Wow, I knew Hoover is trying to move the remainder of the z inventory at 100 bucks a pop to dealers but I had not realized that the fusion was down to $98 at retail.

Retail sales show only moderate growth.  THe Commerce Department releases its measure of December retail sales, providing a picture of Holiday spending, now seen as somewhat disappointing.  Retail sales are forecast to show a gain of .7 percent from the previous month, including auto sales, and rise of .5 percent when motor vehicles are stripped out.  The results follow a 1 percent jump in November, when lower gas prices were a big plus.
 
Have to take the numbers with a grain of salt dispite painting a dismal picture of Holiday sales.  Why?
 
November's sales jump had chin scratchers scratching their heads.  Both individual stores' sales figures and sales data from credit card transactions suggested it had been a weak month.
 
One reason November retail sales report was so strong MAY have been that Thanksgiving came earlier than usual.  Meaning more holiday sales were pushed into November.  And probably pulled from December!
 
Similarly, giftcard sales mean a portion of retail sales usually booked in December get booked in January(usually 50 percent).  As the cards gain in sales popularity each year, government types can't keep up with seasonal swings and adjust the sales figures.  
 
Overall fourth quarter sales will probably come in on the strong side even with weak November sales.  UNLESS November sales get revised sharply downward.  This is good after two quarters of weak consumer spending.
 
At least part of the end of year pick up in sales is probably due to the drop in gasoline prices according to UBS economist Jim O'Sullivan.  But the housing market downturn can still bite.  
 
Overall it should be a good sales year for vacuums.  Not great.  Time will tell.  Vacuum sales are even harder to get a grip on.  Why?  According to the NPD, an authoritative industry source, vacuum manufacturers book new vacuum sales when the units are sold to retailers.  So alot of the retailers stores' unsold inventory in their warehouses and on their shelves are already counted as new vacuum sales by the vacuum makers.  And this product may not be sold to end users until 1-2-3-4-and even 5- years after the vacuum makers sold the product to the retailers.
 
Carmine D.

What are big store retailers offering for the Martin Luther King Holiday and week?  Pretty much the same same.  
 
BEST BUY is advertising some of its stalwarts: The Eureka Boss Smart Vac for $149;  HOOVER's murderers' row with the Floormate for $109, the WT 2 bagless for $265, and the All Terrain Steam Vac for $299 with an added extra: The Elite Rewind for $99.  The HOOVER WT 2 gets billed as "the most powerful upright for carpet cleaning."  And BB has the dyson DC16 Hand Held for $149, the DC07 All Floors for $399, and the DC17 Absolute Animal for $549.  Sorry no discounts from the advertised prices.  Have to use up those Holiday season giftcards on merchandise at full price.
 
Linens-n-Things has BISSELL and dyson products for sale.  The Cleanview 11 plus, and two carpet cleaners.  No doubt to appeal to consumers who are ready to do their after Holiday party house cleaning.  Dyson for sale too.  The oldies.  DC15 All Floors and DC07 Animal both at $499.  BUT...........we have discounts: 20 percent off.  So that DC07 Animal comes in at the same price as the DC07 All Floors at BEST BUY.  If you want the dyson extras like the package of Zorb rug cleaner (for spots), rug cleaning tool, and turbine tool, the dyson Animal is for you.  
 
Circuit City has BISSELL-old, HOOVER-old and new, and dyson old on sale.  Cleanview, WT 1 and 2 bagless.  The WT 2 is the Extra Reach with the hose extension and 8 inch hard floor brush for $259.  The dyson is the DC07 Animal for $499.  Deal or no deal?  No deal! 20 percent off on the same dyson at L-N-T for $400 is better.
 
Target has the Eureka Mini-Boss lightweight and Swivel Sweep for $34.  
 
Finally, the most recognized face of vacuums on TV, Mr. Oreck.  He's in the main section of the newspapers with his Oreck XL Titanium.  But he traded in his Santa suit and hat for a single breasted two button business suit.  The consummate business man look.  The deal: $100 off and 21 year warranty.
 
That's it.........
 
Carmine D.

Hello HARDSELL:
 
The XL21 Titanium is Oreck's top of the line and has an MSRP of $700 before the $100 discount, which puts it right at the MSRP of the dyson DC15 Ball Animal which has a 5 year warranty.  BTW this is the Oreck model that competes and beats dyson in all the rug cleaning tests engineered by the ASTM: The American Society of Testing Materials.  The only recognized standard for the vacuum industry WORLDWIDE.
 
The Oreck XL21 comes with a warranty of 21 years and 21 free yearly checkups at any of the almost 600 Oreck centers nationwide.  Oreck is a very popular seller in Las Vegas and there are 2 Oreck centers just in North Las Vegas.  Many of my neighbors buy, own and use Orecks and are very pleased with them.  Many are repeat customers.  I have to say that is true of my neighbors in Virginia too, where there were 15 Oreck centers in the Washington metropolitan area and more opening every year.
 
Carmine D.

Quote from HARDSELL on 01/16/07 at 6:18pm:

 
Consumer Reports rates and ranks the Oreck XL21 for $700 (before the $100 discount) above all dyson DC07 and DC14 models including the Animal models for $499 and $549.  Particularly for ease of use: Oreck gets "Very Good" and all the dyson DC07 and DC14 models get "Fair."  
 
Quote from HARDSELL on 01/16/07 at 6:18pm:

 
According to Oreck (Oreck.com; 1-888-673-2578) purchasers may be eligible for a free one year supply of HEPA-Celoc Filtration bags (I believe 8/9 bags) AND a free compact canister in addition to the 21 year warranty, 21 free annual tune-ups (including a new paper bag insert), and $100 discount for a trade.  Check with the nearest Oreck Clean Home Center location.  
 
BTW, the Oreck XL21 upright also has a headlight, which several other expensive foreign imports ($400-$600) don't.  
 
Carmine D.