Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Just wondering if anyone knows if Miele are stopping their S7 production? I've heard an industry rumour that they are to stop making the S7.

vacmanuk wrote:
Hi vacumanuk,

No but thanks for the heads-up. I will try to check it out for myself and see what I come up with. If there is any foundation to this rumor my first quess would have to be failure to sell well due to price. I noticed while snooping around online tonight that the Tango's starting online price of approximately $950 has been dropped to $849.

The Miele S7 series uprights are innovative, highly efficient, slickly designed and made to last. However, I do not and have not felt the times will bear good for highly-priced household goods with highly-priced accessories -- even "the BMW of vacuums cleaners".

People are really beginning to delve into their cookbooks for bean recipes these days. Most practical shoppers will resort to buying what they need NOT what they want. As well, Mieles glut of about five models makes customer choice all the more difficult. (All are basically the same cleaner except for doo-dads.) Maybe the time to do something sensational should have been tried five years ago before the hammer fell.

Even Prada profits in 2008, as reported late April 2009 in New York Magazine, were reported to have dropped by 22 percent from where they stood in 2007. And who can get more high-end than that?

All that said, my own Tango is still doing just fine and I'm loving it.

Venson

PS -- I have sent a copy of these samesentiments to Miele's customer feedback to see what they have to say.

vacmanuk wrote:
WHAT!!!I'm hoping its just rumor, the S7 is a wonderful cleaner.

Hello Venson, vaclov, vacmanuk:

I have to join the ranks behind Venson.  MIELE picked a bad time for its upright launch.  I suspect it may have to cull/abey the line until times are better.  THe 20 percent fall off in high end retail sales in 2008 over 2007 is actually a pretty good number.  It's been more like 40 percent and more. 

Carmine D.

I like the S7 but I think it is too big for it's own good, I found it a real struggle to keep hopping on the pedal to get it over rugs on existing carpets and its neck wasn't as light as I had hoped. Of course I know Americans will love it generally as even the UK struggles with the size of the Kirby machines. It wouldn't surprise me if Miele were redesigning the S7 however as it hasn't received the best reception in the UK.

vacmanuk wrote:
Hi vacumanuk,

I have carpeting from heavy to light to deal with but have not had the same problem. The S7's 20-pound weight has not been an issue for me either. There are lots of heavier vacs on the market. Besides which, I remember old Hoovers I used that weighed as much as five pounds more that would be pressed to match up. More for posterity's sake than use, I own a Royal PowerCast -- a "bright idea" from about four or five years back. It's a good cleaner that unfortunately weighs in at 30 pounds. That to me is heavy.

As well, the size of the S7 is about the same as better upright models sold here by Hoover, Bissell, Kenmore and any number of other manufacturers.

The good thing about Kirby is that you could probably own one for the next fifty years and only end of getting rid of it out of boredom. That I think that is what still sells them though they are far from ruling the market. However, Kirby's problem is not only size but inconvenient and old-fashioned conversion for attachment use. Albeit about the best rug cleaner there is and easy enough to push due to its transmission for self-propulsion, it is not of contemporary design. Thus you have to systemize your manner of cleaning -- above the floor duty first and floor cleaning last just as back in the day of just the broom and dust cloth.

In any event, I've become so comfortable with my Tango upright that I use the Capricorn canister I have less -- even for stairs and above the floor. I think its nice idea come at the wrong time and, in business, timing is everything.

Venson

I was looking around and saw a blog -- http://www.bestvacuum.com/blog/page/2/ -- stating that Bosch has dicontinued vacuum sales in the USA.

Naturally I called and spoke with a Bosch rep who apparently was not at all aware of the situation herself and had to put me hold while she went to make inquiries.

Upon her return, her answer was affirmative but I was assured, per law, that parts bags and filters would be available for the next seven years.

Then came the ultimate question. "Why did Bosch decide to discontinue its vacuum sales here."

The young woman I spoke being just a phone rep could not of course give a straight forward answer but, as best she could, did inform me that when sales or profits were not up to snuff the usual practice was to discontinue the item(s) in question. She also made mention that despite quality aspects higher pricing may also discourage a willingness to buy.

Venson

For the record, I spoke with Jim at Miele today. (Remember him, Sally, the Cat Lady and the mangled test model?) He claims that the S7 series is not going to be discontinued. Jim also claimed that sales are going well. Fact or fiction? I dunno . . .

Venson

Hello Venson:

Thanks for the reports on MIELE and BOSCH.  Good detective work Sherlock Holmes. 

WRT BOSCH vacuums no longer being sold in the USA:  Not the main product for BOSCH so easiest to cut costs and expenses by divesting itself of vacuum sales in the USA.  Appropriate time also.  Bad economy, exchange rate matters, falling off sales all in concert to dictate cutting overhead.  Least profitable markets and products are usually the first to go.

Carmine D.

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

WRT management speaking the truth:  Here's a non-vacuum related story of recent and similar note.

I posted about it and will add the results here.  The latest Casino/hotel to open in Las Vegas is within walking distance of us.  Opened Nov 11, 2008.  In June 2008, the CFO [Chief Financial Officer] appeared before a panel of reps from the the banks, gaming commission, gaming regulators and several big time stockholders.  It was a session for questions and answers.  The property costs over $600 MILLION.  Of which 450 MILLION was financed.  Best of everything.  Marble and chandeliers imported from Italy.  Absolutely gorgeous.  THe biggest screens for movies and entertainment in all Las Vegas.  The question was finally posed to the CFO:  Will the projected and anticipated gaming and hotel revenue from the property pay off the debt financing?  He answered:  We don't know. 

I stored that in the back of my mind.  On the soft opening of the property, several days before Nov 11, my dear Wife, her best friend [a hot shot NJ lawyer] and I were exiting the Casino and were met on the elevator by a muckety muck from Personnel.  We chatted briefly and I posed the question:  How long before the new property declares bankruptcy?  She looked at me and laughed.  Her retort: No way.  Not this property.  Perhaps others in LV but not this one.  Sure about that I asked.  Absolutely she said.  Okay I said.  And stored it in my memory.

I posted here at that time that despite her reply I thought by the spring-summer of 2009 it would go into bankruptcy.  Management declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy/reorganization last week after missing 3 months or so of bond debt payments. 

Carmine D.

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

A hard learned lesson for many of the best and brightest!  Whether vacuum makers, financial moguls, and/or gaming giants.

Carmine D.