately.