Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

   Customers are coming in  asking  about bags, belts and filters for cleaners that Wal Mart sells. They were told they were discontinuing these products and want the customers to go online when they need these items. When you need a belt or anything else ,it is," I need it now", not days from now. These customers didn't like being told they had to go to another store if they had what they needed. In our area it is 20 miles in three directions for a store.

  Many small businesses have been driven out of business by this company as well as other big box stores.I feel there will be a ressurection of the Independent Vac Shops because people will find getting parts and service there is better than going online and waiting. Looking at a cleaner and seeing what it will do is better than buying online and hope it does what it is supposed to. Online sales will still be made but having the service after the sale is still important. 

You can say what you will about your favorite brand but when it gets down to buying a cleaner going to a Vac Shop is the best way.  At Wal Mart and the other big box stores they sell you what they want to sell you. At least with Vac shops you can find a wider variety of Vacuums.The Door to Door sales peolpe also have a variety. It is if the cleaner meets the needs of the consumer that they buy.

                                                                                                           Procare

With some things, unless you are really down to your last few dollars, it doesn't matter. I'll give you another example. When both husband and wife work, the family eats out more/does more carry in/take out. It's not good economy, but the reality is when Mom's too tired to think about dinner, and kids need to be schlepped to activities, it happens. Just like when Mom goes to Wal-Mart to get a belt and filters for the vacuum because she needs to vacuum TODAY, when she finds no bags or filters and the nearest shop is 20 miles out of her way, she will buy the vacuum thinking to return it. Before she realizes, 30 days have slipped away. the new vacuum is filthy, and she still does not have a belt or filters for the old one. Guess what? She bought another vacuum. I promise you, that very discussion took place among the marketing strategists at Wal-Mart. And as more vac shops close, and more retailers follow suit with W/M it will be the case. Declining profits are causing the manufacturers and retailers alike to look for ways to boost profits., and the only way left is more unit sales. Watch for it. Lowe's and the rest will eliminate their bag/belt/filter sections before long. It's pathetic, but it is the way Wal-Mart and their ilk think behind that smiley face.

I think Procare's prognostication about more independent shops is may be true, but not before Wal-Mart and other BBR have wrung more dollars from their customers. Eventually, I expect W/M to evetually eliminate vacuums from their merchandise offerings completely. Having ruined the retail vac market, they will say "It's just not profitable to sell vacuums" Then we will see more vac shops, but what will they sell? Miele, Lindhaus, Sebo, Riccar/Simplicity, and rebuilt premiums, Panasonic, maybe, Sanitaire, Perfect, Metropolitan. Will they even want to touch Hoover, Eureka, Dirt Devil and Bissell? It will be interesting.Wal-Mart's ploy may prove to be a boon to Kirby and other DTD brands.

I don't see it as all that much of a tragedy.  One monkey don't stop the show and even if there's two around that doesn't mean they get to run it either.

Wal-Mart is not the only game in town these days.  I have seldom browsed or bought there as they usually have nothing I want.  (However, I must also admit bias due to W-M's rep regarding its employees.)   I have more than enough ways to acquire necessary items at affordable prices without worrying over what Wal-Mart, Target or Best Buy has got.  AND yes they're all legal.

Though chain stores have disrupted single-owned business and mom-and-pop stores in this country, I think once a gap in the area in mention appears it will be filled.  There's of course the internet and good old online buying but small brick-and-mortar business, if quick to move, might find a way to put roots in again.  Much to my surprise, I saw a vacuum cleaner repair and supply business being run at a flea market in Delaware.

People are adaptable and if need be can work out all manner of merely household necessity without looking to the great corporate teat to provide it for us.  I hate the economy as it stands but I see a good possibility in it getting people to start thinking again.

Venson

IMHO its not about vacuum parts and fabrics sales.  It's about usage of retail space and effort/time to keep inventoried.  Bags belts filters and the like are a nightmare.  I suspect fabris and their related needs are too.  Scrub them and put in its place higher profit with fewer sales.  Less work and trouble.  Can you imagine the toil to go through the vacuum parts aisles in W*M rearrange the items and then take an inventory with the hand held gun.  That space has to take one of the longest times to inventory of all the items in the store [save the fabric section].  BTW, I understand W*M is also cutting back on the fish selections and related accoutrements.  Too much trouble I was told for the amount of sales and profits associated with the fish.

Carmine D.

Wal-mart is not getting rid of their vacuum cleaner supplies.  They have plenty of supplies displayed in one section of the aisle, plus display the supplies beside the matching vacuum cleaner.  I have plenty of Wal-marts in my area which are set up the same way.  One store just remodeled and just moved the departments around.  If they stop selling vacuum cleaner supplies, that means they will end up going to Target or Kmart for supplies.  Does Wal-mart really want that?

They are not going to sell all supplies for all machines.  This has always been true of ALL STORES.  You see the same thing at Lowe's HD, Kmart and even stores that are no longer around.  Space cost money.  When something does not sell, stores will get rid of it.  When the packaging changes, they get rid of the old.  I have found some excellent deals, because of this.  Wal-mart, and other stores, are only going to sell what sells.  That is why you see the products that are in Wal-mart.  People are buying it.  People who go into this store want to buy a cheap $50 vacuum cleaner and not a $400+ dyson or a $250+ HOOVER WT Anniv. bagged upright.  The Wal-marts in my area took these HOOVERs off the self and now only sell them online.  Granted, the price for it is excellent now.  Cannot blame Wal-mart, because the shoppers want it.

Wal-mart looks for the best deals from their suppliers.  Wouldn't you do the same?  Why do you think many stores are selling one brand of bags for different makes of vacuum cleaners.  Electrolux Homecare goes to Wal-mart and says "We can give you a lower price for these bags, which would give you a larger profit, compared to the price you would pay for supplies from HOOVER, DD, Eureka, Bissell.  Wal-mart says, "let's do it"!  P & G partners w/Wal-mart to supply the WM stores.  This is true of other suppliers also.  Some have good results, while others have bad.  You see, you cannot blame WM.  If WM is so bad, suppliers should not sell to them.  If they are so bad, people should not shop w/WM.  But they still do.  Suppliers still contact them everyday to put merchandise in their store.  People still crowd the stores.  Look at Carmine who promoted WM for a long time, then put down WM for their practices.  Now he tells you that he shopped there this last week.  You see, people are still coming.

If WM, or any other store, were cutting down on their vacuum inventory, I would consider it a plus for me.  Even if they were not, it still is a plus for me.  Stores have to think how they can compete and how to be better.  Not say "poor me".  You the store owner cannot be stagnant and say "I am going to keep my store the way it was in the 60's".  You have to constantly be on the ready to change.  Do all that you can to sell, as long as it is legal and ethical.  I can recall a regional variety store from old who fell on hard times, because they did not change when WM came in.  They ended up going into bankruptsy, then making changes.  They are still around, but it would have been better/easier to change w/the times. I know of other stores who have gone out of business and WM was not even around.

Mike_W wrote:

I promoted the Wal*Mart's ability to withstand an economic downtown over other competitors.  Predicted its stock would outperform Best Buy and others in recent years.  It did both just as I said it would.  I shop at W*M several times a year usually for one or two items like bulbs and weatherstripping.  These were my most recent yearly purchases.  Occasionally I'll buy some cans of spray paint from W*M too.  As I mentioned, I know several long time W*M and Sam's employees who rose through ranks of W*M/Sam's store and respect Sam Walton's business philosophy.  They are friends of mine.  Have beem for years.  One can object, as I did, to management's treatment of employees.  Wrong is wrong.  Withholding wages is a sin that cries out to God regardless of who does it.  Still, one can respect the business/sales of the store over the competition and condemn it for its wrongdoing of employees.  At least, I can and did. 

Again, Mike I thank you for your attention and notice of me. 

Carmine D.

Mike W,

Not to be disagreeable, but I must disagree. It is not every week I am in Wal-mart, but i average probably one visit a month, not always the same one (there are FIVE Walmarts withing a 12 mile radius) In the two newest and largest Super Walmarts the vacuum selection is meager, six or seven uprights, a few stick vacs, a few carpet cleaners, and very few filters and belts, only for the models currently sold. I looked over the aisles in front and back of the display and to the sides thinking it was being moved or revamped. Nope.
In at least some of the Walmarts there is significant reduction of the skus of vacuums and related supplies.

Trebor wrote: Robert;

I said, "Wal-mart is not getting rid of their vacuum cleaner supplies".

So how many vacuum cleaners should a store have?  How many does Target  and Kmart have?  What you said is not "getting rid of vacuum cleaners and supplies". I think the WMs in my surrounding area have 12 uprights avg. 3 canisters, plus some sticks and handvacs and bags, belts, filters for all of them.  Granted, I have not gone down and counted each one. 

If they get rid of all of them, which they will not, they will be shooting themselves in the foot and bestowing blessings on Target, Kmart, HD,Lowe's and vac shops.   

Over the last couple of years, I have almost always taken a walk through the vacuum aisle of any BBR I happen to visit, of whatever stripe, home improvement, electronics, or department/discount. The average number of full size  vacuums has consistently been 15, what will fit on the shelf of an aisle. The carpet cleaners and stick/hand vacs typically are facing the vacuums, and frequently one or more end caps are devoted to vacuum display. Wal-Mart is the one store that has recently and radically cut that selection so that all of it fits on one side of one aisle.  Probably the largest part of the reason behind that is the reduction of the highest price point in the offerings to be no higher than 159.99

Lowe's and Best Buy have much larger selections, with prices approaching 300.00 for non-Dyson models. Dyson is still present at both those retailers, and they both offer canisters as well.

Trebor wrote:

Hello Trebor,

I suspect you're correct as is Procare and the information he's receiving from W*M customers who couldn't find their usual vacuum parts on the shelves.  W*M has always maintained that its typical customers shop at least once a week every week, have 5-10 items to buy, and want to spend no more than 20-30 minutes finding/buying these items and be out of the store.  W*M made a huge investment in time and money several years ago trying to ensure that customers could get the last one or two items they need in 20 minutes including the time needed to check out and pay.  

It's no wonder that since January 31 2010, after the annual W*M stockholders meeting, there have been major shakeups in W*M management for merchandizing, store operations, and inventory management.  WIth thhe reasons kept very close to the vest.

The more vacuum products you carry, the more replacement parts too you have to stock and display.  The more vacuum parts, the more shelf space.  The more shelf space, the more difficult and time consuming to arrange, sort and keep organized.  Most especially in recent years with the onslaught of pre-post bagless filters.  It's a nightmare for stores and their customers.  If the parts are out of place, require time for look ups/staff assistance, W*M customers/shoppers won't bother.  They'll leave frustrated without the needed vacuum parts.  In good times, just buying another inexpensive make/model.  Not now in bad IMHO.

Whether you cull, which W*M does regularly as all BBR stores do, or scrub completely, the result is a loss of sales [not customers in W*M cases].  W*M will still get shoppers who will most probably end up buying other products and merchandise rather than vacuums/their replacement parts.  Sure, other retailers will profit from the W*M changes.  I'm sure W*M has factored this into their decision making process already.  But, W*M has other products to make up the losses: Food, gas, clothes, furniture, appliances, electronic equipment, cards, magazines, drugs, toiletries, and the list goes on.  

Time will tell if the decision is right or not.

Carmine D.

PS:  If the decision and changes work for W*M's bottom line, and obviously it will take time to know, watch for other BBR store chains to do the same.  All bodes better for vacuum store independents who will be the winners in the end.  They will get more customers and sales, even if just vacuum parts and repairs.  Finally one more reason for dropping all if not most vacuums: The cost and expense for the loss on returns in recent years have become astronomical for BBR stores.

FWIW, Wall Street Journal yesterday carried an article about Wal*Mart in particular and several other retailers like Home Depot and Lowes who reported Qtr 2 earnings this week.  "Retailers Are Sold on Frugality, by line: Store Chains Take Cue From Shoppers As They Brace for Rough Second Half.  Several new W*M execs [installed after the management shakeup following the annual W*M stockholders meeting] talked about major changes in all W*M stores.  Some of which have been mentioned here in this thread:  Culling products, sizes, selections and staff.  The key is cost cutting and lowering expenses to improve the bottom line.  All retailers see a long protracted andf slow recovery especially for the housing market and consumer spending.  Complaints by retailers are already coming in about the lackluster  "back to school" sales usually the busiest time of the year for retail sales not counting Christmas. 

Carmine D.