Kirby & Aerus Supplies Availability

[paul]

Why is it that Kirby supplies such as filter bags and shampoo are available at both Kirby dealers and retail stores like Walmart & Hardware Hank but Aerus supplies are only available from Aerus dealers?

As far as I know both companies are structured similarly.

 

[honestjoe68]

@paul

Hi,

I just got back into Kirby when I added a Kirby Sentria 2 to my current collection a few months ago.

I live in a reasonably large city in Ohio, we have two Walmart Super stores, Target, Meijers, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Sam’s Club and ten different hardware stores, large and small.... None of them carry anything for Kirby. No shampoo, No Bags, Not even generic bags.

I have to go to one of three vacuum cleaner dealers just to buy anything Kirby. Just an observation on my part to share info. You’re lucky if your Walmart carries genuine Kirby Bags and shampoo.. I usually order mine online since it’s tough to get to those vacuum shops, only open 10am to 5pm M - F and only one is open Saturday 10am to Noon.

 

[blackheart]

Hmm.

I've seen arm and hammer branded Kirby bags at the walmarts around here. I'd guess it's a regional thing. Kirby was pretty huge around here. I have not seen Shampoo though in big box stores. Now regarding vacuum stores, It's easy for them to get genuine Kirby bags and shampoo as they are available from both ESSCO and Steel City.

Aerus though is another Story, to my knowledge, they pulled their parts from these places so that only authorized dealers could get their parts. Filter Queen has also done the same, only a little more recently

 

[human]

I just order my Kirby and Electrolux (I don't have any machines new enough to carry the Aerus name) supplies online where they're plentiful and cheap. The brick-and-mortar stores don't supply what I need.

 

[crazykirbydude]

I've seen Arm & Hammer branded Electrolux "C" bags at Lowe's.

 

[paul]

Thanks for the discussion, everyone.

Maybe the genuine Kirby items I've seen are only available online from Wal-Mart. However, I did purchase genuine Kirby Shampoo from a Hardware Hank store a couple months ago. The clerk mentioned that it was a new store item.

 

[honestjoe68]

@paul

That’s great news! I hope it continues as there is no reason why HUGE Walmart cannot carry genuine Kirby Bags and Shampoo in their stores! They are hugely popular vacuums and it only makes sense.

Walmart has the finances and resources to carry Aerus, Electrolux, Sebo, Miele, etc Bags too! Walmart wants to be the store most people Shop at to buy the majority of their purchases! The “One Stop Shopping” to get the most money from as many people as possible!

Thanks for sharing too Paul and I’ll cross my fingers we see similar items in our hardware, Walmart, etc stores. I’m still old school and I find pleasure in shopping in a store and actually feeling and looking at what I buy, before I buy it! Lol

Thanks everybody

 

[luxkid1980]

I'm sure both Kirby and Aerus want their customers to come into their respective stores to purchase accessories like bags, filters, belts, etc. They can of course charge their hefty prices.

However, I always feel when you go into one of those specialty stores, you know that for the most part, you are going to get the right part as the sales people will know your machine. Try going into Walmart and ask one of their reps if they have X-bag to fit your Kirby or Aerus machine. It's likely they may not even know those are the names of vacuum cleaners. They are probably used to hearing the name shark or whatever other bagless stuff they have on the shelf that week.

 

[panasonicvac]

Independent dealer stores would carry them. At the store I work for, they've got all the basis stuff for Kirby and Aerus like bags, belts, filters, etc. My boss a few years ago helped clean out some stuff from a local Aerus store when it went out of business and kept some things so it could be used at the store.