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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.
George of Grand Rapids, MI April 12, 2009
George of Grand Rapids MI (04/12/09)
Sales man comes to the door - says he has a 15 minute presentation to conduct and an hour later he is still not gone. He was very rude, mocked my family, insulted our intelligence and lied to us - He said shampooing damages rugs - then tried to sell us a carpet shampooer - blew dust and dirt all over our house. Took him 2 minutes to unpack 30 minutes to pack up; He was even bragging about selling a vacuum to an elderly woman - sounded a lot like financial exploitation of the elderly to me. Police were following them as they dropped off their sales Team
Kimmy of Peyton, CO April 10, 2009
Kimmy of Peyton CO (04/10/09)
First of all.. there is a sign just below our doorbell that states, NO SOLICITING. Regardless, we still get solicitors that can't read.. KIRBY in this case.
The sales guy offered a free carpet cleaning/demo of 1 room in our home, if I'd fill out a comment card. Our 4 kids loved the visitor and the excitement of a new vaccuum. At 2000+ for the vaccuum, I passed on his offer,, but he kept going on and on. Even my teenage son, attempted to persuade him to leave and that we were NOT interested.
Still.. the sales guy and a lady now.. were in my house w/ contracts and other bits of paperwork I wasn't about to sign. 2 hours later.. my husband arrives home from work...they were still trying to pitch the vaccuum sale. Our older kids immediately brought my husband up to speed on what was going on, and that they wouldn't leave. He (my husband) informed them if they did not leave our property, that he would go next door and get the sheriff. They were unphased by this, stating they had a permit to be here. REALLY? In my house without my permission? REALLY?
When they continued their harrassing and were SLOW to leave.. my husband got his gun and pointed it at the two. Thank goodness Colorado is a MAKE MY DAY LAW state (which means you can legally shoot anyone tresspassing on your property/refusing to leave). Amazingly how fast they then packed their things up and left.
Why does a simple vaccuum demo turn into this? Why does Kirby allow this behavior by their employees? My husband worked for Kirby 30 years ago, and it was NOT like this at all!
After the fact, we realized they preyed on me because I'm a very nice person, and busy w/ 4 kids, they thought I was an easy target for their scams. I can only imagine what they do to the elderly! How un-American!
I did not sign any paperwork for these scammers, therefore, I'm not out a single cent! Kirby's sales tactics are dehumanizing and unethical in so many ways. By the way.. a 3-day return policy? That should be a red flag right away!
BE SMART and SAFE! DO NOT LET ANYONE IN YOUR HOUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW! IF THEY CAN'T GET THEIR POINT ACROSS STANDING OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR, SEND THEM AWAY!
Harriet of Wickenburg, AZ April 10, 2009
Harriet of Wickenburg AZ (04/10/09)
I was contacted by a gentleman who told me I had won a promotion by his company to have two room of carpets cleaned because they had a new product to shampoo carpets and needed to gather opinions about the product. I was rather skeptical about the call and he specifically told me that there were no sales or costs associated with the demo. The following day a woman and young man(trainee) arrived at the scheduled time and started to demo the Kirby cleaner. I should have asked them to leave at that time, but let her show the vacuum cleaner. She showed and talked about the cleaner about 45 minutes before she finally got around to shampoo the carpet. When I told her that I felt the company had been deceitful to get into the home, she initially appologized but when I told her I didn't think I would buy the product because of false claim to get me to see the demo, she got very angry with me. I told her not to clean the second room and to leave. She called the company and talked about me how anyone who could see how good the product is and not buy something is wrong with her. She kept making rude comments about me, under her breath. The Kirby did a nice job of cleaning the carpet, but I would never buy a vacuum cleaner from a company that employs such false tactics to get into ones home.
Peggy of Elizabeth, WV April 8, 2009
On April 3, 2009, I had just layed my 7 month old granddaughter down for a nap when Chris and Mike knocked on our door at 4:15 in the afternoon. Chris wanted to show me how great this orange cleaner worked and could he come in to demonstrate it. I said sure. Well Mike followed carrying a kirby demo set. When I realized what was about to happen I became very leery. I soon realized also that it wasnt the orange cleaner that they wanted to demonstrate but a vaccuum cleaner. I excused myself because I had to get ready for work. While I was getting ready for work I had to step over the box that the sweeper come in and the various attachments. My husband, daughter, granddaughter and son were left at home while I went to work.
In the meantime Chris had left. He left Mike here to demonstrate the product. My husband repeatedly told Mike that we had had one of these sweepers a long time ago. We got rid of it cuz we had trouble finding bags for it. Mike continued to demonstrate the sweeper. He had those little filters covered in dirt and dust laying everywhere. He layed them on my new rocker that we have....he had them scattered out on the floor....when I mean he layed them everywhere I MEAN EVERYWHERE. Everytime Mike changed this little filter and turned on the sweeper dust would fly and my granddaughter would cough. My husband told him SEVERAL times that we were not interested in purchasing the sweeper but yet he kept right on demonstrating.
Chris had left Mike at our house for 45 minutes by himself to demonstrate this sweeper. Mike told us this was only his SECOND time that he had demonstrated the sweeper. At the end of the demonstration they were trying to convince my husband to purchase this sweeper. He kept telling them NO I DO NOT WANT THIS. Chris said for ONLY 2195.00 this sweeper could be ours. My husband said NO I DO NOT WANT THIS. Chris proceeded to tell him that he could bring the price down so we could afford it. Again my husband said NO. As the evening wore on my husband and daughter noticed that my granddaughter was breathing heavier and coughing more. When I got home my granddaughter and daughter were in bed sleeping. I checked on my granddaughter and she appeared to be sleeping fine. So my husband and I went to bed.
We could hear my granddaughter over the baby monitor in our bedroom and her breathing became more rapid and congested. We didnt fall asleep right away because we were very concerned about the way she was breathing. We got up because her breathing became alot worse. We just thought she was coming down with a cold so we put her in a steamy shower to help her breathe. I left and told my daughter to get dressed and help me get the diaper bag ready because most likely we would be taking our granddaughter to the hospital. My husband came out of the bathroom with my granddaughter clutching to him and said to call 911 and to get an ambulance here right away because my granddaughter started shaking so bad that he couldnt keep ahold on her. When the ambulance attendant entered our house he took one look at my granddaughter and said who is ready because we need to get this baby to the hospital. My daughter rode to the hospital in the ambulance with my granddaughter.
Consequences? At 1:30am on the date stated above we arrived at St. Joes hospital in Parkerburg, West Virginia. When we arrived my granddaughters heart rate was over 200. They had trouble bringing it down. We spent 3 hours in this emergency room trying to get her heart rate under control. When we arrived at the emergency room in Parkersburg they had our granddaughter hooked up to a heart monitor, they had her on oxygen and hooked up to various monitors trying to help her. They soon discussed air transportation to the closet childrens hospital. My daughter agreed to have my granddaughter air lifted to Morgantown, WV. When they took her to the helicopter pad we started our journey to Morgantown which is about 3 hours from Parkersburg.
Over this past weekend we have spent OVER 1,000 in gas, food, wear and tear on our vechile and lost wages. Our stress level is at the MAX. I have lost 1 week of work because I had to take a leave of absence to help with the care of my granddaughter. My daughter and I have alternated staying with my granddaughter at night so she would have someone familar with her at all times. She was released from Morgantown hospital on Monday April 6, 2009. At midnight on the very same day we returned once again to the Parkersburg emergency room because my granddaughters breathing wasnt good. They kept her over night for observation and the second day she wasnt doing any better so the dr decided to put her into a croupe tent with breathing treatments every 4 hours.
I am convinced that this sweeper aggrevated her condition. She was perfectly fine until they started demonstrating their vaccuum. This condition is still ongoing because at the time of this writing she is still in the hospital and we have no clue as to what damage she has encountered and the cost of whatever the insurance doesnt cover we will have to try and cover. I almost lost my granddaughter to these salesmen (if you want to call them that). WE HAVE A NO SOLITATION ORDER STANDING AT OUR HOUSE. I do hope this can be rectified by reeducation for the sales people that they understand the words WE ARE NOT INTERESTED and modifications to the sweepers. I think Kirby should be willing to pick up all expenses. Will update as things progress. Debra of Buffalo, MO April 1, 2009
I just wanted to say that I also was sucked in by kirby salespersons, whom I did say no to twice, but they kept on and I felt sorry for them. I used my kirby about six months and it broke, wouldn't even pick up pet hair...
I now use a dirt devil and am pleased with its picking up pet hair abilities. My kirby is in the shed collecting dust, will throw away soon. Joe of Milwaukee, WI April 1, 2009
I had answered an ad in the milwaukee journal sentinel for a cleaning job that stated that I would make 400 a week,when I went in to the interview the place looked ravished the chairs did not match it seemed to be a fly by night organization. I was not even allowed to fill out my application in full they did not even ask me for an ID or anything. So I went back the next day and did a 3 hour orientation. there was only males in the class no females. To be honest the only females I saw where in jeans probally to put their sex appeal on display to get into peoples homes.
The next 2 days of training they pumped us up with a good amount of hopes and dreams i think the guy clay wore the same outfit all four days while talking about how rich he was. Then I had to do some demos and that was the end of it. Kirby is a good product but a terrible place to work I wish I would have heeded the warnings from others and hopefully the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel will never post their ad again
Amanda of Oak Harbor, WA March 31, 2009
I had his company come to my doo and try to sell me a vacume. They were going to finance me so they took my vacume and left a kirby in it's place. The the finance company could not find me with my social insurance number so they could no longer finance me. Jay the manager then contacted my franticly...at work, home, parents number. I was on leave out of the area.
When I returned his call and asked that I then be able to have my vacume back and I would save money for another vacume. He promptly returned to my house with an inferior vacume that was not mine, took his vacume back and stated that he would leave the inferior vacume so that I wasn't left without one until he returned with my vacume. He has avoided all my telephone calls yet he answered promtly when i had his vacume. And the vacume that he recieved from me was only a year old and my replacement is at least ten and has none of the functions that I payed for in my origonal vacume.
Economically I will have to replace the vacume he has left. It does not serve the fuctions that i require and further more the replacement barley works and smells of urine.
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