Blink Fitness, a premium quality, value-based fitness club, recently announced its collaboration with popular online retailer Amazon. The fitness club will now offer Amazon Lockers at seven of its 11 Manhattan locations. This is Amazon Locker’s first partnership with a fitness club.
The lockers provide members and the community a self-service location to pick up and return Amazon.com packages, providing a great benefit for both Blink Fitness members and Amazon shoppers. Here, Todd Magazine, the president of Blink Fitness, discusses the joint venture, gives other industry professionals advice about approaching the collaborative process, and more.
CS: How did Blink Fitness discover Amazon lockers and initiate the collaboration?
TM: Actually, Amazon initiated the collaboration. We were happy to hear from them about hosting the self-service delivery system for Amazon packages in our clubs and could immediately see the potential of the partnership. I’m proud to say that Blink is their first-ever fitness club partner.
CS: What was the collaboration process like?
TM: It was a pleasure to work with Amazon to get the locker program launched. Installation came together very quickly as we were committed to adding the convenience in time for our members’ holiday shopping needs in December. We worked with Amazon to get lockers in seven of Blink’s 11 Manhattan locations, including: Grand Central, Penn Plaza, Nassau Street, Chelsea, 54th Street, 116th Street and 125th Street.
CS: Why did Blink Fitness want Amazon lockers in the facilities?
TM: Blink’s collaboration with Amazon is a natural fit, as it provides a benefit both to our members and the communities we serve. Our members think it’s great that they will no longer have to worry or go out of their way to receive a package. Secondly, the Amazon lockers will help introduce our state-of-the-art facilities to a new audience and hopefully encourage them to try working out at Blink.
CS: What are some tips and suggestions you’d give other industry professionals about approaching their own possible collaboration ventures?
TM: As you consider collaboration, it’s important to ensure brand alignment. The pairing should make sense not only to the brands, but also to consumers. Blink Fitness is committed to a high-quality member experience. Amazon lockers integrate seamlessly into our locations as an added benefit to our members.
CS: Will the lockers be a part of Blink’s plans to expand in the near future?
TM: We look forward to expanding into the Philadelphia metro area in 2017. We have four company-owned locations slated, and plans to open many more. At this time, our main focus is making a great first impression in the market through our “Feel Good Experience.” We are committed to providing modern and colorful design, elevated customer service, relentless focus on cleanliness, energizing music and confidence-boosting training programs – all while offering memberships at a low cost (starting at just $15 per month).
We are hoping to expand the Amazon locker program, which is currently available only in select Manhattan locations.
