Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

My pleasure Venson.  Gives some excellent insight from the management into the status of vacuum sales globally and what's being done to cut costs/expenses to improve the bottom line with sales/profits waning.  Other companies, whether they are publicly traded like Electrolux [whose stock price has done well over the past 6 months], or not, have to do the same cost containment when faced with these economic conditions.  It is a huge myth perpetrated by those who don't know better to say privately owned companies are spared the cost paring done by publicly traded ones.  If you are in any business good times/bad, privately and/or publicly owned, if you are not constantly cutting excess superfluos costs and expenses [especially in prolonged bad times; read sales/profits falling year over year] then you will not be in business long.

Carmine D.

According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers:

In 2005, the USA sales of "large" household appliances was a record breaking 47 MILLION.

After 2005, sales declined and since sagged to 39.7 MILLION in 2008

So far this year sales are down 14 percent.

Outlook for 2009 Holiday sales season: dismal.

Carmine D.

Stephen Baker of market researcher NPD Group says that ...."The fact that with most of these products [electronics], people already have one.  In this enrironment, retailers are scuffling trying to get customers to buy another."  Read:  Retailers will try to maintain year over year holiday sales and profits with promotions such as buy-one-get-one-free specials and pushing add-ons such as free home installation services.

BTW, Forbes released its latest top 400 USA wealthiest people.  The cut off now is $950,000,000.  The dollar threshold has gone down from ONE BILLION $ to make the Forbes list.

Carmine D.

Carmine D.

  You may not be aware of it but the Independent doesn't currently sell Electrolux (Eureka -Lux) but J.C.Penney, Lowe's and Sears do.They are the only ones right now that I know of that are allowed to sell them. Electrolux appliances are sold at these stores . So the service center for Sears, J.C. Penney and Lowe's would be responsible.

                                                                                                                                                                   Procare

Hello Venson:

I know you are an avid reader of the "old gray lady."  I was but now prefer the WSJ.  Whenever I read an article relevant to here I'll post.

WRT Electrolux and the faulty wand contacts, it does not meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines for a recall, as did the Electrolux Pronto earlier this year: a potential safety and health hazard.  However, as the premier brand and product line for vacuums for Eureka, the defect merits some positive proactive response by the maker to authorized dealers, indies, retailers and customers to alert them and mitigate the default especially under warranty.

Carmine D.

Hello Procare:

BEST BUY stores too.  Thanks for posting.

Carmine D.