I suspect the economics of gyms might be such that if it was pay-per-use they'd either have to charge insane rates or go under. It's not so much that consumers like monthly fees as that the gyms like them because they're easy to forget about.
Most gyms charge attractively low fees because they are typically a year or more contract, with an auto-renew clause, and they know that the vast majority of the members will use the gym a few times and then stop coming. If all their members used the gym regularly, they'd be packed to overflowing.
There are gyms that charge per use, the fees may appear higher but if your dedication to exercise doesn't turn out the way you planned you will be money ahead.
For the best chance at getting a payment plan that doesn't count on you having low motivation to exercise, look for locally-owned independent gyms, avoid the Bally's and other franchise/chain operations.
This isn't good advice. The locally owned ones are often even more desperate and willing to go the extra mile to defraud you. The idea that small businesses are more honest than big ones is a complete myth. Most of the time it is the reverse: big corporations have more to lose.
Unfortunately, as much as I hate the middle ground fallacy, it is correct here. It's far too broad to say that locally owned ones are more likely to defraud you or less likely. The real truth about locally-owned establishments is that with big corporations you know exactly what you are getting because it is the same everywhere whereas individual local establishments will depend on who the owner is. If the owner is desperate and willing to do everything to defraud you, so will be the establishment. If the owner is the nicest person in the world they'll be perfectly happy running a business in the red for as long as they can avoid total financial ruin so that they can better serve their customers. And, of course, you'll get everything in between.
The advice to go local is less about it being a guaranteed win and more about it being how you find those who will go above and beyond everything.
Your description is accurate but the advice to go local is usually not given that way, it's usually given as a slogan.
I've actually never heard anyone say "The advice to go local is less about it being a guaranteed win and more about it being how you find those who will go above and beyond everything."
Instead I always hear a dogmatic something like "support local business! Big corporations are evil!" When I've actually been defrauded out of FAR FAR FAR FAR more money by buying local.
Consumers aren't paying to use the equipment. They're paying for the sensation that they care about their bodies and for the peace of mind of knowing that if they had time or motivation they could go work out. Interest in something = spending money on it (at least here in America).
