Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Thought the Dyson discussion board would be interested in reading a small article about the Tacony Museum. Also Carmine's old friend.....

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/hit-the-road-jack/hit-the-road-jack/2009/08/new-museum-opens-at-st-james-on-historic-route-66/

And HS I recommend others do the same.  If you're looking for cheap, buy from the big box stores.  If you're looking for value for your dollar, go with the indies.  Always.

Now, doesn't your story with the lawnmower store owner/operator validate my precept too.  Home Depot sells cheap low end brand products [which BTW you prefer].  L/m store owner/operator sells high-end brand products.  Even you HS should get this since you posted it.  Unless of course you were soused yesterday when you posted.

My precept in business: You proved it: Indies are the backbone of the vacuum industry.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

No it doesn't support you.  The indie is perceived to sell higher end due to price.  I have used both and the higher priced model left the lawn looking terrible compared to the lower priced unit.

I could buy two of the lower priced mowers for the same or less thatn the higher priced one.  The higher priced will not last twice as long and has inferior performance.

You are breaking their backs with your whimsical purchases.

CarmineD wrote:
I'm glad everyone doesn't take your point of view Carmine.  $50 - $150 vacuums are a good part of our business.  Parents bring their kids in that are just moving out, university students, seniors looking for an inexpensive second vac for around the house.  We rely on all of them now and in the future.  Our prices are no different from the box stores and we offer free assembly and we handle the warranty.  Perhaps it's time to rethink where you're making your purchases.

Dusty

dusty wrote:
Thank you Dusty.

Can you break it down further?  1)  How many Canadian vacuum independents are there?  2) How many American vacuum independents are there?


DIB

dusty wrote:

Dusty:

I'm happy to hear that from you.  Remember once you said I can't use myself as a standard because of my vacuum industry background.  Well here's a case where you are right.  When I go to a big box store to buy a HOOVER TEMPO or DD Kruz, I know exactly what I want to buy and why.  These purchases are genrally less than $100.  I don't need the expertise of an indy to assist in that purchase as most non-vacuum industry customers with $50-$150 to spend. 

In my years of the business, most parents pass down their indy store brands to the kids when they go off on their own.  Usually replacing it with a new indy store brand and having the old one repaied by the indy.  In fact 2 and 3 generations like this of customers keep my business humming for 44 years. 

Carmine D.

BTW Dusty, since you can't buy rebuilts from big box stores, I wholeheartedly agree in the $50-$150 price range indy's are the place for rebuilts.  In fact, many of the indy rebuilts are better than the the newer brands/models that are 2, 3, 4 and 5 times the price of the indie's rebuilts.  Way to go.

Carmine D.

HARDSELL wrote:

You know HS if you substitute "dyson" for Indy I would agree 100 percent with your statement.

Carmine D.

Dusty:

With regrad to rethinking my vacuum purchases:  Here's my business philosophy for vacuum purchases for all buyers not just me: If you're looking for a one time vacuum purchase at the cheapest price for the short term use:  Big box retailers are your venue.  If your looking for value vacuum products for the long term and a business relationship with a reputable store owner/operator for the vacuum purchases, indy's are your venue.  

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Your philosophy seems to go against much of what you say here.  The vacuums I sell between $50 and $150 are new and not rebuilt and they sell for the exact same price as the box stores. Why do you not think the independent vac store does not need your business when you're buying in this price range?  We do not make a great deal of margin on the original sale but you put 20 or 30 sales together and the amounts at the end of the month add up.  By skipping the independent all together you are taking that chunk of income away from them every month.  BTW, I have no problem with people coming into the store, pointing to a vacuum to buy, and selling it to them...just like the big boxes.  You should give it a try at your local vac store next time you buy a Hoover.  I'm sure they'd be happy to do business with you.

Dusty

Hello Dusty:

I frequent two indies here in North LAs Vegas for my vacuum purchases not counting the 2 ORECK stores I visit adn buy from.  Neither of the Indies sell the HOOVER TEMPO's and/or DD Kruz.  I bought the latter for my Wife who liked it when she saw on HSN.  The novelty wore off and my daughter inherited it.  She doesn't use it, but my 5 year old grand daughter does and enjoys vacuuming with it.  The HOOVER TEMPO's were bought with a specific purpose in mind.  To compare the MExican made HOOVER/Maytag with the China made TTI/HOOVER.  I posted the results here and then quickly gifted the TTI/China TEMPO to a local church.

My sense based on my own personal and professional vacuum experience, is that indies here in the USA shy away/avoid new vacuum brands and models in the $50-$100 range that compete head on with the big box stores.  They can't compete on the sales prices.  Maybe Canada is different? 

Carmine D.