Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

In his Dyson ball advertisements, James Dyson demonstrates the ease of steering his vacuum.   He contrasts it with a traditional vacuum that goes forwards and backwards swipes over the rug.  I would argue that if you only make one pass as James seems to advocate, and it's only in the forward direction, I suspect your carpeting won't get very clean.  Given the Dysons middling performance in standardized carpet cleaning tests, one pass just doesn't cut it.  If you follow the carpet and rug industry recommendations to make several passes over the carpeting, the Dyson ball doesn't seem to have any advantage over a traditional vacuum.  

Carmine I really do wish you'd stop thinking that just because a vacuum cleaner drops in price, it's not selling well. Financially if they weren't selling well the price would remain the same and likewise if they are selling well the price has nothing to do with it. Having worked in a similar industry where most shops are buying in bulk, prices of products drop accordingly if "big box sellers," as you put it buy in and overstock the product too much. It is then the responsibility of the big box sellers to mark the price accordingly, particularly if they want to shift remaining stock out of the warehouse. Dyson only suggests mere SSP's / suggested selling prices and they don't offer discounts unless specifically their website shows a discount as a seasonal offer. Severus - good point about the Dyson, however as I don't own a Ball I have trialled it and found it to be less effective getting under low furniture not to mention the size of the ball and the bin getting in the way. However one can easily forget the equation of swerving around corners versus straight forward motions simply on the fact that the Dyson sucks up dirt 100% of the time (as the consumer is led to believe), so in theory even if in one sweeping motion going forwards to go around corners when picking up dirt, in the consumer's mind with known Dyson suction technology, it could be argued that dirt pick up is sufficiently better than traditional vacuums anyway. After all the Ball isn't affecting every Dyson upright in their line up - they're still making the traditional push/pull backwards forwards uprights in the Dyson family.

vacmanuk wrote:

Vacmanuk:

In and of itself, you're right, price drops on selected brand products are not a big deal.  Part of doing business.  However, dyson fans here boasted of the dyson MAP set in concrete.  In part to fend off criticism by indies who complained about dyson selling out to big box stores at indies expense.  MAP, as you know, is a 10 percent advertised price reduction limit from MSRP imposed by dyson, subject to penalties for infractions.  What kind of penalties?  Read on.

In 2005, Wal-Mart dropped the advertised price of dyson's DC07 All Floors to $319 from $379 on a roll back sale.  Sir James had a hissy fit.  He put the heat on Wal-Mart to cease and desist claiming violation of its MAP policy.  W*M laughed at him and thumbed it's nose at dyson.  Sir James pulled the dyson line out completely of W*M stores for almost 2 years.  The W*M inventory was forced on BEST BUY stores under duress.

So, not me, dyson made price reductions a big deal.  Why now is it acceptable for MAP to get tossed?  Could it be due to dyson sales waning at big box retailers?  Hence, the business need to eliminate MAP policies on not just selected items like the discontinued DC18 but ALL dyson models,even the latest and greatest.  Especially now with the euro rising against the dollar, squeezing dyson profits even further?  

Carmine D.

My local Costco has dropped all but one of the two or three of the under $200 Hoover uprights it was carrying plus the one Dyson model it had. Seems at present that one Oreck with mini can and one Roomba plus a couple of steam mops remain to make up the floor care display.

My biggest surprise is the reduction of what was offered at this time of the year. I'd thought vacuum sales might perk up a bit during the holiday season. Venson

Venson wrote:

Hello Venson:

If price drops don't spark sales, and at some stores they don't, retailers/store locations drop the products.  Make room for merchandise that sells.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Hi Carmine, can you explain why the Euro gains against the US Dollar are relevant to this Dyson discussion when technically their products are classed as a UK export to all the places in which they are marketed? In reality, GBP is rising against against the dollar also of late, but at 1.62 right now it's still a fair amount below when it was 2.0 or more not so long ago.

Hey Guys , here me out and take no offense but dont you think that the consumer is really tired of the Garbage,trash, cheapo made [but not cheapo price] thats being thrown out to them today?

Lets face it if a person has any dispsoable income left to buy an appliance,washer,dryer,dishwasher etc, As we know floor care is all to itself. They deserve to have a very good product for the money.

A very big concern now is back up parts and service, A lot of customers are asking about this more and more,Such as can you fix it here or do you have to send it  half way around the world to have it fixed,will the bags and filters be available next year/, Will the company still exist next year?

Believe it or not boys the small time mom and pop shops are making a comeback again,It feels like the 60's and 70's all over again.

Our small time operation survived our local circuit city,sears/k-mart, and i hear targets on the ropes,but theres a new LOWES being built,and HOME CHEAPO is still here, Never really bothered me about the box stores much,

Carmine and  others know what im talkin about, I have seen to many competiters put themselves under by worrying about the other quys,Quess what big boys I;m the other guy and i have many soldiers.....


regards

MOLE

mole wrote:

Hiya MOLE,

Out of curiosity, what's the general age of the customers who inquire?

Best,

Venson

M00seUK wrote:

Hello M00seUK:

The GBP is the oldest currency in the world.  BUT, since 1999 when the euro was adopted as the standard of currency in European Union, [at less than one Euro to the dollar], it became the medium of exchange for all European products to and from the USA [dyson is a UK based product].  Not the lire, not the GPB, not the deutche mark, not the franc, etc. but the Euro. 

The Euro [not GPB] has gained almost 30 percent against the dollar this year as the exchange rate of the dollar has plummeted against the Euro.  Products like dysons that are imported by the USA for sale to American consumers cost more for USA retailers/buyers [based on dollar exchange rate to the Euro].  Hence, for example Americans have seen SEBO vacuum prices, German made, go up from $550 to $800 in the USA [unless it's old stock at previous exchange rates]. 

On the flip side of the falling dollar, American exports cost less for Europeans to buy than in the past by 30 percent.  This is good for the USA trade deficit with Europe increasing US exports to Europe.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:
Many thanks for the explanation. I have a supplier who's local currency is tracked to the US Dollar, so I've more interest than usual in exchange rates this year!

My pleasure.

Carmine D.