Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Woohoo I bought the basic Sebo X1.1 today and have been running it around my house like a mad man! I can see why people like these over the old X1 Automatic and it isn't as noisy as the X4.

vacmanuk wrote:

Hello vacmanuk:

I didn't know that factoid.  Thanks for the info.

Carmine D.

Rather than create an entirely new forum sub category, heads up to the lucky thieves in England UK who picked on a lorry outside Sebo UK headquarters:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/newsevents/newsevents-pressreleases/newsevents-pressreleases-item.htm?id=105179

vacmanuk wrote:
This is what is so odd about our culture. Covetousness used to have more to do with cars and fancy clothes and jewelry, now it's vacuum cleaners and God knows what else. You can bet I'm putting the new blender under lock and key before I hit the sack tonight.

Venson

Venson wrote:
It used to be VCRs that would be a prime theft target - (relatively) small and a high price, in the 80s. A lot of electronic goods, like Apple's iPod, will send in via the internet, their serial number when connected to a computer for the first time, making it easier to track where goods have been fenced. 'Makes sense for high value vacuum cleaners to be in this category.

I once, by chance, noticed a large goods vehicle unloading Dyson vacuums at an out-of-town electrical store. I say by chance, because it was completely unmarked, apart from a small 'Dyson' logo on the cab door. Clearly, as much as they'd like to promote the brand on the road, they don't want to publicise what they're carrying, lest they attract an opportune hi-jacking!

M00seUK, your interpretation for the small logo not to draw attention [else suffer a theft] is one take.  Another take is that it does not want to draw attention to the brand [period] but for other obvious reasons.  I don't think I have to go into details, do I?

Carmine D.

From what I read and see the SEBO 4 Extra uprights always rate 5 stars in the reviewers ratings.  At $800 US currently, no question in my mind why the thieves targeted them.  $160,000 retail theft.  It's harder these days to 'illegally" sell off 200 of these vacuums either individually/in small-large bundles.  Too many.  Somebody, somewhere will ultimately talk of the details.  Of course there is another explanation too, not so kind.  Insurance fraud.  Get the money twice.  Hard times lead to nefarious motives.

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:
I can't think of any 'obvious' reasons myself... However, I can easily imagine a situation with insurance broker requiring that a supplier of high value, easily resell-able goods not to have a prominent logo on the side of the vehicle, for the increased lorry-jacking theft risk it might represent.

I used to work for a retailer that used goods vehicles branded the to freight company. These were replaced with vehicles owned by the freight company, but branded to the retailer, so they could promote the brand while travelling the country. But then, we sold items that would be many times less desirable to be sold on as stolen goods. Thus, there was the opportunity to have them branded.

M00seUK wrote:

M00seUK:

Sometimes what is obvious for some is not so so for others.  Let me assist.

Trebor provides a few so I took the liberty to post them verbatim rather than except or repost.  I was thinking of these when I posted to you.  I would add too that dyson's move to Malaysia is another big one.  The move and Sir James' lame reasons have stuck in the Brits/PM craw ever since and still.  All the above reasons in concert contribute to dyson's consistent loss of new vacuum market share in the UK since its high of 43 percent in 2004.  Sources tell me that dyson has 21 [liberal estimate] percent in the UK now.  This percentage has been decreasing year over year since its high in 2004.  My take, FWIW on this side of the pond, is that dyson employees and/or business partners don't want to be associated with the brand because they are ashamed of it. 

Years and years ago, I drove and ran shot gun on vehicles and trucks picking up/delivering new vacuum brands with the companie's names and logos proudly displayed.  A Smith & Wesson was a huge deterrent to the ne're do wells who may have had other intentions for my loads.  On one occasion I actually had to use it and more than just brandish.

MIELE for example in the USA operates a mobile warehouse and display store cross country from its headquarters in NJ.  It is stocked with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of MIELE merchandise.  Not counting the cost of the vehicle.  MIELE allows the vehicle to sit in the malls and shopping centers where its stores and dealers are located.  Yup, blasted all over with the brand name and logo.

Carmine D.

Nonetheless, thieves usually get but a pittance of the potential value of "name-game" goods. They have no real vantage point from which to deal as it's obvious to most they attempt to sell to that the source of what they're selling is suspicious.

The really awful part is that, in the end, the cost of high in demand everyday goods stolen from manufacturers or sellers ends up being factored into future pricing by and then passed on to the consumer.

I do not know if the loss is handle in the same manner when it comes to counterfeit clothing, another big illegal industry here in New York.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Very true Venson.  Sometimes the criminals will try to fence to industry professionals and cover up the real way the goods were gotten.  Never works.  I was approached in such cases and responded that I was already contacted by the manufacturer and local authorities that the goods are stolen.  That response got the culprits to high tail out in short order.  I didn't and wasn't.  If the person[s] were not above board, they did what most guilty people do.  Run and hide.

Carmine D.