<p>I had a “sales appointment” this weekend with a neighbor’s son who is selling Cutco knives. Like so many of these home sales products (think Tupperware, Miche bags, and such), the product was appallingly overpriced and the marketing ploy is to touch family friends and relatives for sales (NS said that he was not allowed to go door to door and pleaded for leads). Afterward, DS told me that several fellow students at his school have also been recruited to sell for Cutco. So what is the deal? Are the student salesman treated fairly, or will my “mercy purchase” do mostly to line the pockets of some clever cad somewhere?</p>
<p>It’s a pyramid system. We knew a young man selling and let him do his first job on us. My husband, normally a grounded person, has no will power when it comes to this kind of thing. He was literally helping the kid sell him the knives. He bought the knives. They are an excellent product and we’re very happy with what we purchased and the company replaced an item when he left it on the stove and burned the handle. But I don’t think these kids really make money and they burn out.</p>
<p>I hate the way that the cutco people use the kids, but the cutco knives, themselves, are really amazing.</p>
<p>The kids actually do make money, but it’s a cruddy job.</p>
<p>Still, all my knives are cutco, purchased laboriously from one college student after the other. Of course, I also have about seven million magazine subscriptions I don’t want, so your milage may vary. :p</p>
<p>My former realtor “gave” me three knives (one a frosting spreader, not necessarily something that I’d use on a daily or yearly basis). They are fine. I like but dislike the “free” sharpening per year. Obviously a scheme to have me purchase more knives. Kind of like my other knives better because my market sharpens for free whenever you bring them in.</p>
<p>My son has 2 friends who sold this product last summer. One did burn out and one stuck with it and made quite a lot of money. I don’t recall the exact deal, but it seemed fair when my son told me what they earned. They were paid something for each demo, even if nobody purchased. I have been told that the product is very good. I never saw the knives because I had no intention of purchasing (the friends did try to schedule a demo with me ;)). I think that a lot of kids were interested in selling last summer because many could not find summer employment anywhere else. My son did have a PT job and he wanted to sell Cutco also. I told him that I did not want him to bother my friends and neighbors, or go into homes of strangers. Even if a potential customer does not buy, the person who does the demo tries to get referrals/leads from the customer. At that point the salesperson is going into homes of strangers. I was not comfortable with that.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/195230-cutco-cutlery-vector-marketing.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/195230-cutco-cutlery-vector-marketing.html</a></p>
<p>This has become huge among recent college grads who can’t find real jobs. So sad.</p>
<p>My son received a mailing inviting him to apply for this “job.” It was not called Cutco, but something like Vanguard.</p>
<p>I researched it on the internet and found out what it was and told him I did not want him doing it for the same reasons northeastmom stated.</p>
<p>My son did speak with another kid who sold the knives and apparently made some decent money.</p>
<p>NJTheatreMom, is it Vector?</p>
<p>A kid from our church called to do a Cutco “demo” at our house last Spring. He said he got $15 for each demo whether I bought or not. The goal was to do 6 demos per day.</p>
<p>I knew they were very expensive and told him on the phone that I would not be purchasing. He came anyway. The Cutco product seemed very good but way overpriced for me. When he was finished, he asked for names of others he could call for demo appts. </p>
<p>He said he had done well that month and would be promoted to Asst. Manager if he got another sale. He was an 18 yr. old in his first sem. of Comm. College.</p>
<p>I got letters from Vector every summer, but never did it just because the wording of the letter always seemed sketchy. They never said what you would be doing, just that you could make your own hours and get paid. I remember finally the summer after my senior year I researched it on good old CC and found out what it was. Mom always told me I should never have to buy or sell anything for my job (retail is different, of course). And like others have said, I would never go into a stranger’s house to try and sell them sharp instruments.</p>
<p>CUTCO knives are mid-tier stamped steel knives. Nothing special at all, although they are reasonably well made. You can buy a lot more knife for the money. Any of the German or Japanese forged knives are a better value.</p>
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<p>Bears repeating.</p>
<p>The Cutco knives are of excellent quality and last forever. They are made in America by Americans the last time I checked. The Cutco program teaches students sales and marketing techniques. It is valuable training for students who may later start their own businesses or working in marketing.</p>
<p>I"ve had german knives. Cutco are much heavier and hold their edge much better, imho, regardless of how they are sold.</p>
<p>Agree with those who are uncomfortable with their children gong into strangers’ houses to demonstrate sharp objects. :eek: Probably not stellar idea.</p>
<p>We came to us that we eventually purchase Life Insurance, House, Home Loan, Investment property, LTC, Mutual Funds, Hi-E Windows, Roofing. We think we got a pretty good deal. Worst deal was the friendly neighbor insurance agent who sold us whole life insurance, and we went to his office 
.</p>
<p>For those who are not in sales, you don’t know what you’re talking about.</p>
<p>We have purchased a product or two but reluctantly from nephew’s GF and would not do so again (tho it seems a good but over-priced product line). Would not refer others as it seems like they have so many trying to sell this product as a summer job. The spiel is pretty standardized. </p>
<p>I am not fond of sales and would not want my kids selling in other people’s homes. I have done retail sales and am not well suited for the field, nor do I think my kids are.</p>
<p>We received a large set of Cutco knives years ago as a wedding gift from a BIL who had tried and failed to make money selling them. May he rest in peace, he was a real sucker for pyramid schemes and was always trying to get rich peddling Amco products or bee pollen or vacuum cleaners or powdered milk substitute that tasted just like cream . . . It was my impression that he had been required to purchase the set he gave us in order to start as a salesman, which would have involved a pretty hefty initial investment.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t let one of my kids take a job like this, mainly because their only conceivable customers would be my friends and neighbors, who would resent the inflated prices.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the knives are terrific and come with a lifetime guarantee. Ours have lasted well for more than three decades; when the little paring knife, which we used the most, got chipped, the company replaced it immediately. My mother is still using her set, which she got for her wedding in 1954.</p>
<p>I bought a few of their steak knives. Amazingly expensive, even for its quality. I only bought these knives because some poor kid came over and gave us his nifty demonstration. He got my name after her hassled my sister into buying some knives, so I knew he’d be asking for more names. Ugh! I hate that tactic. This kid was very down-to-earth though and agreed he felt pressure to keep up the sales calls. I asked him why he felt that kind of pressure, and he explained he had to buy the product first. Yikes! I didn’t realize that. I forget how much he had to spend to get started, but it was a lot.</p>
<p>Since then, my kids have gotten letters from Vector Marketing with very appealing messages, offering them jobs. I throw out the letters before they even see them.</p>
<p>Northeastmom, yes the letters were from Vector.</p>
<p>Even if they replace the product & it’s great, you can get really good knives every day at Costco–a complete set, name brand at a small fraction of the price. Costco will stand behind products purchased from them & give you a full refund, no questions asked and you can buy whatever you want (or you can just give away the knives when you tire of them and buy several entire new sets with the money you saved). Cutco makes most of the inflated prices and gives a very small fraction to the salesforce. I think the sales persons are required to purchase a set that costs in excess of $1000 at their “special reduced rate.” To me, it’s a very exploitive situation–for the poor sales people and their loved ones.</p>
<p>I still have non-Cutco knives, cutlery & other kitchen aids I purchased in 1982 & those we got for our wedding shortly thereafter & they still work just fine and are in excellent condition. They are Gerber and Henkel and other brands.</p>