USA Thermomix

[MacGuffin]

There could be enough demand there to support sales of the thermomix, but the whole concept of hosting tupperware style parties to sell the machines doesn't work very well with US culture.

Too true, and it's sad because it used to work very well. I could be wrong but it seems to me that our home-sales culture began to diminish when women started working outside their homes. A shame because let's face it: most of us are suckers for a product demo.

[MacGuffin]

Just thought I'd let you know that the Thermoserver comes from China....

My DD got some boxes (for packing) from a friend who's neighbour works at Thermomix in Perth. They had 'Made in China' all over them.

Yuck. But I still wish they were available in North America.

[gertbysea]

Totally agree with you MacGuffin.  Americans get good service everywhere. This is sadly lacking in Australia. Here iyou get average service and then  only if you demand it.

I know that some people who complained loudly  about the length of time between ordering and delivery have been gifted cookbooks, Thermo servers, silicone mats etc. Those like myself who silently waited got nix. Now this does not worry me one bit  but it does concern me that the cost of these treats is born by the consultant. Don't for one moment think that HO is that generous. They will fight all the way to court to give nothing, fix no problems and will deny to the high court there is a problem.

The service for the machines on the other hand seem to be good. It is almost as if the servicing of the machines is outsourced to a very efficiently run ethical business. Amazing the contrast.


For ever $250 + the lowest on the totom pole consultant earns for ever machine they have to give back some to placate those complainers.

The ex factory price of the machine is much much lower as we know . The markup is huge. This may be a factor in selling in selling in the US. If it were available in say, William Sanoma, theoretically the price could be under $1000.  Who would be screaming then?

The Canadian machine is already being distributed. I do not know why it is not being reviewed . If you see any bloggers anywhere talking about or showing the machines please point this out to me .

superkitchenmachine on FB is cooking with hers obviously, as shown in her pics, but I wonder why she is not including the whole machine but just  "peek a boo" bits. Strange! 

Gert

[MacGuffin]

Totally agree with you MacGuffin.  Americans get good service everywhere. This is sadly lacking in Australia. Here iyou get average service and then  only if you demand it.

I know that some people who complained loudly  about the length of time between ordering and delivery have been gifted cookbooks, Thermo servers, silicone mats etc. Those like myself who silently waited got nix. Now this does not worry me one bit  but it does concern me that the cost of these treats is born by the consultant. Don't for one moment think that HO is that generous. They will fight all the way to court to give nothing, fix no problems and will deny to the high court there is a problem.

The ex factory price of the machine is much much lower as we know . The markup is huge. This may be a factor in selling in selling in the US. If it were available in say, William Sanoma, theoretically the price could be under $1000.  Who would be screaming then?

The Canadian machine is already being distributed. I do not know why it is not being reviewed . If you see any bloggers anywhere talking about or showing the machines please point this out to me .

superkitchenmachine on FB is cooking with hers obviously, as shown in her pics, but I wonder why she is not including the whole machine but just  "peek a boo" bits. Strange!

Ouch.   I'm also the kind of person who'd prefer to keep mum and hope the right thing will be done. It's always sad when one's expectations aren't met. And it REALLY sucks that you're required to pay so far in advance. Businesses here don't charge your credit card until an advance purchase actually ships (which is, let's face it, only fair), although I think they'll put through a deposit right away (also only fair). What a bummer! I'm pretty sure that Vitamix demonstrators pay out of pocket for freebies and such but it's usually to sweeten a deal rather than to assuage an irate customer.

BTW, I think a better vendor here would be Pleasant Hill Grains. They carry some very high-end (and correspondingly high-ticket) appliances for very serious home chefs and seem to have exclusives (or near-exclusives) on a few of them, e.g. Häussler mixers. They're also extremely serious about customer support: http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/ . I don't think I've ever encountered a complaint about them.

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know if the bags for the TM31 will accommodate the TM5?

[courton]

Unfortunately, from what I have heard TMX will be sold through consultants inthe USA.

[MacGuffin]

Unfortunately, from what I have heard TMX will be sold through consultants inthe USA.

Well, good luck with that. Demos at vendor sites or events is one thing but I think the days of at-home direct-sale parties have gone the way of the dinosaur here. In fact, I'm friendly with a Vitamix demonstrator and now seem to recall that they were going to launch home parties with incentives like exclusive colors and such. That was a few years ago and she never mentioned it again so I have to assume that "corporate" 86'd it as unfeasible. I think people here have become wary of such get-togethers.

[gertbysea]

And courton there are some Aussies seriously trying to get into the US market by way of friends rellies connections and who will win the distributorship and will here be more than one? lots of stuff happening in the back lots. Wheeling and dealing. Some Canadians too.

And oh yes MacGuffin those deal sweeteners  are pretty alien in the retail world in AU.You might get a twofer but the first one would be an inflated price so no gain really. And we could talk about delivery charges but I would have to get out my soap box for that discussion.

And talk about service. I bought a pair of silk trousers at a Liberty store in Los Angeles. Wore the once on the way Kansas City, Missouri. They started to fray at a seam. I returned them to a Liberty store there and I will never forget the words of the sales lady, she said " Oh my God, you should never have to put up with that" She whipped them out of my hands, grabbed another two pair of same with one a different  luscious colour and handed them to me. She could not be more sorry. No dockets, no receipt no nothing. took about 3 minutes and she was almost beside herself with worry that I was not happy. Happy I was. You bet. A new pair plus a spare no charge no hassle..

You would never get away with removing money from customers accounts without dispatching the goods in the US.

A US postal worker would never steal a parcel if they valued their job and I believe they do there but now that Aust Post is outsourcing and franchising you need know what is happening. My Aussie parcel post delivery guy is a gem but he has told me some interesting stories about stuff going missing. Hs says he guards the Apple products with his life. Always get to me but one came by TNT once and I had to physically go to the depot to search for my iPad. I was soooooooooo irate I insisted on searching the truck that I knew the thing was supposed to be on. No way lady  I was told. So you go check for it I said loudly. Lo and behold it was under the drivers seat. Must have slid right under. Yeah right!

[goldfish]

From what I've seen the tm5 bag is bigger... doubt you'd be able to fit the 5 into a 31 bag at all

[MacGuffin]

And courton there are some Aussies seriously trying to get into the US market by way of friends rellies connections and who will win the distributorship and will here be more than one? lots of stuff happening in the back lots. Wheeling and dealing. Some Canadians too.

And oh yes MacGuffin those deal sweeteners are pretty alien in the retail world in AU.You might get a twofer but the first one would be an inflated price so no gain really. And we could talk about delivery charges but I would have to get out my soap box for that discussion.

Lo and behold it was under the drivers seat. Must have slid right under. Yeah right!

I'm Karen, BTW. It was already another member's user name, so MacGuffin I became.

I can understand the Canadians; they're right upstairs on the same continent (and grid) and have been selling the Thermomix for quite awhile. But Aussies? My goodness, talk about grabby! Let Vorwerk start fresh with new distributors (e.g. PHG, Williams-Sonoma, or Sur la Table--they're not in anyone's pocket).

"Under the seat." I guess that's what the kids are calling it these days. 

Those deal sweeteners aren't for anything terribly expensive, so not such a big deal if indeed the demonstrators or phone staff actually pay for them out of pocket. The rep at Vitamix who sold me my second machine was so generous with the freebies years ago that I sent her a set of Le Creuset silicone spatulas (they were made in France then) in autumnal colors because she'd mentioned that fall was her favorite season.

Free shipping--now that's one of my favorite hooks because it's through the roof here, too. Quite a few vendors ship small appliances free and lots of others offer it above a certain purchase amount. There's an online vendor of vitamins and health products that offers a flat $5 shipping fee up to $49, then it's free. Great prices, too.

It makes me happy that the exchange of your trousers went so well! Service here really isn't what it was but things seem to be on an upswing of late. Has Trader Joe's made its way to you guys yet? Talk about taking care of customers! 

[MacGuffin]

From what I've seen the tm5 bag is bigger... doubt you'd be able to fit the 5 into a 31 bag at all

Good to know; thanks.

[cookie1]

Gert that trouser swap amazed me. Here you would still be waiting for something to happen, as you know. Service is a thing of the past here. If someone gives us what is normal good service we are usually so surprised we tell everyone.

Hope you are feeling better Gert.

[gertbysea]

From what I've seen the tm5 bag is bigger... doubt you'd be able to fit the 5 into a 31 bag at all

That would be right. Bigger. Heavier and totally different shape.

[MacGuffin]

From what I've seen the tm5 bag is bigger... doubt you'd be able to fit the 5 into a 31 bag at all

That would be right. Bigger. Heavier and totally different shape.

Gee, that's too bad. So those upgrading will have to spring for a new bag as well.

[Essie]

I find it interesting that you don't think the direct selling will work in the States as that is the home of MLM. All the big companies do it even Coca Cola has a line of products that they market this way. So the US is very good with this type of marketing and you can even study it at Havard.

As for all the layers of commission, don't worry about that aspect of a sale, you very rarely purchase direct from a manufacturer. You brand new car, goes from the factory, to the wholesaling division, then comes into australia where there is a master buyer, before it gets to the dealer who takes a cut as does the salesman, so that is also a lot of middlemen.,I have a friend that works for Toshiba selling medical equipment and it is the same, for each sale she gets a cut, as does her manager, as does the state manager, the Australian manager, the Asia pacific manager etc. I tried to purchase some makeup products via Myer and their wholesaler did not stock certain Revlon items, so I had to go to DJs who uses a different agent. I would have thought Department stores would go direct to the cosmetic company, but no. So middlemen are everywhere and their  commissions are everywhere.

Now Vorwerk can I please get the US distributorship? I am happy to help,out:)
...jokes aside I can't wait for my US contemporaries to get hold of the TM5 en masse. You folks are so creative!!!

[MacGuffin]

I can't speak for Harvard but I highly doubt home-sales of expensive appliances would work in NYC. In addition, I'm sitting in an affluent suburb of Detroit as I type and just asked my cousin about such sales in this area. Apparently, there are a few companies that sell at such at-home get-togethers but she said she'd never spend $1500 at one and doesn't know of anyone else who would either. My gut tells me it won't work but I'd be more than happy to be proved wrong.