Wheelchairs. What price is the best price?

When do you know that you have chosen the perfect product? Do you prefer price over quality or quality over price? When do you know that the product you purchased will satisfy your needs and expectations?

Think of this…what steps do you take when you need to buy something? Let’s say a BBQ. Do you go to the first shop you see on the street, and buy the first BBQ you see? I assume not. What I do and what I believe many other people do too is research. With the internet being such a powerful tool, it is easy and you get your answer very quickly. Reading reviews of the product, its advantages and disadvantages, checking product ratings, watching videos, asking people about their opinion…that’s a few of the research options we can explore in the buying process of any product.

I have recently joined Active Mobility as Marketing Assistant so I am doing a lot of research to improve my product knowledge. I came across some websites that offer everything you can think of…so I browsed…I typed electric wheelchairs into the search window and I must admit, the number of products on offer was amazing. I could see many wheelchairs, in different colours, sizes and with various features…anything you can imagine. How easy is it to make a few clicks, pay for the product and get it delivered to your address? Very easy. But what happens next?

You receive your wheelchair within a week. You become one of many happy users, until something breaks. Imagine the hassle you will have while trying to contact the online company you purchased your wheelchair from, trying to explain what happened and what is wrong. In the end, you decide to give up as you need your wheelchair working as soon as possible. You contact a local company that you know and pay them to fix your equipment which is really under warranty. Are you still asking what price is the best price?

Professional wheelchair suppliers communicate with your therapist to provide an assessment for your wheelchair. You will get a chance to try the wheelchair before you purchase it. After developing the wheelchair best suited to you, the supplier will deliver the wheelchair with 2 years warranty [or more!]. Regular service, spare parts and adjustments that you cannot browse on the internet will be easily accessible anytime when something goes wrong.

How to choose the right wheelchair?

A wheelchair is a piece of equipment you will choose for at least 5 years. It is a tool that is part of your life and even if you don’t realise it, it will influence your life and health.

In real life we have to deal with many decisions we make. Some of them are easy, like what dress am I going to wear for Friday dinner, or what flavour will I choose at the ice-cream shop? Some of them are harder…these decisions will follow us for a few years or for a lifetime or until we decide to change them.

Buying wheelchair is hard decision and process. To make it easier, find answers for following questions when getting your wheelchair:

1. What features or characteristics are the most important for my wheelchair (weight, design, price, possibility of folding…)
2. How much time do you spend in your wheelchair?
3. Which places do you access on daily basis? (What barriers do you need to avoid - kerbs, train stations, transport access…How wide are the doors, how do I deal with stairs…)
4. What do you do with your wheelchair (sport, office work)? What activities can you not do with your present wheelchair? Do I need to customise my wheelchair for my activities or for work?
5. Do I need help from others or can I be independent with the right type of wheelchair?
6. Do I have other health issues which can be helped by features on my wheelchair?
7. Who is going to look after my wheelchair? (Am I able to organise service by my self, is my wheelchair insured, did anyone help me with its settings…?)
8. How will I pay for my wheelchair?

It is important to realise that you’ll be using your wheelchair today, tomorrow and every day. Some places may not be easy to access (e.g. older lifts & toilets). With a wheelchair that is not suitable for you, theres is a chance you will be at risk of falls, discomfort, pain, tiredness and anxiety.

Most importantly, you want to be as independent as possible from people surrounding  you. Thats why you should try to find an answer to these questions by consulting with therapists and equipment specialists when getting your wheelchair: