Kirby Sucks, (and washes the carpet.) (Kirby GSix Vacuum)

Member Name: flashman

Product:	Kirby GSix Vacuum
Date:	18/07/00 (931 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Does what they say it does - and more; well built; made to last.

Disadvantages: Initial outlay in cost; pressure salling techniques.

I too am one of those for whom the prospect of having peace and quiet restored to my household cost me a vacuum cleaner way over the odds of which I was prepared to spend on a replacement.
At the time I was actually looking to get a new carpet cleaner and had tried a number of options. We had a shag-pile carpet and required something that cleaned well into the pile.
Then, as though by magic, a Kirby salesman turned up on our door and asked if we would like to invite him along to demonstrate his machine. To be fair, we could have said no there and then but we were in need of a replacement and so we offered him the chance.
The demonstration was impressive. It really did suck out a lot of dirt that we thought didn't exist and the brush attachment fluffed up our pile like new.
We argued the price, and, as with most people, he used our phone to contact someone at 'head office' to negotiate a lower one. At the time we felt we had had a good deal. It's only later that you figure out that the cost you paid could have bought you a top of the range multi-cleaner and allowed sufficient change for a week in the sun.
Yes, parts are expensive and the little rubber drive belts get worn very quickly, but a local electrical dealer is able to get most of the regular bits and pieces at a reasonable cost.
We have had no problems with ours. It does a great job and apart from anything else it really is built exceptionally well.
But the price is over the odds and in most cases, complaints of pressure selling are more than justified.
You have to ask,"If it is so good (which I believe it is), why don't they simply put them into the main electrical dealer showrooms, or open a chain of Kirby stores rather than to dupe people into buying one?"
The answer is commission. The sales reps get paid by commission and as most people will turn them away at the door, the price has to reflect the need to pay for the item, profits, commiss
ions and costs. The true value of a full Kirby system is around 20% of the initial price quoted. He then drops it by about 15% and offers further reductions if you buy extended warrantees etc. You might end up with a bargain offering 30% so you end up paying only twice or three times its retail value! Some bargain.
However, having said that, if it is looked after well you will never need to replace it other than to renew worn parts etc. So perhaps in the long run you actually save, but then noone has made a study of this.

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