Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

I saw someone on another thread giving an annual sales amount for one brand, but do the companies publish their actuall output each year. I know the car companies can tell you exactally how many cars they moved in a given quarter.  Do such numbers exist for vacuums?

Can company X say the ______ is the best selling carpet sucker ever and have the numbers to back it? 

Does this mean that they aren't published anywhere?

I was most curious about the high end machines.  Kirby, Rainbow, Lux,  They must be moving these machines in order to stay in business. 

Does anyone know how many new vacuums are sold annually of all brands?  Any thoughts anyone? 

Carmine I though surely you or Mole would have this info.

Just:

The issue with new vacuum sales numbers and dollars is that most companies hold this data close to their vest.  And they don't willingly release the information even in financial statements except in total dollar amounts.  It's considered proprietary information.  And unit sales are not a freedom of information item.  Just the dollars involved, particularly for publicly traded companies who file with the SEC.  Privately held companies are not required to report to the SEC.  Their sales data is even harder to get and verify for reliability.   

The best and only information is always provided in the aggregate terms and not by brand name.  The sources are usually industry watchers like Consumer Reports and NPD.  Newspapers, like the Wall Street Journal, and magazines like US News and World Report will quote the numbers in the aggregate by year.

The yearly data takes time to gather, compile and release.  Why?  How do you count the point of sale for vacuums?  Some brand makers may count the sale at the time the product leaves their warehouses for the retailers.  Is this a bona fide sale?  Some might argue that new vacuums sitting on shelves and in warehouses are inventory on hand,  not sales.  A sale isn't until the consumer takes ownership of the vacuum by a purchase.

Obviously for the door to door sales the above is not an issue.  It is only an issue for vacuum sales through the big box retailers.  Complicating the data gathering and reporting.

I reported recently on a separate thread that new vacuum sales for 2007 were down 3 percent.  The source was the NPD.  This is the first year in many that sales were down.  Consistently vacuum sales run pretty constant from year to year in the aggregate, although they may vary with brands.

BTW, NPD reported that in 2005, the leading new vacuum sold in the USA from January 1-June 30 [a 6 month period], was Dirt Devil.  More recently, the March 2008 edition of Consumer Reports said in rather nebulous terms that despite the lower reliability, HOOVER was still the most popular vacuum for sales.  What does that mean? 

I hope this information is useful.

Carmine D.

It means that today and in the recent past low price was #1 and brand was #2.  We all know that both brands are a POS.

If what you say now is true, then it means your conclusions wrt new vacuums about the residents of Nevada apply to the entire country including the South.

Carmine D. 

It also means that I am correct if what you said is true.

On a different post you say that the only units sales availaible are collective for the industry.  Now you tell us of two that are selling more.

Yes, but I said it first.

No, I didn't tell you and/or others any unit sales numbers by vacuum brand.  The authoritative source for dyson is Matt [Airblade, a dyson insider].   He was gracious enough to provide the dyson unit sales for the USA for 2007.  Like I said, it's proprietary data.  Companies may/may not release the information.  It's not subject to the Freedom of Information Act disclosure.  Even Matt has been reluctant to release the 2007 data publicly before dyson.  

Carmine D.

Yes, but I said it first.

No, I didn't tell you and/or others any unit sales numbers by vacuum brand.  The authoritative source for dyson is Matt [Airblade, a dyson insider].   He was gracious enough to provide the dyson unit sales for the USA for 2007.  Like I said, it's proprietary data.  Companies may/may not release the information.  It's not subject to the Freedom of Information Act disclosure.  Even Matt has been reluctant to release the 2007 data publicly before dyson.  

Carmine D.

Right, Little Johnny.  Now go get your cookie

I have said for years that low price is #1 consideration for vacuum purchases.  You always said it was performance.  In fact you claim to own a lot of CR's recommended vacs.  You said it first???, I said it correctly.

Read my posts.  NPD for the 2005 DD sales claim and CR for the 2007 HOOVER sales claim. 

Carmine D.

In fact I will, biscotti with a cup of joe.

In the end as far as sales are concerned, it's not the reason that people buy and where they do that matters.  It's the reality of what's bought and sold [cars or vacuums]. 

My favorite University Prof who I frequently quote here use to say all consumer goods in the final analysis are toasters.  They are bought and sold to do a job.  Toast bread. Pick up dirt. Transport from A to B.  All the rest is fluff.  I've said this for years too. 

You're beginning to turn into me!

Carmine D.