00:00:02
[Music] Good morning! I’m Dr. Alan Weidner from Massage Chair Relief, and welcome to our bi-weekly massage chair industry update for Tuesday, July 29th, 2025. Thank you for joining me today; I hope you find the information I share beneficial. It’s been a while since I recorded our last update.
00:00:26
In fact, I missed one of our bi-weekly broadcasts earlier this month due to family visits. We have nine birthdays in July, so we celebrate throughout the month, which means we have family around all the time. To avoid background noise from children, I postponed recording the video until today.
00:00:56
I appreciate you being here with me today. This is a bi-weekly update, and this video will be posted on YouTube, Facebook, and our other social media platforms. If you have any questions arising from this broadcast or any of our previous broadcasts, feel free to submit your comments or questions on our YouTube channel, Facebook page, or X (formerly Twitter).
00:01:23
Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions about the chairs or anything I mention. If I make a mistake, let me know! I’m not infallible when it comes to massage chairs. Customers often tell me about features I wasn’t aware of, and I appreciate that feedback. Learning about hundreds of chairs over the years means that sitting in them once doesn’t make me an expert. I’m grateful for customers who correct me or highlight features I may have missed. We welcome your comments and engagement!
00:02:29
Now, regarding tariffs, they continue to impact our industry. I read an article stating that the economy has been robust despite tariff issues, which is encouraging. However, tariffs are still causing challenges. For example, the Human Touch Gravis ZG chair, a beautiful zero-gravity recliner, is not primarily a massage chair but has massage features. The prices of that chair and their Perfect chairs will increase on August 11th. Additionally, prices for Fuji Rio chairs went up earlier this month.
00:03:41
These changes are fluid. Just when we think prices are stable, we receive emails from companies announcing price increases due to tariffs. Furniture for Life has also introduced tariff increases. We hope that as negotiations between countries progress, we will see some stability in pricing.
00:04:44
I remember during the COVID-19 pandemic, shipping prices surged due to delays and increased demand for online shopping. Many of those prices did not decrease afterward. So, while companies may claim that price increases are temporary, I wouldn’t rely on that. If tariffs decrease, I hope companies will honor their word and lower chair prices for customers.
00:05:48
Massage chair companies are doing their best to minimize the impact of increased costs on customers. Factories, distributors, and retailers are absorbing some of the costs to prevent customers from facing significant price hikes, but increases are still occurring, albeit potentially less than they could have been.
00:06:07
The Osaki Kairos has been discontinued, which was a surprise since it was a popular chair. It has been removed from our website. We also discussed the Osaki DuoMax SE, an upgraded version of the Osaki DuoMax, which has been popular due to its piano key arm massagers. The new SE model allows users to turn off the arm massagers if they are too strong. The neck shawl with heat has been replaced with a built-in pad in the chair back, and there are new color options.
00:07:13
However, we were informed by Osaki that the DuoMax SE is strictly for brick-and-mortar stores and not for online sales. We do have the DuoMax SE in some of our showrooms, but not all yet. The SE model has some programming changes in the remote control, but I can’t recall the specifics. Just know that even if you don’t see it on our website, you will find it in our stores.
00:08:02
We have recently become a dealer for Cozia massage chairs, which are typically found in furniture stores. Ogawa and JP Medics, which we already carry, are part of the Cozia USA family. Cozia requires that stores carry four of their models to sell their chairs.
00:08:35
We have signed up as a distributor for Cozzia chairs, starting with our Arizona store. Our stores are not large, typically ranging from 700 to 2,000 square feet, so accommodating four new models is a challenge. We have faced competition from online dealers who lack the overhead of brick-and-mortar stores, making it difficult for us.
00:10:21
Distributors are aware of these challenges and are trying to support brick-and-mortar stores. This is one reason the Osaki DuoMax SE is not available for online dealers. Cozzia is appealing to us because they only sell through brick-and-mortar stores. They are strict about shipping chairs to customers who are not local to our stores.
00:11:41
The models we have in our Arizona store include the Zen 3D Pro, Zen 2, Zen Duo 3D, and Quantum. Customers can visit our Arizona store, and we can ship chairs to them. Expect to see more Cozia products in our stores soon.
00:12:05
That covers the key updates in the industry. New models are always being introduced, and some are discontinued, making it challenging to keep you informed. One common question we receive is about the LRA or SL track. They were originally called LRAs to differentiate them from S tracks, but now they are marketed as SL tracks, combining the S shape of the spine with the L shape of the track that goes underneath the seat.
00:13:08
People often ask if these chairs can massage the hamstrings. I usually explain that while the rollers may reach the belly of the hamstrings, they don’t apply much pressure. Most chairs only reach the area between the belly of the hamstring and the buttocks, and in a zero-gravity position, there’s little weight pushing down on the thighs onto the rollers.
00:14:00
If you’re looking for a deep massage in the hamstrings, you may be disappointed. The rollers may touch the top of the hamstring, but they won’t provide the intensity you might expect. For a more effective hamstring massage, consider using a handheld massager when you’re not in the chair.
00:16:38
Despite our extensive experience with various chairs over the past 20 years, we have yet to find one that effectively targets the hamstrings as much as we would like. If you want to see how different chairs work for you, feel free to visit one of our stores.
00:17:57
Typically, business slows down during the summer months, but we’ve been doing well. The massage chair industry experiences a similar pattern to hockey, with activity picking up again in September and October, leading into the busy holiday season.
00:18:34
If you have any questions, please reach out. You can call us at 888-259-5380 or leave comments here. I usually respond to questions on social media, but feel free to call if you prefer. Our knowledgeable staff is always ready to assist you.
00:19:59
I hope you found this video helpful. I’m Dr. Alan Weidner from Massage Chair Relief. If you enjoyed this video, please give us a thumbs up and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Have a fantastic day, and I’ll see you again in two weeks. Bye-bye! [Music]