The Confusing Maze of
Sewing Machine
Shops
subtitled ... “Reading
Through
the Hype”
or “When
you’re not
selling the
best, baffle
them with
jargon.”
Here are
a few of the things that other stores “give away” with
every purchase. Many of these things will be quickly forgotten
when you find out you didn’t buy the best machine possible!
What does free phone service mean?
No one who
sells sewing machines locally charges for sewing advice
over the phone! This is a worthless policy, and its value
is pointless ... especially if the person answering the
phone does not have extensive knowledge of the sewing world!
Some places offer “unlimited classes.”
Does that mean every class is free?
No, it just
means you can repeat your sewing machines instructional lessons
as often as needed. This can be very deceptive! The real
value is not in repeating but in completeness of what is
offered. You should expect nothing less than the following
with your new sewing machine:
A $200-$500
machine should have at least 1 guide lesson.
Machines
costing $2,000 should include 12 or more hours of instruction.
Top-of-the-line
machines with embroidery become expensive straight-stitch
machines without a minimum of 18 hours of guide lessons.
Today’s expensive
embroidery software should come with 1 to 3 free classes!
So, a $5,000
machine with 4 hours of classes that can be repeated is almost
useless! Always look for a listing of guide lessons designed
for new sewing machine owners only, such as on our Bernina
page.
What is an “added value package” or
“perks package”?
This can
be anything from free service, a discount card or coupons,
and/or memberships in to a “special user club.” These are
very nice things, and most every store offers something.
Of everything offered to a new owner, your sewing machine
guide lessons have the most value and are often priceless.
No amount of free fabric, free service, or shop discounts
can replace them!
Some stores say I can trade my machine
up at any time and get the full value!
Yes, but
sometimes at a penalty or hidden cost! Most shops’ full-trade-up
programs have time limits, and your “old” machine purchase
price is taken off the full manufacturer’s suggested retail
price (MSRP) of the “new” machine. That means you just paid
way too much for that trade-up! So, once again, this can
be a worthless policy. A good shop will attempt to put you
in the correct machine to start with.
Are you going to match the low price
that is being offered by the “x brand”?
Simply, we
cannot. It
is not apples to apples, and not all machines are created
equally! Some machines have an overly inflated
MSRP with
the ability to offer what looks like a great discount. The
price you pay for that machine is its value in the market!
The exception
to this rule are demonstration machines, discontinued
machines,
or trade-ins. So, if the MSRP of a “new” machine is $2,000
and a store can sell it for $1,000, it is really
a $1000 machine!
Economics 101 says a retail store cannot stay in business
by selling products at 50% off, unless the
MSRP is falsely
inflated! Each store must make a profit, and it needs to
be a certain percentage to stay in business.
The “lowest
price guarantee” just means you get what you pay for! The
dissatisfaction of a purchase lingers longer than the thrill
of a low price paid!
And what about “service with a smile”?
A smile means
nothing if the service is minimal. Service is having a
fully trained, knowledgeable staff, quality repair service,
a full line of products, a complete set of ownership classes
offered free, and attentive staff that greets every customer
who walks in the door with more than a “hi” shouted from
a cutting counter and who will continue to check back,
to help you with your purchases. BCS makes customer service
its first rule.
When you buy a Bernina from BCS, you
are buying the best sewing machine the world has to offer!
Look around, ask around! Others will say they are the best,
in hopes you will buy. Our after-the-sale-package to you
is honest and fair. We are not compelled to “give away the
store” to convince you to buy a sewing machine. You will
select a Bernina because of its quality and not because you
get a $150 fabric coupon! We will not use fancy marketing
gimmicks to get your business.
Remember
...
Nothing Sews like a Bernina. Nothing.
