Quote from JimB on 07/08/07 at 7:10pm:

 
JimB:
 
Unlike you, I find nothing false and purposely misleading in Mark's vacuum reviews of dyson.  Just as I don't impute any motives to a 16 year SEARS vacuum industry professional giving his assessments to me on the brands that he sells.  Quite the contrary, I agree with Mark and SEARS and these opinions and assessments on the particular issue: the DC18's tipsy tendencies.  If you read my Forum postings you see I posted the same findings long long ago.  Long before quoting Mark and SEARS.  I said before I used the DC18, that to me it looked top heavy and prone to fall.  I said however I had to use it before saying for sure.  After I did, I was convinced dyson dropped the 'ball' again and the design is flawed.  Too high a center of gravity giving it a propensity to tip over.
 
And conversely, by logical deduction, I must disagree with you.  Does that make me a liar?  If it does, then Mark and SEARS are both liars too.  Maybe its a mass anti-dyson conspiracy waged by the vacuum industry [indy's, big box retailers, retired vacuum professionals with over 50 years in the business] and across the country against dyson, JimB and the dyson fawners?  
 
But recall, I also said the DC18 is probably the best made and sold dyson to date.  Is that a false and purposely misleading opinion too?  You and the dyson fans didn't think/say so when I posted it.
 
Carmine D.
 

Hello JimB:
 
Seems like we are off the NPD market share topic now and on Mark's customer guide on vacuums.  Interesting.  Have you talked to Mark about it?  
 
600 dyson repair shops?  And growing.  Funny, that's a number I heard bantered about for over 2 years now.  Sure that's not a dyson goal for store numbers?  But be that as it may.........
 
On a somewhat related matter, since you mentioned SEARS and BEST BUY as dyson partners:  These are two of dyson's largest big box retailers, if not the largest in many areas of the country.  
 
Did you know that BOTH these store chains have reported terrible quarterly earnings and year to date sales in 2007?  
 
Both stores have REVISED their yearly earnings and profits going forward and even into 2008 downward [way way down].  SEARS announced yesterday and its stock price fell almost $18 a share.  Despite announcing a huge stock buyback plan, which it thought would nullify the impact.  It was wrong.  
 
In your expert opinion, what impact do you think these and other dyson retailers' extremely poor 2007 sales' results and forecasts for the future have on dyson sales in the USA?  
 
Carmine D.

Hello HARDSELL:
 
When you have the answers to your questions, please share with the Forum readers.
 
A stroll through the vacuum aisles of a big Wall store and monitoring the weekly vacuum sales help:  I've visited several recently in my area.  Dysons are not there.  HOOVER WT2, not there.  Why?  I can't tell you the last time I saw SEARS/Wal*Mart vacuums advertised for sale in the papers.  It's been months.  Why?  Can't afford to spend advertising dollars on vacuums?  The payoff is too small for the cost?
 
Vacuums are on the shelves: Less expensive brand name vacuums: HOOVER Mach 3 [$100] and 5 [$160].  GE canister [$150].  BISSELL [$70], Eureka Smart Vac [$120] now Eureka Capture too [$130].  Many of these vacuums are in short supply on the shelves.  Why?  They sell and sell quickly without costly advertising dollars which can be used on merchandise like apparel, school supplies and electronics.  That's what big Wall and other retailers want on their shelves.  Fast moving and selling products: Vacuums and otherwise that don't require advertising budgets to sell.  
 
Big Wall actually attributed higher gas prices to falling off sales earlier in the year.  And is addressing this with its TV ad message:  If you are paying more for gas you don't want to pay more for everything else.  And to contradict you again, food sales at same stores for big Wall stores are down from year to year.  Still substantial [largest of all food stores in sales] but down from last year and the year before.  Why?  Too many big Wall stores have food and produce sales nowadays.  Hence, big Wall is reducing expansion of new stores this year and next AND it's reducing the stores' square footage.  Concentrating on existing stores and sales.  BTW, BEST BUY is following the same strategy by cutting back store openings and reducing size.
 
If you read my post on the subject, big Wall is trying to make it easier for its customers to find all their needs and pay and leave in 20 minutes.  Why?  That's the time.  And usually customers have 10 items to buy but in the time can only manage to find 8.  And then it's 5 minutes or more in the check out to pay and exit.
 
Big Wall wants to make sure they have all 10 items and are out in 20 minutes including a no longer than 3-5 minute check out and pay time.
 
So far this year the strategy appears to be working well for Wal*Mart.  One thing for sure:  You won't see a dyson DC18 slim for $469 in any of the over 4000 big Wall stores worldwide.  Nada.
 
Carmine D.