Kirby Salesmen Crap Their Pants - Motorgen - Automotive Events, Meets, Cruises and Forums

94cobra69ss396 · 02-21-2014, 10:08 PM

This afternoon a Kirby saleswoman came by and spoke to my wife. My wife told her that we already own a Kirby, which we do. We bought it a little over 10 years ago. Anyways, the girl tells my wife that she has to schedule at least 15 demos before they will let her go home. My wife tells her that we aren't going to buy anything but if she doesn't make her 15 by 5pm that she can try us again if we're home.

At around 6pm we had to run to the store so we left Kylie and her friend at home while we ran. Since Kylie turned 12 we have felt comfortable enough to leave her with Mya at home by themselves for short times while we run to the store. We always tell them not to open the door for anyone other than family even if they know them. At around 6:15pm Kylie calls me and tells me that there are two guys at the house that told her they were there to clean our carpet. Apparently they knocked and she thought it was us so she opened the door without even looking. I asked her if the door was open and she said no that she closed it and locked it. At this time I wasn't aware that Amy had talked to someone. So I tell Amy that Kylie had opened the door for someone and that they told her they were there to clean the carpets and that I'm running home.

I run out of the store and speed home. I hate when people speed up my street but I was freaking out and wasn't going to go the speed limit when I thought someone was trying to get into my house. As I'm heading up my street I see a white van parked in front of my driveway. As I get up to them I lock up the brakes in the Explorer and skid right in front of them. I jump out of the truck and start yelling at them asking what they are doing as I'm circling the front of my truck heading for the driver. They looked terrified. They said that they had a scheduled appointment with Amy to give a demo. After a little discussion I find out the the girl earlier told them we scheduled it which Amy didn't. I apologized for scaring them and explained that all I knew was that someone was trying to get into my house where my daughter was. They said they completely understood and made a joke that they guessed they wouldn't be doing a demo then. I laughed and said no but thanks.

I'm glad they had enough sense to explain that they thought they had an appointment and weren't punks with attitude because if they had mouthed off with me thinking they were trying to get into my house I would have beaten the shit out them.

Vettezuki · 02-21-2014, 11:33 PM

That business seems like an awful hard way to make a living. Glad nobody got beat.

94cobra69ss396 · 02-22-2014, 08:26 AM

I wouldn't want to do door to door sales. How we ended up buying our Kirby is kind of a funny story. We had sold our first house and were staying with my parents for while our current house was being built. My parents were also going to be moving so they were getting their house ready to list. This was around 10 years ago so Kylie was around 2 and I can't remember if Mya was born yet.

I don't remember what time it was but I do know that We'd already put Kylie done for bed and wE were watching TV when the Kirby salesmen knocked on the door. By the way Kylie had a red race car bed that my dad bought her. We let him do his demo because we were looking to buy a new vacuum cleaner for our new house. He was almost finished and was explaining how it could be used to shampoo carpets and part of the kit he selling came with carpet cleaner.

About that time Kylie comes walking down the stairs. We look over at her and she has lipstick and makeup all over her hands. We asked him to hold on for a minute and headed up stairs to see what she had done. When we got to the upstairs hallway we see it, she had been drawing on the wall and spilled makeup and lipstick all over the carpet which my parents just had cleaned. So we ask the Kirby guy if the vacuum would get get it out of the carpet. He told us it would so I told him that if he could get it out of the carpet I'd buy it. He spent about 15 minutes to clean it and was able to get it all out so we bought it.

Vettezuki · 02-22-2014, 12:18 PM

That should become part of their standard sales pitch!

injdinjn · 02-22-2014, 04:11 PM

Vacuum sales LOL
Approx 1972 a buddy called and if he got 10 demos for this vacuum company he would get his for just the sales tax. I said ok.
I was impressed with the vacuum, the Little Green Pig. But told they guy if the 10 demos was a scam I would be their biggest nightmare. For the $400 you have to fill out a loan app.
Well, it was and I was.
A coworker, one of the first on the list I gave them, liked it so much he paid the $412 cash. After that they only contacted a couple on my list. Their tricks were if you had any one night of the week you weren't home that was their only time - you get the picture. Well I had two couples that were retired and always home. The dummies made 2 or 3 appts with each and never showed.
So my friend and I had been in communication and he and the guy that got him in wanted me to join them for a meeting at the companies office. Goons came out of everywhere, flat noses, cauliflower ears, missing fingers LOL. So the BS just flows and my friend and his are buying it - I'm not, I refuse to even shake their hands.
So my Dad contacts the DA and he wants these guys out of business so I draft up a letter and the company got wind of it somehow and asked to come read it before I sent it. So I agree and he wants all the good stuff removed, when I refuse he offers to take the letter to the DA for me. LOL I declined his offer.
I had been in contact with the loan company from the beginning and they never released the money to the vacuum company.
We got the vacuum for $12 tax and some letters and still have it, works great still.

Vettezuki · 02-23-2014, 12:08 AM

At least the vacuums don't suck. Or, well.

The Kirby is pretty impressive. My mom has one it's like industrial. Pretty sure you could pass it down as a family heirloom. I can't imagine anyone using it enough in a home to get anywhere near wearing it out.

Leedom · 02-23-2014, 11:00 PM

That is a great story.

Shaolin Crane · 02-24-2014, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

At least the vacuums don't suck. Or, well.

The Kirby is pretty impressive. My mom has one it's like industrial. Pretty sure you could pass it down as a family heirloom. I can't imagine anyone using it enough in a home to get anywhere near wearing it out.

We wore out 4 of them.

Ron i'm impressed you even spoke to anyone, I'd have grabbed at least one of them and worked it out later.

Vettezuki · 02-24-2014, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaolin Crane

We wore out 4 of them.

In home you'd have to be some sort of idiot working at it to come close. I don't know if there are different model levels, I just know she has a Kirby an it's a tank.

Shaolin Crane · 02-24-2014, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

In home you'd have to be some sort of idiot working at it to come close. I don't know if there are different model levels, I just know she has a Kirby an it's a tank.

AFAIK they only have one model. We wore out 4 because the only way my "sister" would sleep was to leave it plugged in all night. Not exactly "use" but it wore them out, and it was only a kirby that would work.