Buying a massage chair is a very personal decision.  It is wise to invest some time doing research before investing your hard earned cash on this high-ticket item.  You will be glad you followed the steps laid out below when you are sitting in your living room, enjoying the benefits of your shiatsu massage chair.

Because our bodies are so different, there really is no perfect chair. Buying a massage chair is kind of like buying shoes, usually you need to try them before you buy them.  The most important thing to consider when you decide to purchase a massage chair is that it feels right for you. 

The following are some steps that will help you find and purchase the massage chair that matches your needs:

1. Set your budget.  Depending on how much you plan to spend there will be some brands that are immediately out of reach.  You can skip this step if you are not concerned with a spending limit.
   
   
2. Choose a brand. Check out massage chair reviews, forums, and blogs to find the brands that provide the benefits you are looking for.  When you check out massage chair review sites, make sure they are non-biased.  Many review sites get paid to refer customers, and many times they only refer the sites that pay the most rather than providing you with the best, non-biased information.  Forums are great sources of information because they usually have opinions given by other consumers.
   
   It is easy to maintain a long list of massage chair brands and models, but this can overwhelm you when it comes time to purchase.  To avoid burning yourself out and moving further from an actual purchase, choose your top three brands.  Continue to narrow your list as you become more informed about your top brands, until you know exactly which brand is right for you.
   
   For a good massage chair review check out our consumer rankings on the top massage chair brands.
   
   
3. List out functions important to you. Usually when a massage chair has more functions it costs more.  Obviously, if you want a chair that will give you a shiatsu massage and cook you dinner at the same time, it will cost quite a bit more than a chair that just offers you a relaxing massage.  As you research brands, make a checklist of functions and/or luxuries you would like in your own massage chair.  For example: automatic recline; leg massager; vibrating; heated massage; etc.  It would also be helpful to maintain a list of the models you come across which have the features you are searching for.
   
   
4. Try before you buy.  This is probably one of the single most important things you can do in your quest to find the right massage chair.  Most online retailers would shoot me for telling you this, but it is an essential step if you are serious about making the right decision. If you don't "try before you buy" you run the risk of second guessing your buying decision and experiencing buyer's remorse.  Following this step will help you stay satisfied with your massage chair purchase, not to mention it will save you a bundle of money.  If you end up returning or exchanging your massage chair, you will either have to pay return shipping (when buying from online retailers) or restocking fees (usually 15-20% when buying from a retail store).
   
   
5. Buy online!  In my research I have found that it is almost always cheaper to buy online rather than in a retail store.  Online retailers can offer deeper discounts simply because they don't have the incredibly high overhead of physical retail locations. Many online retailers also offer free shipping on high ticket items such as shiatsu massage chairs.  Also, you will not pay taxes if you buy from an online store based in a different state than your own.  No taxes, plus free shipping make for a much better price than any retail store can give you.

Follow these steps.  After you have had the chance to try out your massage chair, come back here and check out our list of online retailers.  We will help direct you to a quality site that will give you the best deal on the massage chair of your choice.