Market the G4?
When did Kirby
- Thread starter jfalberti
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vintageroyal611
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I believe it came out in 1994 and ended somewhere around 1996 or 1997.
Thanks
That's what I thought. Now I have some bad news to break to someone. :-(
That's what I thought. Now I have some bad news to break to someone. :-(
vintageroyal611
Well-known member
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- Mar 16, 2007
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Oh? What would that news be?
G4 production dates...
07/93 thru 02/97 (These would be ± a week or two.)
Cheers & hagn all,
Bill
07/93 thru 02/97 (These would be ± a week or two.)
Cheers & hagn all,
Bill
A friend of mine bought a "new" Kirby
About 4-5 years ago from a "Kirby" dealer. She was moving, and one of the people who helped her move had a friend who was the dealer helping. He saw her old Kirby, a G3 I believe, and asked her about it. She said she loved it, but that the transmission was having problems. Somehow in the move, the shampooer got lost and she asked the guy about getting a replacement. He told her a shampooer for her machine would cost at least $200. He also told her that Kirby had recalled the G3 and that it was dangerous to use. He said that because her machine was out of warranty, he could do nothing for her. He talked her into letting him show her a "new" Kirby. He brings in the machine, and demos it to her. She liked it and then he gave her the price with the shampooer. It was close to $5000. He knocked off $2000 for her G3 on trade bringing it down to close to $3000. I about fell out of my seat. The subject came up because we were talking vacuums one day last week, and I told her about my Dyson. She told me about her Kirby, and the whole story. I told her that I used to be a Kirby dealer and also own a couple Kirbys. I asked her what model it was she bought and she couldn't remember. I told her I had a G4, and her face lit up and said that's what hers is too. I asked her to describe it to me, and the trim and bag color sound like it is a G4.
She just paid it off not too long ago, but I'm still in shock.
1. That she paid that much money for it.
2. That the "Kirby" dealer would rip her off like that.
It couldn't have been brand new, but she wouldn't have known that. I haven't told her the truth about the machine, and I'm not sure I should. I think it's too late to do anything about it now. I wish I would have been there when that happened. I definately would have sent that guy packing, and then taken her over to the office to buy a real new machine.
About 4-5 years ago from a "Kirby" dealer. She was moving, and one of the people who helped her move had a friend who was the dealer helping. He saw her old Kirby, a G3 I believe, and asked her about it. She said she loved it, but that the transmission was having problems. Somehow in the move, the shampooer got lost and she asked the guy about getting a replacement. He told her a shampooer for her machine would cost at least $200. He also told her that Kirby had recalled the G3 and that it was dangerous to use. He said that because her machine was out of warranty, he could do nothing for her. He talked her into letting him show her a "new" Kirby. He brings in the machine, and demos it to her. She liked it and then he gave her the price with the shampooer. It was close to $5000. He knocked off $2000 for her G3 on trade bringing it down to close to $3000. I about fell out of my seat. The subject came up because we were talking vacuums one day last week, and I told her about my Dyson. She told me about her Kirby, and the whole story. I told her that I used to be a Kirby dealer and also own a couple Kirbys. I asked her what model it was she bought and she couldn't remember. I told her I had a G4, and her face lit up and said that's what hers is too. I asked her to describe it to me, and the trim and bag color sound like it is a G4.
She just paid it off not too long ago, but I'm still in shock.
1. That she paid that much money for it.
2. That the "Kirby" dealer would rip her off like that.
It couldn't have been brand new, but she wouldn't have known that. I haven't told her the truth about the machine, and I'm not sure I should. I think it's too late to do anything about it now. I wish I would have been there when that happened. I definately would have sent that guy packing, and then taken her over to the office to buy a real new machine.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
It looks to me like there is a "friend' and an independent dealer that needs to have a good talk with Judge Judy, right after he speaks with consumer fraud.
Please Pray God he gave her paperwork stating that this was a New machine and a current model?
Please Pray God he gave her paperwork stating that this was a New machine and a current model?
I hope so too
I'm going to talk to her again this week-end and I'll ask her. I'm sure she probably does. Do you think there is anything that can be done?
I'm going to talk to her again this week-end and I'll ask her. I'm sure she probably does. Do you think there is anything that can be done?
kirbyeureka95
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Kirby really needs to work on their sales reps and marketing
for a company with such a great product i wonder why they cant figure out a way to improve sale methods and clean the reputation theyve been given as well as stop ripping people off and probably increase sales
for a company with such a great product i wonder why they cant figure out a way to improve sale methods and clean the reputation theyve been given as well as stop ripping people off and probably increase sales
kirbyotronic
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- Oct 27, 2008
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- 1,151
Been there done that...only he did sell me the current model, at least! However, he didn't overcharge me. I think my bill was around $800-900 with the shampooer + zip-brush (and tax).
The salesman said I had 3 days to return it. After enough threats he extended the time frame. Returned my "new" Sentria, and got my trade in back.
The salesman said I had 3 days to return it. After enough threats he extended the time frame. Returned my "new" Sentria, and got my trade in back.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
P.S.
I have never heard of a Kirby being recalled.
I have never heard of a Kirby being recalled.
Neither have I
That is the first thing that struck me as weird, and it just kept getting wierder after that.
That is the first thing that struck me as weird, and it just kept getting wierder after that.
scvacuumguy
Well-known member
See a behind the scene trip with Kirby
scvacuumguy
Well-known member
Part Two
bimmer740
Well-known member
Kirby Sales People
What a total disgrace the people in that video are, and how foolish of Kirby to not crack down on their dealers! I have never purchased a new unit from a distributor, just on ebay, and as I have said on other threads I love my Diamond Edition and think its worth every penny I paid for it! I did see a neighbor have a demo many years ago (it was for the G4) but the salesman wasnt using a high pressure tactic. I was probably only about 10 years old when this happened and as much as I wanted a Kirby, I would never want this guy in my house. We live in a very nice area and this guys car was some beat up piece of garbage, he took many cigarette breaks, and he was all dishevled! The only reason my neighbor had the demo was because one of her friends purchased a Kirby and had to fill out a list of friends she would recommend the unit too. There have never ever been a Kirby salesman knocking on doors in my neighborhood, and I have lived here my entire life. By hiring these shady people Kirby dealers give themselves and the product such a bad name, when in reality it really is a fabulous and well built product that cleans like no other. These dealers seem to be totally opposite compared to the corporate side of Kirby which I saw through the newsletter and on this site when the convention was at the Kirby factory.
What a total disgrace the people in that video are, and how foolish of Kirby to not crack down on their dealers! I have never purchased a new unit from a distributor, just on ebay, and as I have said on other threads I love my Diamond Edition and think its worth every penny I paid for it! I did see a neighbor have a demo many years ago (it was for the G4) but the salesman wasnt using a high pressure tactic. I was probably only about 10 years old when this happened and as much as I wanted a Kirby, I would never want this guy in my house. We live in a very nice area and this guys car was some beat up piece of garbage, he took many cigarette breaks, and he was all dishevled! The only reason my neighbor had the demo was because one of her friends purchased a Kirby and had to fill out a list of friends she would recommend the unit too. There have never ever been a Kirby salesman knocking on doors in my neighborhood, and I have lived here my entire life. By hiring these shady people Kirby dealers give themselves and the product such a bad name, when in reality it really is a fabulous and well built product that cleans like no other. These dealers seem to be totally opposite compared to the corporate side of Kirby which I saw through the newsletter and on this site when the convention was at the Kirby factory.
Its not just Kirby that is suffering from salespeople problems.ALL of the DTD vacuum comapnies have this-since the vacuum companies discontinued having salesmen as employees-now "contractors"-thats when the problems began-and still haunt them.I have seen these same sort of things with Filter Queen,Areus -Electrolux,Rainbow,and even TriStar.-and any other DTD vacuum or product sales.That creep that beat up the elderly woman and kidnapped her should have been shot in the stomach and left by the road!He WOULDN'T do that again!To sum it up DTD vacuum companies and other DTD product companies should HIRE the salespeople as EMPLOYEES so they can have greater control over them.then if they screw up-the salesperson can be fired-and even promply prosicuted.
kirbysthebest
Well-known member
Read this
Fraud and RICO
A federal class action lawsuit is pending against Kirby under the civil action provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), for allegedly selling used vacuums as new; the complaint alleges that "Not only is Kirby aware of this practice, it “participates in the scheme by, among other things, selling to its distributors duplicate or replacement ‘Original Purchaser's Registration’ cards to be given to secondhand purchasers.""[12] The complaint also alleges that "Kirby commonly sells distributors new empty boxes and packaging material for the obvious purpose of repackaging units that the distributor previously sold to a prior customer."[13] Kirby's motion to dismiss was rejected.[12] After Kirby refused discovery requests for its sales contracts and other documents, Judge Clay D. Land compelled Kirby to disclose the requested documents.[14]
A class-action law suit was also filed against Kirby in Bullock County Court in Alabama over its sales practices, specifically it use of credit cards issued expressly to fund the Kirby, under truth in lending laws.[2] Kirby succeeded in persuading a trial judge to recuse himself.[15]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Company
Fraud and RICO
A federal class action lawsuit is pending against Kirby under the civil action provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), for allegedly selling used vacuums as new; the complaint alleges that "Not only is Kirby aware of this practice, it “participates in the scheme by, among other things, selling to its distributors duplicate or replacement ‘Original Purchaser's Registration’ cards to be given to secondhand purchasers.""[12] The complaint also alleges that "Kirby commonly sells distributors new empty boxes and packaging material for the obvious purpose of repackaging units that the distributor previously sold to a prior customer."[13] Kirby's motion to dismiss was rejected.[12] After Kirby refused discovery requests for its sales contracts and other documents, Judge Clay D. Land compelled Kirby to disclose the requested documents.[14]
A class-action law suit was also filed against Kirby in Bullock County Court in Alabama over its sales practices, specifically it use of credit cards issued expressly to fund the Kirby, under truth in lending laws.[2] Kirby succeeded in persuading a trial judge to recuse himself.[15]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirby_Company
Kirby sales gone awry
There was a time when all DTD vacuums were sold by salespeople
who worked out of an established place of business which bore the name of the product being sold, Kirby, Rexair, etc. Electrolux was noted for making sure their salespeople (mainly men) were dressed and groomed like professional business men.
The products were high in comparison to the store brands, true, but there was not a store on every corner selling vacuums, either. Kirby prices are utterly ridiculous. Since they are now assembled in the USA from parts made in PROC and elsewhere, the distributor price has dropped, but has the price? A new Kirby costs right around 400.00. So replacement cost of the machine, plus 100.00 each for the business and the distributor, and the finance company and 200.00 for the salesman, so 1,200 is PLENTY for a Kirby, and considering that Mieles and some Riccars can go for that much, it is a fair price. And it should be a firm price. Lux had non-negotiable prices under the branch system for decades.
Greed and the thought of getting rich quick is at the root of all the problems with Kirby and other DTD vac sales.
There was a time when all DTD vacuums were sold by salespeople
who worked out of an established place of business which bore the name of the product being sold, Kirby, Rexair, etc. Electrolux was noted for making sure their salespeople (mainly men) were dressed and groomed like professional business men.
The products were high in comparison to the store brands, true, but there was not a store on every corner selling vacuums, either. Kirby prices are utterly ridiculous. Since they are now assembled in the USA from parts made in PROC and elsewhere, the distributor price has dropped, but has the price? A new Kirby costs right around 400.00. So replacement cost of the machine, plus 100.00 each for the business and the distributor, and the finance company and 200.00 for the salesman, so 1,200 is PLENTY for a Kirby, and considering that Mieles and some Riccars can go for that much, it is a fair price. And it should be a firm price. Lux had non-negotiable prices under the branch system for decades.
Greed and the thought of getting rich quick is at the root of all the problems with Kirby and other DTD vac sales.
kirby allows the sales person to get as much $$$ as they can for the machine. some friends of our family were quoted 1600, and over the next few hours (yes they guy was there for over 4 hours) the price fell to 900. that was almost a year ago.
with my help they bought one online from a reputable ebay vac store, the diamond edition for 450 and love it (like new refurb)
with my help they bought one online from a reputable ebay vac store, the diamond edition for 450 and love it (like new refurb)
