Kirby Vacuum Cleaners

Kirby Vacuum Cleaners • In-Home Demonstration • Three-day Return Policy • "Trade-In" Policy • Warranty Service • Poor Quality • Elderly & Infirm • Home Alone • Neighborhood Pests • U.K. Complaints • South Africa Complaints • Andrew's Kirby Adventure --- • Kirby Sweeps Up in West Virginia • Arizona Sues Kirby Distributors • Kirby Salesman Arrested • Salesmen Respond

The door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen has been the butt of many jokes. But unfortunately, the customer is seldom the one who walks away laughing. Best rule of thumb: never let any salesperson or solicitor into your home. If you ask someone to leave and they don't do so, call the police. It may seem harsh but it can avoid many problems, like those catalogued below.

Even a 15-year-old can see through most of the Kirby pitch, as Andrew recently demonstrated.

Heed this word of advice from Christie:
I worked at United Financial Consumer (a loan company for Kirby vaccums) office. The sales tactics used to sell Kirby's are much the same as Mattress Warehouse in that they mislead customers into thinking free financing when in fact after signing the bottom line you have just taken out a loan.

People they target are often elderly and they train young men and women that these customers are the ones to persuade. People who fall into debt often think they need to pay their car loan before they pay for their vaccuum, not realizing the type of loan they have signed is just as seriously detrimental to their credit rating.

Heads up on getting any type of financing: Look to see what company is actually doing the financing and before signing call the finance company and have them reiterate what the terms are!

We would add that every loan transaction must include a Truth In Lending statement that spells out the terms. Consumers need to read this carefully. It's almost always better to arrange a loan elsewhere, pay cash or do without.

Paul of Sherwood, OR November 13, 2007

Paul Tofte of Sherwood OR (11/13/07)
I may agree with your opinion of in home demos on Kirby Vacuums as I have never had one, I bought my Kirby on line, but it is a superior product and picks almost EVERYTHING up, so please dont slam the product

Jacquelyn of Menlo Park, CA November 13, 2007

Jacquelyn of Menlo Park CA (11/13/07)
We wanted to return the Kirby, but the NCR is unreadable. So, now it is too late, according to the Kirby telephone center off the internet. Then we called Kirby again and they said to tell you.

The sales people helped my husband come in the window because he lost his keys. He was just off the ship from a job, and came home in a cab. So, my husband let him do a promotion and vacumm the rug. It took 3 hours until 5:30. We needed to get to the bank but felt we needed to let them because they helped us. We did not receive the payment booklet.

We are stuck paying 1500 for a vaccumm that does not work well. The rug shampoo cleaner is not working and the handle fell off the vaccum. We just want to return it without ruining our credit.

Marie of Los Lunas, NM November 5, 2007
I purchased what I thought and was told to be the latest and newest Kirby on the market. I found out by going to my sister's house that I have a model that is at least 5 years old. I called Kim and Associates (Kirby dealers) and spoke with the receptionist/supervisor/head secretary: Jesse. She told me the contract is good and that I was stuck with the vacuum and the huge price. I feel this is misrepresentation and deceptive selling practices. Kirby of course won't get involved since they are independent dealers, but I am not going to be quiet and take it. I want everyone to know what the reps at Kim and Associated do.

Carlos of Santa Rosa, CA October 31, 2007
A & A Marketing gets into your home by advertising to clean your carpet, which is not totally true. They are here to sell Kirby Vacuums. My mother sold Kirby's in the '50's so I knew the quality. I also knew that they were complicated to use. The salesman Andrew promised he would come back and show me how to use the Kirby. I have tried repeatedly to set up an appointment to have some one to show me individually. Their customer service is the pits.

I can't use the vacuum as it is. I need someone to come out to demonstrate the use of the machine.

Bonnie of Ipswich, OTHER October 17, 2007
I am so disappointed by the kirby machine that i paid almost 3000 for. It has never worked to my satisfaction it breaks down every now and then. I had to buy another hoover and hire a carpet washer. Each time i try to wash my carpet the parts come off. its so frustrating and user unfriendly.  At the moment i cannot even turn the machine on. I am afraid of calling the engineers because they will charge me more than i can afford. It will be better for me to hire or buy another machine.

Lisa of Rockford, IL October 14, 2007
I worked for Kirby for a couple weeks. The manager told me it was an assembly job and I would work Monday thru Friday 9:00am-5:00pm for 400.00 a week.

When I went for training I was told I had to do carpet cleaning demonstrations as a way to advertise the Kirby and to get the customer interested in buying. If the customer was not interested I would still get paid the 400 as a base pay and if they did purchase the Kirby I would make a commission.

The manager asked if I was interested in doing practice demos for friends and family members.  I would get paid 10-15 for each demo even if I did not sell one.  I just had to call my manager Ken a few times to let him know I was at the appointment and how everything was going.

I worked all weekend, did six demos that weekend, but no one could afford to buy the 2000 Kirby.  That Wednesday when I asked about getting paid the 60, Ken told me he had to wait for his boss Russ to give him the OK. On Thursday I was then told that I should have done more demos and I did not have enough referrals to qualify for the 60, but they paid me 30.

I never did work 9:00-5:00.  Some nights I did not get home until 9:30 or 10:00 and I never got paid. When I quit I asked when I could get my paycheck and I was told that Ken misinformed me, they fired him and I would not be getting paid like I was told.

Mike of Fall River, MA October 7, 2007

I was hired to sell kirbys and they never gave the name of the company until they had to. We had to hand in a list of appointments and a prize was given for the most. We were sent out in the rain that weekend to cover our appts. and to get TEN leads from each appt. We had to call in half way through the appt. and the boss would call us back to make sure we were actually at someones house. My boss didn't believe I was at someone's house for some reason and said I would not get credit for that call even after he called me back there.

My friend politely declined my offer because he was now eating dinner and my boss wouldn't take no for an answer,so my friend hung up. Later that weekend I was on my last call at SUNDAY nite at another friend's house. I had to call in when arriving and the boss said good luck etc.. When I called back he would not answer the phone several times so I left after 11 pm and the next day my boss would not pay me my 400 dollar bonus because I didn't call in. Then he hands me an adress 20 miles out of my desired area and was told to call. I said it was farther than I agreed to travel and he ignored me.

Rochelle of Los Angeles, CA October 5, 2007
i can truly say that Kirby is brainwashing these young people who work for them.  I have been working for them for 2 weeks and their hiring practices are questionable. i work 12-14 hours a day walking the streets knocking on doors even as late as 9:45pm. i have been fondled by customers, have gone without a lunch break, been left on corners from 30 mins. to 1hour. Being an African American female left like this in predominantly white neighborhoods makes people nervous.  Although Kirby makes you sign an independent contract, you must ride with their people and make 60 demonstrations in 30 days. If you don't, you don't get paid for all the time you have put in.  Their ad says you earn 1800 a month guranteed, but they don't tell you all you have to do to get it.
kirby makes you put in all your time and effort and still does not pay you if you don't do the 60 demonstrations although their ad says payment guaranteed. It says nothing about commissions or the sacrifice before you get the job and that you have to wait a whole month for something you may or may not get. i have gone completely broke and am worn out physically from all the walking. No breaks and safety is questionable. Right now i have to look for another job and have no income after 2 weeks of this madness, and i can hardly walk because my legs hurt so bad.

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