Over-Priced vacs on eBay!

[compamac]

<span style="font-size: large;">Hey Vacuumlanders!! Recently I have been searching eBay and I have come across some REALLY OVER-PRICED machines! The link below you wont believe. I looked at it and I said to myself I wouldn't pay $25 let alone that price for that machine. I think some people are crazy! And could you believe one of them sold!?!?! Anyway, just click on the link and tell me what you think.</span>



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bissell-Pow...261251383065?pt=US_Vacuum&hash=item3cd3cbbf19

 

[madabouthoovers]

I have one similar to this, and these are quite popular in the UK, with people liking them due to their cheapness. I find mine quite well built, but the filtration aint very good and the round filter below the bin gets clogged very quickly, and leaks a certain amount of dust through the motor to make the post motor filter dirty, so that people have to buy new post motor filters from Bissell, thus making them more profit.
here is my Bissell which cost me £80 or $125 new. I don't really think $80 is that expensive for a Bissell even though they aint that wonderful.

 

[sebo_fan]

You think $80 is expensive for that Bissell? Thats £52 to us in the UK. Brand new those models cost between £80 to £100 - thats $123 to $153 to you! Currently there's one listed on EBAY UK for around £52 P&P all in which is pretty good for what you're getting.

EBAY sellers can charge what they want - as you probably know - its up to the customer on whether they decide to pay or not.

 

[jmurray01]

That listing looks fine price wise - what are you on about?

 

[myles_v]

Here in the US those Bissells cost only around $40-$50, or 26-32 pounds, at major stores like Walmart and Target.

I do notice lots of people putting up very cheap vacuums on Ebay for much more than they cost elsewhere. I never knew anyone ever actually buys them at those prices, though.

I also notice that in my area there are a few used Bissells up for around the same price as they are new! Some people are just crazy. 

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

Well the same machine is 47 dollars new at Wal-mart.... 80 for one without a return policy is a bit much.

 

[madabouthoovers]

With Bissell being an American company, I would have thought that they would be very popular in the US. They are a budget vac which aren't that badly made, and aimed at people with not much to spend. Whilst they are not that brilliant at filtration and require a fair amount of filter cleaning, I don't really think that they are the worst vacs on the market. I take it from these comments by Americans that Bissell is frowned upon over in the US then?

 

[compamac]

UK collectors

Yeah Wal-Mart sells these for $47 so why do you ask me what I'm on about? And Sebo-Fan why the attitude? That is expensive dont you tell me I am wrong. I can buy 2 of these at Wal-Mart for $80

 

[madabouthoovers]

Lets not get into a slanging match with Compamac here people - remember he's a junior member and to him, the Bissell on Ebay US is expensive compared to Walmart. Sebo_fan and JMurray please take note of Compamac's age.

 

[beko1987]

I always chucklewhen I see old vacs with very high prices from people who don't know what it is but it's 'old'. There's a red lux cylinder with missing tools for £120 bin as an example!

 

[sebo_fan]

Steve, I'm well aware of this member's age.

Im sorry if you feel I'm giving you an attitude, compumac, but I don't have an "attitude" in this thread in the way you are making out - Im only expressing my opinion and questioning why you think the EBAY listing is expensive - you must remember that just because this forum is based in the U.S, you have worldwide members on here AND secondly, adults and younger members with different opinions. You did after all ask members what they think!

Thirdly, and more importantly, whether you wish to see it as such, EBAY is not a franchise "new" company that sells new products. It isn't like "Wal-Mart," where brand new and especially with companies like Bissell being from the U.S, one would expect a cheaper cost price anyway! As I said before, EBAY will see members and sellers charging what they like. If you can find a cheaper price, then good for you.

 

[madabouthoovers]

Take this Bissell for example on Ebay, right here in Stoke on Trent, they want £250 for it and until very recently, the Floors and More family vac was selling in Argos for about £160, so we have examples of this here in the UK as well. Its up to people to shop around and not get ripped off by greedy companies such as this one who think people will be prepared to pay them £90 more than they would from Argos.
This vac has now been discontinued in Argos as it just didn't sell well, so the Ebay member above is gonna be waiting a long time to sell his Bissells at nearly £100 more than they were in Argos.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bissell-F...541?pt=UK_Vacuum_Cleaners&hash=item46079897b5

 

[madabouthoovers]

I just noticed that the Floors and More Bissell vacs from Argos have now been re-branded the Powerforce range with Febreze and these are now much cheaper than the old model Floors and More, but look very similar, and don't have the multicyclonic separation

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4069487.htm

 

[compamac]

IM DONE OK. I deleted the post it was gonna be trouble anyway. People always do this to me it will turn into one big argument

 

[sebo_fan]

Yes but unless the buyer concerned makes an attempt to research prices, they're none the wiser. Also I can't speak for Walmart as I dont know how it operates - whilst your local Argos store might have that Bissell in stock, other branches don't always have that product in stock, so you're either compromised by waiting for one to appear if you ring and reserve or get the same product at a higher cost.

Recent example of this were the fantastic Panasonic uprights at the BN store for £29-99 - my local BN store haven't started selling appliances yet, which is poor compared to the bigger BN stores elsewhere.

 

[myles_v]

Bissells are pretty popular here, but mostly within the group of people who think "a vacuum is a vacuum, what's the difference?"

My grandma on my dad's side falls into that group. She didn't like not having on-board tools on her Kirby so she bought a Bissell a few months ago. She had a Bissell before (she inherited the Kirby from my great grandfather when he passed) and its brush roll melted (same thing happened to my aunt's Bissell) which makes me wonder why she still wanted a Bissell when she has had problems with them in the past.

Anyways, last time I went to visit her I noticed an excessive amount of dust on everything and the first night we stayed there I broke out in hives. I had hives every day and night after that (they got better with allergy medicine but they only went away fully when we left the house) until I came home (she lives in West Virginia so when we go visit her my dad, brother and I ride the car there and stay for a few days). While I did mention how bad Bissells are for the air quality when she asked why I used the Kirby and not her "new vacuum," I did not mention that I thought my allergic reaction was from her using the Bissell. 


 


Before she got the Bissell, but after she told me about wanting on-board tools, I cleaned up and gave her a bagged vacuum. The next time I visited her she told me that she did not like having a bagged vacuum. It had been a few months and she still hadn't had to change the bag however her Bissell needs to be emptied and clean very often.


 


I really dislike (bagless, I think the bagged ones are much better, in fact I recently ordered a bagged Bissell Zing) Bissells because air quality is very important to me, and as I mentioned in the other paragraph I do have allergic reactions to excessive amounts of dust.

 

[sebo_fan]

it is also strange to see Bissell sell bagged uprights - because in the UK Bissell don't appear to sell any - I think that's a pity.

 

[vacuumfreeeke]

I just wanted to address madabouthoovers comment on the popularity of Bissell in the US...  I think they are quite popular because of their low price.  I think they are mostly the machines for people who can't afford anything else or don't care enough to spend decent money on a vacuum... or people who don't know better.  To remain politically correct and avoid bashing I will say that even though I don't like Bissell (I don't hate them either, they are just boring to me... if I see one in the trash I don't even consider rescuing it), the people I know who have them seem to like them...  Personally I'd prefer a used quality machine over a new cheap one (and everyone I know who has one is the kind of person who thinks a vacuum is just a vacuum)...  I've spent more on used vacuums than most Bissells cost new...  I've seen a ton of them with melted brushroll endcaps.

 

[myles_v]

Here in the states they sell a normal bagged one with a hard front cover and such (http://www.walmart.com/ip/20658543?...86607510&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=19880599990&veh=sem) that doesn't look bad and I have had a couple of those a few years ago. They also have a couple new bagged models that are basically just a bagless model with a bag in the dirt cup. They also have a clear area at the top so you can see the dirt entering the bag. http://www.walmart.com/ip/20658541?...81198190&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=40017824710&veh=sem