Door to door sales. Sleazy?

[rcrvrp]

I hope I'm not stepping on toes with this question, I'm not trying to paint all sales people with a broad brush.
I have not seen a dtd vacuum sales guy for a long time, don't know if its even done anymore.
But my mother, now departed, was a widow for a long time with a big home 2 stories with long shag carpet from the 70s.
She had a central vac system she didn't like so she bought an Electrolux, went to town and got it. After a few years a Kirby salesman stops by and convinces her to spend a few thousand on a Kirby. This is in the early 90s.
He had her convinced it was so much better than the Electrolux. She was in her 70s at the time and although not senile she was a very gullible old lady.
I was not happy but it was her money and she could afford it.
About 5 years later an Electrolux guy comes by and $2600 later she has a new vacuum. This time I saw it the next day and took it back for a refund.
A few years later its another one. I didn't find out about that one for a month, too late to return. Every time it was a "free" carpet shampoo or some other gimmick to get in the door and then high pressure from there on.
When I have more time I'll tell you about interviewing for a sales job in college and it was a commission job selling Rainbows. No, I didn't start selling them.
So my question is were these high pressure vac sales techniques taught by the manufacturer to their distributers? Or for some reason did the vac business just devolve into questionable ethics?

 

[centralsweeper63]

I have heard bad story's about door to door salesmen.... but this is something different. Thousands and thousands of dollars were, in my opinion SWINDLED out of her. Just horrible, how do these people sleep at night. The good door to door salesmen are wonderful, like the one's on here. But the bad ones are something else entirely.

 

[rcrvrp]

I have heard bad story's about door to door salesmen.... but this is something different. Thousands and thousands of dollars were, in my opinion SWINDLED out of her. Just horrible, how do these people sleep at night. The good door to door salesmen are wonderful, like the one's on here. But the bad ones are something else entirely.

When I cleaned out her house the Kirby was still there and I didn't want it. [Big heavy hunk of metal, what elderly lady would be able to take that up a stairway?] So I put it on Marketplace for $100 including even a shampoo attachment. Friendly guy came and asked about it, I told him didnt know much except by the looks of it it wasn't used much and she paid over $2000 for it and I thought she got screwed because she was old and vulnerable.
He looked at it closely and mentioned some technical detail about the model, something the average person wouldn't know about, I didn't.
I asked how he knew about that.
He said, "I used to sell these years ago, might have sold this one."
He offered $50, I held at $100, he took it.
What he didn't know is I would have taken $25 before he told me he used to sell them! I got a tiny bit of revenge for my mother.

 

[centralsweeper63]

HA, good one.

 

[vacerator]

I don't know if still today, but several years back I let a Rainbow salesman in and do a demo. He put the upholstery tool on and vacuumed my carpet and the water was a bit grey. He gifted me the carving knife set even though I declined a purchase. Those things had tangs that were wider than the wood and very uncomfortable to use at all.

 

[madman]

How the hell else are they supposed to make sales? They're basically the physical embodiment of telemarketers. I don't agree with the practice, but the "nice" salesmen probably don't make much money.

 

[centralsweeper63]

I have absolutely no clue.

 

[hygiene903]

I sold Electro-Hygienes in 1974 and again in 1976. I was one of the "good" or "nice" salesmen that Centralsweeper and Madman mentioned. We did have discounts for trade-ins and other discounts, and although we weren't as aggressive as some salesmen, we were instructed to offer any discounts necessary to make the sale. Suggested retail was $289.95 for uprights and $279.95 for tanks. If I remember right, commission was $72.50 (25%) on each unit sold at suggested retail. Unfortunately, each reduction in the price meant a reduction in commission, and after we dropped below a certain point (I think it was $200 for either model), we made no commission at all but did get credit for the sale.
Theoretically, the possibility was there to make $1,450 a week before taxes, based on selling 4 units a day at suggested retail, which would have been really good money back then. However, the reality was that I seldom had 4 leads each day, I didn't sell each one I demoed, and of the ones I did sell, I didn't always sell them at suggested retail. On top of that, you didn't get all of your commission on payday--Half of your commission for each machine sold went into your reserve account, which was like insurance against bad accounts. If any of your customers defaulted on their account, you lost the reserve money for that sale. As a result of the variables, my highest paycheck from that job was $100. I enjoyed what I did and the people I met were interesting, but it didn't take long to realize this would not be a career that I could make a living off of.
Jeff

 

[centralsweeper63]

I suppose they got new employees every few months so they never ran out of employees. Simply because if someone quit they were just replaced.

 

[rcrvrp]

How the hell else are they supposed to make sales? They're basically the physical embodiment of telemarketers. I don't agree with the practice, but the "nice" salesmen probably don't make much money.

The end justifies the means?

 

[dysonman1]

I'm almost as old as she was when she bought the Kirby. Just because somebody is old doesn't mean they don't appreciate the self-propelled features. And just because she didn't use the machine to its fullest capacity doesn't mean it wasn't worth the money. If you're a vacuum cleaner collector why did you sell her Kirby? What do you collect?

 

[joevacman1]

My father was an Electrolux Salesman for many years from 1970 through 2005. He was the honest and never cheated or swindled customers. Those years were a fantastic time to work for Electrolux he won many prizes and trips much to the delight to my mother and my brothers .

 

[rcrvrp]

I'm almost as old as she was when she bought the Kirby. Just because somebody is old doesn't mean they don't appreciate the self-propelled features. And just because she didn't use the machine to its fullest capacity doesn't mean it wasn't worth the money. If you're a vacuum cleaner collector why did you sell her Kirby? What do you collect?

I don't collect vacuums I have 2 I use, a Dyson and a corded Miele. I found this forum to ask a vacuum question but found it interesting enough to browse once in a while.

 

[cheesewonton]

I'm just old enough to remember the Fuller Brush salesman coming to the door to peddle cleaning supplies. My mom always turned him away politely. I have encountered Kirby sales people but never any other brand.

 

[rugsucker]

Among many quality vacuums sold DTD the Electrolux system was different.All Electrolux branches were company owned and everyone from the home office to the factories to branch managers and salesmen were employees of Electrolux.There was a one price policy for vacuums and supplies that were consigned to salesmen as well as trade in allowance.Other vacuums could go from factory to distributor then then to a sales force that might sometimes do 'anything' to get a sale and a paycheck.There was a front page Wall Street Journal article in the 90s on Kirby sales.

 

[human]

As I've stated before, I love Kirby vacuum cleaners, but I have zero love for their traditional strong-arm sales tactics. I would never let one of those creeps in the door of my home. Thankfully, the new owner of Kirby seems to be moving away from door-to-door intimidation in favor of online sales. Door-to-door sales of anything may have had its place, once upon a time, but in today's mistrustful world, it is a practice that is long past its expiry date.

 

[Alan]

How the hell else are they supposed to make sales? They're basically the physical embodiment of telemarketers. I don't agree with the practice, but the "nice" salesmen probably don't make much money.

That is a good question. I have not seen a door-to-door salesman in years. Back when they started, we only had party-line telephones. Even with regular landlines, they were still an option. But with cell phones, unlimited calls are now a feature. Also, the internet and services like Amazon are diminishing the usefulness of door-to-door sales.
No encyclopedia sales, no Mary Kay, no Avon, no Tupperware, etc.

So you have a good question.

 

[madman]

The end justifies the means?

I'll bet the salesman thinks so.

 

[hygiene903]

Interesting too, that in the beginning ALL vacuums were sold door to door. Even Hoover did home demonstrations well into the 50's, at least until 1955, as my Grandma's model 82 Constellation, which I still have, was demonstrated in their home. When they started becoming available in department stores and mail order catalogs probably started the first decline in home sales, but even in the 60's and 70's many brands were only available through vac shops or home sales.
Jeff

 

[vacerator]

My grandmother's Elux 30, two aunts Compacts, and another's Filter Queen in the early 80s all bought from a home sale. I think as more began owning cars, and shopping centers had appliance and specialty vacuum shops, it was a new trend.

 

[cheesewonton]

Interesting too, that in the beginning ALL vacuums were sold door to door. Even Hoover did home demonstrations well into the 50's, at least until 1955, as my Grandma's model 82 Constellation, which I still have, was demonstrated in their home. When they started becoming available in department stores and mail order catalogs probably started the first decline in home sales, but even in the 60's and 70's many brands were only available through vac shops or home sales.
Jeff

Patriot and Aerus still do home demonstrations.

 

[centralsweeper63]

My nana's filter queen majestic 360 was sold on a home demonstration. My great nanas heritage 2-g5 ( popular topic of debate at the moment) was sold door to door in the late 80s or the 90s.

 

[real1shep]

Depends on the company and the specific sales rep's personality. Electrolux built its entire sales force on door-to-door sales. I'm sure there were some high-pressure bums, but overall, your Electrolux rep stayed with you for decades or until they retired/died. I know many women who looked forward to the Electrolux representative coming by or repairing their machine, even all the way into the '80s. This was Americana door-to-door sales at its best....iconic stuff. Read the history of the Electrolux company on this site....although flawed(the author is a piece of work), it is a very well-written piece....especially what they did during WWII and immediately after for sales.

My wife and her mother(solid Electrolux fangirls) had the Electrolux rep come by my first farm in the early '80s and sell us a Diamond Jubilee set-up. I have only fond memories of all that.....except the price! The saleswoman was a hoot as she talked me out of my old Hoover Convertible.....she knew her machine.

Kirby, on the other hand, was an entirely different, negative experience for me. And then a boy who worked for me once decided to 'sell/practice' his Kirby sales pitch on me and gave me an inside look into their organizational structure. His boss was a heel, and the boy was just a disposable body selling vacs.

After our subsequent divorce, however, my ex-wife's experience with Electrolux and failed promises going into the '90s-'2000s proved a company in serious decline to the end.

Kevin

 

[SeboU1]

Unfortunately, these days are over. I think that I would modernize the practice of in home demos if I had a vacuum store. It would be nice if Miele, Sebo, or Lindhaus dealers would offer in home demos. The best place to try a new vacuum is indeed your own home, as Charlie McKee said.

 

[Absolute Rainbow]

Kirby's own implementation is extremely sleazy. If I could do door-to-door sales, I would let the customer try it first without much initial elaboration.

 

[real1shep]

Kirby's practice is to talk over your concerns and questions with high-pressure tactics. The old Electrolux way was to actually show you what their tanks could do. The aforementioned story about the rep who came to my farm.....she sucked up all the cold ashes from our airtight stove as part of the demo. Knowing what I did about small ash particulates, I demanded another machine, new in the box.....which she did. Part of the traditional sales practice was to give you the very machine they demoed.

Kevin

 

[real1shep]

Charlie McKee's own son came to this very forum.... reminiscing about the days of lore @Electrolux. He was treated very poorly(I thought) by the crowd up high on Mt Olympus here. And instead of coaxing out once-in-a-lifetime info about a virtual icon in the vacuum industry, they let him pass through virtually unnoticed and unappreciated......because they thought they knew more about Electrolux and it was 'old news'.

Kevin

 

[cheesewonton]

Kirby's practice is to talk over your concerns and questions with high-pressure tactics. The old Electrolux way was to actually show you what their tanks could do. The aforementioned story about the rep who came to my farm.....she sucked up all the cold ashes from our airtight stove as part of the demo. Knowing what I did about small ash particulates, I demanded another machine, new in the box.....which she did. Part of the traditional sales practice was to give you the very machine they demoed.

Kevin

I had the Kirby sales person put their hose on their demo Kirby and measure the airflow with their BAIRD Meter thingy. Then we put the BAIRD meter on the end of the hose of our existing and well used Kenmore Elite 800 Series canister, the 21814 model. It matched the Kirby. Then I put a suction gauge on the Kirby and all it managed was a wimpy 32 inches of water lift. Sorry but your Kirby is curb stomped by the Kenmore.

 

[real1shep]

I had the Kirby sales person put their hose on their demo Kirby and measure the airflow with their BAIRD Meter thingy. Then we put the BAIRD meter on the end of the hose of our existing and well used Kenmore Elite 800 Series canister, the 21814 model. It matched the Kirby. Then I put a suction gauge on the Kirby and all it managed was a wimpy 32 inches of water lift. Sorry but your Kirby is curb stomped by the Kenmore.

Yeah, I have no use for Kiby anything. A good friend of ours back in the late '80s was talked into this gigantic, heavy Kiby and attendant arsenal. She was handicapped and was so delighted to have 'self-drive' forward.....and so my question was what happens when you have to pull the beast backwards.......?

When we bought the Diamond Jubilee from the saleswoman back in the '80s, she had the steel ball comparison test. But.....my mother-in-law had given us an interem Electrolux G, which, for the uninitiated, was one of their finest tanks ever....along with a PN and floor tools. It almost pulled all the balls up like the new Electrolux. I kidded the saleswoman about that...lol. Fun now to think about that day.....I made her work for that sale.

I got the G in the divorce, and she got the Diamond Jubilee. In a small twist of irony, her 'housekeeper' treated the Diamond Jubilee like a demolition derby car. I still have the G to this day, and that Diamond Jubilee is long gone(a Diamond Jubilee & PN is actually my default vacuum when I'm serious about cleaning for company). My father-in-law had gone through that G motor and made it work better than any other G I've run into since. So when I found another G tank in better physical shape with a questionable motor, I transplanted that motor into it. Still going strong to this day, although the major caveat for the G line was the flimsy wheel arrangement and where to find replacements.

Lots of vacuum stories....lol.

Kevin

 

[vacerator]

My only experience with Kirby since a teenager when my folks found a Dual Sanitronic 50 at a garage sale in very nice shape was this;
We had just bought our house in 1995. A phone call from a young gal named Comfort, if you believe that. She asked me if we had carpeting and would like a cleaner home and a visit and demonstration. I politely said no thank you.