Searching for Info. on Electrolux USA Models in the 1990s

[kevin]

Still trying to sort out '90s machines...

I am wondering which of the following were sold at the same time like the 2100 series (Hi-Tech, System 90, Special Edition--high tier) and the L-Es (low-tier models):

Diplomat, Ambassador, Model 90, and Advantage

If I have the correct information, the Regency series and the L-Es were the same model, 1623 (although the Regency 1500 and 2000 were automatic machines). Did the Ambassadors (Ambassador/C101H, Ambassador III, Ambassador Plus) or another series succeed the L-Es?

Somewhere I read that the Diplomats (Diplomat & Diplomat LX) were model 1677, and that they replaced the 2100 series as the top-tier model. Is that correct?

Where do the Model 90, Advantage (model 1525), Renaissance and Epic (6000, 6500, 6500SR, 8000) Series fit in?

When did the middle-tier come into being?

Were any of the models sold only in retail stores like the 2100s and Regency series?

 

[tig21er]

Kevin,

to answer some of your questions I had to dig thru a lot of stuff to find. In 1990 the sales force was shown a program that was to help both the salespeople and company with more sales.The new management were former members of management that were going to do a leverage buyout from SaraLee as I recall. We had the Deluxe Product Line we sold door to door and a Catalog Store Line, and a Premium Store line.
The Deluxe Direct Sales Line was the Ultralux 11.0 amp , 292 airwatts power,the Diplomat 11.0 amp, 292 airwatts power and the Genisis Upright with 154 airwatts power and deluxe attachments-35 ft cord 5 year warranty.
The Catalog store line (Service Merchandise and others) sold Limited Edition 10.0 amp, 244 airwatts power in the canister line. The upright was Discovery ll 8.5 amp ,140 airwatts power and standard attachments and 30 ft. cord 2 year warranty.
The Premium Department Store line was Regency 2000 automatic with 10.0 amps ,244 airwatts power and standard attachments and sidekick. The Regency 1000 10.0 amp , 244 airwatts power and standard attachments. The Regency Upright was 8.5 amps and 140 airwatts power, standard attachments 30 ft. cord and 2 year warranty.
Salesmen were allowed on showroom floors and put demoes and get credit (commission) for any sale acquired.

 

[kevin]

Thanks a lot tig21er. That information helps a lot. Now I understand why there were so many names of new machines available during the same time period. Here are some more questions for you:

1) What years did the three lines exist--I'm assuming it was more than just 1990-91?

2) Were the machines in each division essentially the same machine with different motors and features?

3) If you can provide other machine names for each category sometime--from different years--I'd appreciate it.

4) On another thread someone mentioned that the store sales caused a lot of branches to close. Overall, were the three different lines a financial success?

I really do appreciate the time you took to dig out the information. You rock!

 

[rugsucker]

'The new era of Exellence' at Electrolux

Good info above.LBOs were then the latest and greatest business idea.Did this work well?-Do you still have a company owned Elux branch in your town selling quality Elux to both new & long time customers??Does the 'friendly Electrolux man'deliver your bags???Is 'Electrolux' in Sears?!Do your friends & neighbors know or care what Aerus is?!?

 

[tig21er]

sucess or failure?

Failure in my book. Sales people didn't get behind it because time spent in the store environment actually cost more sales than made in the field. It cost you more in gas and time than you would make in the store. The company even lost some people because of it.
There are no company owned Electrolux stores. Electrolux in Sears are Eureka with Electrolux name. Trademark was sold to Electrolux AB in 2001 so they could put the name on their refridgeraters ,microwaves , washing machines ,dryers and later vacuum cleaners. They left the Vacuum cleaner market in 1968 when they sold Electrolux to Consolidated Foods which later changed their name to Sara Lee.
Aerus Electrolux is the name to let customers know they are the same company that sold them and yes bag deliveries and service calls are still done. Customers don't mind the name change as long as the cleaner is the same as when they bought.
Many customers are shocked when they find the cleaner at Sears are not like what they bought in the past. They say the new Electrolux is not the Quality they are used to.

 

[rugsucker]

more 'New Era of Exellence'-

That was the slogan at this period.Other new ideas were-
Central vac from Canada-A good idea for every new or remodeled home but unfamiliar to a sales force that had been taught the Elux tank was better.Then a home show program to sell to contractors.
Home show program of any Elux at home furnishing/product show that could be bought there and direct shipped.
Optional warranty(3 more years) at extra cost($50 ?).
Water filter to be installed at kitchen sink.Good product and idea but complicated to demo and required finding installers in different areas.There was an Elux demo tape by Lloyd Bridges.
A portable air filter.
Buying troubled Regina company and labeling Regina hand and broom vac as Electrolux.
The dept store program resulted in DTD salesmen selling an Elux at maybe $549 & Elux that was different color and with no bumper on floor brush at dept store for maybe $399.
Frequent changes as to what model was on sale or closeout at what time.
All this was added to hundreds of branches that had sold 1000s of deluxe tanks,standard tanks,comm vac,shampoo/polisher & upright with a very simple system by company employees who were making money and winning prizes and trips.
The company employees were changed to private contractors with no benefits.
And then Aerus.
That does still have some salesmen who remember the system and deliver bags and service.
I am in a region that had maybe 6 Elux branches with dozens of employees.Now 1 with a few employees.How about your region?
And Kirby and Rainbow continued selling one deluxe model with periodic improvements the same way they were familiar with.
Which is more likely to be demoed and sold in your neighborhood?Kirby,Rainbow or something called Aerus??
The Aerus is still a great vac but the the company behind it is not the same.

 

[kevin]

Ok--I get the message. I just wondered if the top guns felt that they had made a mistake, or if they felt sucessful (their perception is typically different than their subordinates').

Also, I agree that producing such a wide variety of machines (at different prices) added to the confusion of the Electrolux/Aerus product line and its name. That's the reason I started this thread! Add to that the selling of the Electrolux name to Electrolux Group of Sweden, and poof--the customer base is gone (along with the branch sales & service stores.

BTW, there are no branch stores close to my home.

I'm curious if Aerus executives are eventually going to disaffiliate with the franchises and sell their products through chain companies only, or if they are in the process of trying to devise strategies of opening new franchises in the hopes of trying to re-establish the former Electrolux model of personal customer sales and service?

 

[tig21er]

Kevin

All offices are now Franchises and we have not lost customer base. We still provide in home service for bags, service and sales of new equipment.
The company is growing every year since franchises started. The lost Franchise is like any other . Some of the weak ones didn't know how to hire , train, or sometimes not how to run their business. The ones that leave for health or other reasons are offered to ones that qualify and want a franchise. People have written they should do this and that but have never run a big business or know what the inner workings are. It is one being an armchair general. If I ran this I would do that. 90 years Electrolux now Aerus has been around and sound business practices are being used to build the business. There have been bumps in the road for any business but I am confident with the aspects of Aerus.

 

[kevin]

tig21er,

I appreciate your perspective. I'm glad to hear that Aerus is going strong, and that the franchise system has benefits.

So do you feel that people are becoming accustomed to the Aerus brand, and are the company's total profits increasing each year? From my neck of the woods I would guess that most people have never heard of Aerus, because of the lack of branch stores.

I know what you mean about being an armchair general, and I didn't mean to do that. Like I said I don't have the impression from where I live that Aerus is all that successful, and I was just trying to think of ways they could recapture their previous status as Electrolux USA and Electrolux Canada.

Come to think of it, there aren't any Kirby stores around here either, but at least they have a 100-year old name that people recognize.

 

[tig21er]

Where were you when

Electrolux was only two to three stores in U.S. ? I wasn't even born yet but the man that was Number one carried his card in his billfold for over 55 years and was still selling. I have seen many changes myself in the last 58+ years and I don't intend to stop. The oldest salesman recorded was 99 and still active in the article that was written about him. Sales are made all over the country to places our people aren't in because they want the original and many sales do come from the internet and many more come from demoes. Aerus has been the name of the company for over 14 years and people do know who we are. Knock on a door and get if your selling Kirby keep on going is a phrase I get a lot. But when I tell them who I am it is friendly. I have driven many times over 100 miles to take care of customers on service. I was taught if you are good enough to go the distance to sell, you should be willing to go the distance to take care of the people after the sale. That is what separates Aerus from Kirby. They will go many miles to sell but won't go back for service. They come to my town to sell and when asked if they have bags, shampoo, or would service their cleaner they say call the 1-800 of KIRBY AND THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THEM. That is one of the things taught by Electrolux and carried on by Aerus. Customers must be taken care of after the sale.

 

[tig21er]

1990

Lineup was Legacy Canister , Ambassador Plus, Discovery Advantage Upright, Genesis Deluxe.
1991 Ultralux Canister, Genesis LX Upright
1992 Ultralux Classic 299 Airwatts power, Diplomat LX 299 Airwatts power,, Genesis LXe Upright 154 Air watts power
1993 Ultrlux Classic canister, Epic 6000 SR Canister 299 air watts power, Epic 3000 Series Upright 185 airwatts power
1996 Renaissance Canister 330 Airwatts power, Epic 6500 canister 330 Airwatts power , Ambassador lll 398 Airwatts power, Epic 3500 upright 200 airwatts power , Epic 2500 SR 160 Airwatts power.
1998 Epic 8000 Canister 330 Airwatts power, Epic 6500 Oyster (color) 330 airwatts power, Epic 3500 oyster(color) 200 airwatts power, and Epic 2500 upright 160 AWP.

 

[kevin]

tig21er,

You make good points about how long the company has been known as Aerus, and that customer service is more face to face...not only in sales but also service...which is unique to Aerus. I'm just wondering if the company has a goal of opening up more franchises--especially in areas they once were. It would be interesting to compare the list of branch stores in the Model G manual to the current list. In fact, it's too bad that Aerus doesn't list its franchises by state in its manuals to show customers how large the company is and help them tell relatives and friends about their nearby Aerus locations. It's just that I think years ago just about everyone was familiar with the Electrolux name, but Aerus doesn't have that recognition where there are no franchises in the immediate area. I've spoken with some people that didn't know that the "old Electrolux" was still in business.

Thanks for the information on the machine line-ups for various years. I do still wonder where the Model 90 and Advantage cleaners fit in, and if the direct sales continued throughout the decade.

 

[tig21er]

Direct sales

never stopped. When I say direct sales I say door to door, business to business. That is what made Electrolux what it was and Aerus what it is now. If a franchise hires salespeople and they get out and sell your presence is known. I went to a woman's house and told her who I was. She said " Thank God you finally arrived." I went in and sold her , no demo just leave the cleaner and how much. When you work 10 counties and possibly 250,000 homes not everyone is hit. With today's two bread winner families you have a hard time finding people home.Contact your old customers and go after the younger people so they know what you sell.

 

[paul]

Service Plus Ad—L-E tank, Lux-Lite, DII

1990 Dec 12 NEWS-JOURNAL