Hi. I also sold Lux's back in the 80s. And if I'm right, that first one you pointed to is a "Silverado". As a former door-to-door Lux-salesperson, you might appreciate this story. I once sold a Lux to a woman whose husband was a Kirby salesperson, I did it in her home, in front of her husband, and over his objections! It was spring as I remember, late afternoon. I knocked on the door, Mrs. Homeowner answered, I gave her whatever the pitch-of-the-day was. She said "Wait here a moment", closed the door, and after a minute, opened it and I stepped into the living room. The dining room was to my immediate left, and Mr. Homeowner was sitting at the table, reading a paper. I invited him to see the presentation, he said "You don't want me there". I asked again, and he said the same thing. The wife says "He sells Kirbys". I DEFINITELY wanted him there. (I was young and full of vinegar, so why not?) Soon, he and I were going head-to-head. He vacuumed the living room, I pulled dirt after him. I taped the hoses end-to-end with masking tape, turned both machines on, the Lux overpowered the Kirby, sucking the air and dirt out of it, collapsing the bag. He said "Kirby has more attachments than Elux". I asked the wife "When was the last time you used that belt-sander?" She said "I've never used any of them", and pulled the unopened box of attachments out of the closet. He says "Yeah, but my wife likes uprights." He didn't know we had a commercial-grade upright. I excused myself, went to the car, and came back with the upright. He was shocked. Finally, I pulled out a little drawstring bag I kept in my kit, filled with screws, nails, some bolts, a couple of washers, a key, a marble, etc., spilled them onto the carpet, and invited him to pick them up. (I knew he wouldn't want to, as the Kirby's fan blades are in the head, and could be damaged by things like that). He said "My wife wouldn't be stupid enough to do that." I said "She might, if they rolled under the sofa and she didn't see them." Then I sucked them up with the Lux. THAT was the moment she bought. She turned to hubby and said "It's MY money too, and I want an ELECTROLUX." She bought the upright, a case of bags and a rug-washer attachment. They put it on time payments, which he had to CO-SIGN for. Personally, I think she was dissatisfied with him, and this was her way of electrically cuckholding him with a vacuum. I think he was a loser. Why else would a Kirby salesperson be home in the late afternoon, reading a paper, when that was prime canvassing time? . I wish I had a photo of my branch mgr's face the next day, when I showed him the order! He read it to the entire sales team, I got a standing ovation, and as I'd been there less than a year, I also got the "North Jersey Rookie of the Month" award. . BTW: They were late every month. In those days, when a payment was late, WE had to collect the money. Every month, I knocked on their door for payment; every month, he'd say "Don't come back here again", every month I'd tell him "Make your pymnts on time and you'll never see me here again." That went on until I left to sell cars. . I've made sales with much bigger commissions. but never one which felt that good! . May your products suck, and may you clean-up as a result! Oh, and I own an Aerus-Lux still. The machine will prbly outlive me. .
Hi. I also sold Lux's back in the 80s. And if I'm right, that first one you pointed to is a "Silverado". As a former door-to-door Lux-salesperson, you might appreciate this story. I once sold a Lux to a woman whose husband was a Kirby salesperson, I did it in her home, in front of her husband, and over his objections!
It was spring as I remember, late afternoon. I knocked on the door, Mrs. Homeowner answered, I gave her whatever the pitch-of-the-day was. She said "Wait here a moment", closed the door, and after a minute, opened it and I stepped into the living room. The dining room was to my immediate left, and Mr. Homeowner was sitting at the table, reading a paper. I invited him to see the presentation, he said "You don't want me there". I asked again, and he said the same thing. The wife says "He sells Kirbys". I DEFINITELY wanted him there. (I was young and full of vinegar, so why not?)
Soon, he and I were going head-to-head. He vacuumed the living room, I pulled dirt after him. I taped the hoses end-to-end with masking tape, turned both machines on, the Lux overpowered the Kirby, sucking the air and dirt out of it, collapsing the bag. He said "Kirby has more attachments than Elux". I asked the wife "When was the last time you used that belt-sander?" She said "I've never used any of them", and pulled the unopened box of attachments out of the closet. He says "Yeah, but my wife likes uprights." He didn't know we had a commercial-grade upright. I excused myself, went to the car, and came back with the upright. He was shocked. Finally, I pulled out a little drawstring bag I kept in my kit, filled with screws, nails, some bolts, a couple of washers, a key, a marble, etc., spilled them onto the carpet, and invited him to pick them up. (I knew he wouldn't want to, as the Kirby's fan blades are in the head, and could be damaged by things like that). He said "My wife wouldn't be stupid enough to do that." I said "She might, if they rolled under the sofa and she didn't see them." Then I sucked them up with the Lux. THAT was the moment she bought. She turned to hubby and said "It's MY money too, and I want an ELECTROLUX." She bought the upright, a case of bags and a rug-washer attachment. They put it on time payments, which he had to CO-SIGN for. Personally, I think she was dissatisfied with him, and this was her way of electrically cuckholding him with a vacuum. I think he was a loser. Why else would a Kirby salesperson be home in the late afternoon, reading a paper, when that was prime canvassing time?
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I wish I had a photo of my branch mgr's face the next day, when I showed him the order! He read it to the entire sales team, I got a standing ovation, and as I'd been there less than a year, I also got the "North Jersey Rookie of the Month" award.
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BTW: They were late every month. In those days, when a payment was late, WE had to collect the money. Every month, I knocked on their door for payment; every month, he'd say "Don't come back here again", every month I'd tell him "Make your pymnts on time and you'll never see me here again." That went on until I left to sell cars.
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I've made sales with much bigger commissions. but never one which felt that good!
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May your products suck, and may you clean-up as a result! Oh, and I own an Aerus-Lux still. The machine will prbly outlive me.
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