Kirby Vacuum Cleaners

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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.

Rosalie of Cranston, RI March 31, 2007
I have read all the posts on Kirby and need to write in defense of the poor young men and women who come into your house to clean your carpeting. My nephew worked for two weeks for them, going in to clean carpets of his OWN contacts. He had to call everyone he knew and beg them to let him clean the carpeting. Kirby brainwashed him, telling that their salesman would sell the vacuum cleaner and that he would win a trip, make 400. etc. So -- my nephew worked for them, cleaning these carpets, doing their sweat work and gained not one penny. They use these kids for contacts, try to sell the vacuums but if they don't sell one, the kids do not get paid. I think you all can now understand why these kids/representatives have attitudes. They are starving for work and being used. The poor kid was begging friends to give him phone numbers of their friends (contacts), doing the work and getting absolutely nothing out of it.

Kirby advertises that you can earn 400 a week, basically baits the kids and then uses them for free labor. How long is it going to take before Kirby is charged with unfair labor practices and made to pay hourly wages to these kids. Ironically, my own father was a Kirby man back in the 50's and it ran the same way then. Unfortunately my sister was too young to remember that or she might have warned her son. How do they get away with this?

Michelle of Linwood, NC March 5, 2007

I had a Kirby Sales Lady come to my door. She asked if she could do a demonstration. I agreed, she came in poured salt in my floor, and began a 2 hour demonstration. She even went as far as going to my bedroom to "show me how much dirt I am having sex in"!  While she was having me test drive the vacuum in the living room she was admiring an antique hand saw my husband’s grandmother painted for me. It was attached to my fire place. She started touching it and caused it to fall and break the handle. All she could say was "oh I’m sorry" and didn’t even bother picking it up.

She kept pushing me to buy the vacuum even though I had told her I could not afford it. She made several calls to her "ride" that left her there. I ended up agreeing to keep the vacuum overnight and left her on my front door step because I had to leave. I ended up being 45 minutes late meeting my friend.

Coral of Blanchard, ID March 3, 2007
We bought a Kirby and were very dissatisfied with it. The consumer support we were promised was non-existent. The salesman said that all products were backed up and all we had to do was call. We have never been so upset by the lies we were told.

Rebecca of Visalia, CA February 6, 2007

A man came to my door offering complimentary carpet stain removal in one room of my home as advertisement of a new company in town. He told me to vacuum my stain area and he'd be right back. I realized later this was his way of getting me to get out my vacuum. After a couple of moments (and questions about my vacuum) I realized he was going to demo a vacuum first. I figured I'd listen to get to the free shampoo. Well, the "free shampoo" never came. I must have said no 20 different ways. The filters were so dirty when he vacuumed that I wonder if his vacuum was "special" (my carpets are new)!

I asked for a number to reach him at if I ever change my mind and when trying to call it later it said the number had been changed (why is he giving out old numbers) and the new number was a fake! He entered my home under false pretenses and I have no way to complain to a supervisor.

Tiffany of N Walpole, NH January 24, 2007

Our friend just started working for Kirby and asked if he could do a demo at our home. He would get points so we said as long as you know we may not buy one. The appointment was at 6:30 and they showed up at 8:30pm. The manager decided to come with our friend. He walked into our home and sat down like he owned the place. In his hand was a twisted tea drink. Yes he actually brought an alcoholic drink into our home.

Our friend tried to do his demo and his manager kept interrupting. He often picked on our friend making fun of him and telling him he was making mistakes. He even went on to tell us the things our friend messed up at previous demos. He then cut him saying you’re too slow I am just going to do the speech because it’s late and he did not really want to be doing this at 9:00 at night. Well guess what neither did we. We had plans and that’s why the appointment was at 6:30!

I told him we would think about it and maybe we would like one. He said it’s a YES or a NO! So I said no we can not afford one right now. He started asking what our credit was and when I said to be honest if I bought one I could not keep up with payments. I was told that even if I don’t pay them, Kirby doesn’t care if you’re late and there are no late fees or anything! He said well I have to call the big boss and let him know. He said don’t be offended but I am going to BS the big boss and say some stuff ..I am just blowing off steam.

So after using our phone three times. He asked to use it again. He calls the boss up and says "YOU CANT SELL SOAP TO PIGS”. He actually said this to his boss about us in our own home.

Tom of Longmont, CO January 21, 2007
The Kirby salesperson came to the door and gave me a small box of baking soda and said he would be right back. He ran back to the vehicle, that his (supposed) boss was driving and brought in a Kirby vacuum cleaner and asked to give a demonstration. This was on Sunday Jan. 21st in the middle of an NFL playoff game!

When he came back to the house with the vacuum cleaner and wanted to give us a demonstration, we said no.  He was insistent about giving us a demonstration. We kept saying no until he angrily grabbed the box of baking soda and left.

I sure hope Kirby vacuum company doesn't encourage this type of 'pushy' sales technique, it's obnoxious.

Natasha of Brisbane, OTHER January 16, 2007

I came home to find a van full of strangers parked outside my house; I then entered my house to find a strange man talking to my husband insisting on doing a vacuum demonstration. After I realized what was happening I swiftly told him I had a vacuum cleaner and that I wasn’t interested. He seemed to ignore me and focus on my husband. I repeatedly told him to leave; after I convinced him to do so, he took a further 15 minutes in slowly packing away his equipment.

The salesman's friends in the van had mysteriously driven off and left the man waiting on our driveway for another further 20 minutes. I am mystified as to why it took three people to sell a vacuum cleaner, as one man first offered my husband some free paper towel wipes, then a woman appeared with a vacuum cleaner and forcefully set it up in my house, whilst then another man came to do the demonstration. I feel they entered my house against my will and I feel very violated, not only that, but I feel unsafe in my own home.

Sherri of Jacksonville, FL January 10, 2007

We answered our door at 8:30 at night to two gentlemen who virtually forced their way into our home, suggesting that the younger gentleman would get credit toward a summer scholarship if we would allow him to talk to us for just a few minutes. The "boss" left in a white van and "Jerome" proceeded to unpack a Kirby vacuum cleaner and demonstrate the filth in our house.

Although I sat there in my pajamas, halfway through my dinner, he took his time in explaining the finer points of the Kirby, despite our continuous efforts to encourage him to move along and get to the point (the price!). For the first 20 minutes, I half expected that his associate was casing the joint. We spent the next 30 minutes trying to get the salesman to leave. After repeatedly responding "no" to his requests to purchase the product, I politely asked him to leave, finally threatened to call the police, and my brother began transferring his equipment from our living room to the front porch, all to no avail.

This man was intent on a SALE with no regard to our evening or the "No Solicitation" sign in our neighborhood. After 90 minutes of this, his originally pleasant mood had turned to insulting and rude, even accusing us of treating him this way because he was black!, but he finally packed his things and left, muttering that he hoped we enjoyed living in dirt and dust mites.

I completely concur with everything I've read on this website about Kirby salesmen and their pressure tactics. Although my family has owned two Kirby's and I'm sure Kirby is a fantastic product, I will never buy one because of Jerome. What a shame it's come to this! And in response to those who think we should address this to the salespeople only, Kirby will reward and terminate their personnel based on their competencies and are ultimately responsible for the behavior of their sales personnel.

Peter of San Diego, CA December 31, 2006

They get into your home under the pretext of a complimentary carpet cleaning. Dressed in street clothes, they do not represent themselves as Kirby. One of the salesmen sprayed spot remover on some troublesome areas of my 2500.00 Ethan Allen white linen couch. The spot remover made dark-gray splotches, which they assured me would dry. The splotches remained two hours later.

The crew leader promised that he would return and work on the couch. He never did in spite of repeated calls to their office. Calls to their local store as well as the corporate office were met by rudeness at every level. Kirby corporate office in Cleveland, Ohio, says they cannot help; every store is independently owned. The local store says the sales staff is independent, and the store is not responsible for their actions. Their spot remover applied by their salesman stained a 2500.00 couch.

Erica of Sugar City, CO November 4, 2006
I have defaulted on my Kirby Vacuum Payments and United Consumer Financial Services have called my home sometimes over 15 times a day, to the point that I am afraid to answer the phone. They are rude and unprofessional when I talk to them, often degrading me for not making my payments. In the state of Colorado, I understand that if a collection agency calls a debtor, they are in violation of third party disclosure if they do not block their number from coming up on the debtor's caller ID. Not only do I have caller ID, but my phone talks and announces the person that is calling. I have begged and pleaded them to not further contact me by phone and only contact me by mail. I often have guests at my home and recently, I had a Home and Garden Party, with over 6 guests that were in my home when United Consumer Financial Services called 10 times in 2 hours. I was so embarrassed.

I am a Home & Garden party Designer. This allows me to work from home and be able to take care of my children. When I have Home & Garden Parties at my home, and United Consumer Finacial Services calls repeatedly during these parties, It leaves a bad impression on my clients, therefore resulting in no sales, which therefore results in no income for myself to help support my family. I am emotionally drained, I dread the phone ringing. I am bipolar so it is also causing undo stress on myself, whinch is projected on the rest of my family. I can't have my clients over at my house because of UCFS harrassing phone calls.

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