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Messages - MacGuffin

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16
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 11, 2014, 08:22:18 pm »
I agree that it's ridiculous. And I suspect it WOULD be fun to show others and even make money on sales. I couldn't push it but helping to bring a product and someone for whom it's a fit is awesome.

17
News about Thermomix / Re: TM5
« on: November 11, 2014, 12:40:17 am »
Their marketing department sucks. It could have been soooooo much better, more innovative and hit the ever changing market for six but for the fact it is a privately held company and not particularly forward thinking. They  not have to answer to shareholders. They have a European mentality and are really not up with the New World of business,which  moves a lot faster than they are used to..
You undoubtedly have a point there Gert, but a privately held company isn't necessarily behind the times. Vitamix has always been family-owned and they sell many millions of machines (with a repair staff of four--a very reliable product). Granted, they've kept up with the times by screwing their demonstrators (I had a hunch the current CEO was going to be creepy when she assumed control) and including those stupid pre-sets on some models à la Blendtec, but they're going great guns, including in Europe and Asia. KoMo, which is also privately held, has a sort of dual headquarters in Germany and Austria and they're also doing well internationally (although not everyone wants to grind their own flour), as are Esge (Bamix) in Switzerland and Ankarsrum (stand mixers) in Sweden. I don't know what Vorwerk's problem is.

18
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 10, 2014, 11:52:13 pm »
I am sure there will be more than one distributor and I would not be surprised at all if there was an Ausie connection and perhaps a Canadian connection as well as a European connection. Lots of people want in.
Hard to say. Canada wouldn't surprise me because they've done a good job of establishing the Thermomix and they have a much better grasp of the way business is conducted here than anyone else, including Europe and Australia. That's the route Bamix took when they were convinced to enter the North American market. Ocean Sales had that exclusive for quite a long time.

19
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 10, 2014, 04:54:17 pm »
I doubt they would give distributor rights to someone outside of the US too.
I'd have to second that.

20
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 09, 2014, 11:31:30 pm »
MacGuffin, I still live in hope. Scaling recipes that use fractions is just so much more work. I feel like I need a slide ruler  ???
I don't find it work at all. If I want to reduce or increase a recipe, I still have to divide or multiply it, regardless of units or if it's weight or volume. But why do you hope? Are you in the US?

21
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 09, 2014, 11:25:08 pm »
Hey MacGuffin, I take your points on notice. Apparently though 11 years ago the same thing was said about Australia which is why the product was not here already. I myself was in the same frame of mind for many years "spend how much on what?" But someone does and then more follow including those late to the party like me when money purchased a few weeks ago.

But seriously though, the U.S.have the best sales people, if you get a network marketing team to consult, they will find a way to develop a culturally appropriate marketing plan....and the sheer population numbers mean that you don't have to sell to everyone just a really tiny  percentage to make it worthwhile.. Remember Australia only has 20 something million and New Zealand 4.5 million  and that has been a viable business here. As a distributor I reckon I would have to sell one or two and the word of mouth will do the rest. As for cost, our price was set when the Aussie dollar was US50c. The distributor here did not drop the price when the Aussie dollar value doubled. Now with the U.S. Dollar strengthening I don't think it will be $2000, but similar to European pricing. Product placement on a cooking competition or Martha won't hurt either,..in fact I have the plan, can I have the distributorship???

I think the bigger issues are around metric verus imperial measurement (although the with new TM5 and the screen. I bet that is sorted), power supply etc and any trade agreements to bring it in. But I am sure they will find a way.
You can't depend on "the U.S. Dollar strengthening" because as soon as there's talk about how a strong dollar means a weaker [insert country/continent of choice], the powers that be take steps to weaken it (much to the chagrin of those of us who like to buy internationally). It invariably rises due to various market forces but it's not reliably stable for any length of time. You're talking like a hungry and hopeful would-be distributor who's eager to believe academic data that might not (and probably don't) reflect the reality of the US market. Even if "the U.S. have the best sales people" (and as someone who has sold, I'm not convinced that this is so), the sharp decline of in-home selling in the US indicates that it's a method that has lost favor here, and using it as an exclusive means to sell a high-ticket item probably won't work. I really do think the Thermomix could find a niche here but not exclusively through home sales, which is why I suggested that an established, adequately capitalized outfit like Pleasant Hill Grains, be given an initial exclusive if it's something that would interest them. Or, if one insists on demos, I believe The Bread Beckers, which caters to a serious cook/bake-it-yourself clientele who are willing to spend a lot on stand mixers (e.g. home-schooling families), might also be a good fit. They not only sell online but have a brick-and-mortar establishment from which, I believe, they host baking classes and such, that utilize the appliances they sell, on a regular or semi-regular basis. Hosting Thermomix get-togethers at their store might be right up their alley. Believe me, vendors like these know the American market a lot better than Harvard.

Incidentally, what do you mean by "power supply?"

22
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 09, 2014, 09:49:56 pm »
I like the idea of making dual measurement machines for the American market. The thin edge of the metric wedge, 😎 mwahah.
I have a science background and am very familiar with metric as a result. I still prefer standard for most things. It would seem I'm not alone. "Wedging" has been a fact of life here for quite a few years with no apparent "widening."

23
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 09, 2014, 02:50:55 am »
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.

24
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 02, 2014, 01:16:13 pm »
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. :(

25
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 02, 2014, 01:30:43 am »
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.

26
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 02, 2014, 01:29:44 am »
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.  :o

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!  :)

27
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 02, 2014, 12:19:34 am »
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.

28
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 02, 2014, 12:06:03 am »
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?

29
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 01, 2014, 12:28:52 pm »
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.

30
News about Thermomix / Re: USA Thermomix
« on: November 01, 2014, 12:26:04 pm »
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.

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