Vector Marketing

[xcthulhux]

Alright, so vector marketing, a company which sells "Cutco Cutlery", has offered me a job, and wants me to come to an interview on monday.

Anybody who has heard of them knows there reputation, and anyone who hasn't, can find out with a simple google search.

They are a U.S. company which targets high school/college students, as they may need to pay off student loans, or may need a job for personal reasons.
So they make it look like a great oppurtunity by offering flexible hours, be your own boss, and over 13 dollars wage.

So the way they work is this.
You go through about 18-24 hours of unpaid training
You pay 150 dollars for a set of knives, and 160 dollars deposit to start
You go sell knives on your own time, supposedly making roughly 15 dollars per presentation
?
profit

or so you think.

After talking personally with 2 ex Vector recruits, i have found that both of them did not receive payment for any of there work (apparently due to the presentations given being not good enough) , did not receive a return on there deposit upon quitting (which is promised in the contract), and literally lost money by working for this company.

Has anybody else had experiences with this company?
Should i go to the interview anyway, just to check it out?

What do you guys think?

[Dubaby]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't do it.... seriously just don't!!!!

I got a job with Vector Marketing a year ago, and at first it sounds like there's room to make some really good money, but after working for a bit you realize that you end up spending more on gas and knives than you actually earn. The supervisors were extremely unpleasant while I worked there and it all turned out to have a bit to much of a "pyramid scheme" vibe for me taste.

All in all I'd say just don't even bother.... oh, and you ALSO don't get paid for your training which takes over 32 hours (this is honestly one of the only jobs I've ever heard of that does this.) In the end I'm just thankful that I got out of that place fairly quick, and before they talked me into buying my own $150 knife kit.

[superjaz]

run like a thief in the night

[jaybug]

That's how Jack Nicholson made his living before he got famous in Hollywood. My brother worked for them when he was in college, but he never said anything about not getting paid. BUt he also only sold two sets, oone each to mom and dad. thunk.

It sounds like the folks who were into magazine subscriptions, are now selling knives. I wonder if customers are getting their knives.

I feel I should give a story about risk and reward, but...naw.

[Sayda]

I've been looking at the title of this topic for a few days now, knowing it sounded familiar! I almost went to an interview with these guys. My friend Benny had gotten a job with them, not knowing what he was getting into, and so I went ahead and made an appointment as well. After hearing what they had to say, and talking with my mother about it, (I was 17 at the time) I decided that it sounded like a complete scam. I know my friend quit working after a few weeks, because he wasn't making any money.

[Blizzara Dragon]

I worked for Vector Marketing over the summer, and actually made some good money. I made over $1000 that summer, and that was with making about one to two appointments a week. I even got a promotion during my first week working there. My friends worked there with me too, and when each of us quit after the summer was over we got our deposits back. The people who quit are usually people who are too lazy to actually do some work, cause it does take a good amount of work to set up the appointments and make the sales. Also each of the customers I had when I worked there got their knives, and they love them 

In short, its a good job if you're willing to put the effort in. If you're looking for a quick way to make some cash, this is definitely the wrong way to go.

[Hawkeye]

Don't do it.  It's not worth your time, and everyone I know who has done it only manages about 3 months before they quit.

[Cyprus]

Sounds like a bad idea to me...don't do it. I think you would be better off with a part-time job...probably make just as much money in a summer as you would doing that & you don't do any unpaid work or have to pay money to the company. Just my thought on it though...sounds fishy.

[jaybug]

Deposit? You don't make a deposit to a job you are going to work for. Not in my book. I would never do that. I'd go mow lawns under the table or something.

[DancingTofu]

Cutco's legit, but their product isn't as good as what they charge for it.  If you're a good salesperson, it's a legitimate job.  If not, then don't bother.  Their Clackamas County office has generated a lot of successful people, including some of the best salespeople in the state.  It's not a scam, but it's not a good idea if you're just looking for a job, and don't have the skills to back it up.

[kylite]

dont do it. its a trap!

[AllyKat]

This reminds me of those poor kids who get suckered into selling those
"designer" perfume bottles out of backpacks to people who are working or
who are in other stores trying to buy things there. I got so angry with these
kids who kept coming into my shop and harrasing me (I was the manager of
a video game store at the time) when I'd tell them that unless they have a
street vendors license they can't sell infront of my store, and they CERTAINLY
cannot sell inside my store, per my request. They would constantly come back
day after day and tell me that there manager told them it's okay and that I
was just a "stupid *bleep*" who didn't understand how real sales worked. They
kept coming even after I called the cops on them, twice!

These places are brainwash manufacturers. They feed these poor kids lies about
sales law and then tell them to go bug people who are working, or customers
at other stores to buy there product and then sell them toilette instead of what
they are saying they are selling (parfum). I have been accosted by these "managers"
for not letting there "employees" do their jobs. But the law is on my side and
they knew it.

Vector Marketing sounds like a step up from this type of company but when it
comes right down to it, anything that isn't stable enough to hire people outright,
without money down or deposits, seems like more hassle than it's worth when, at
very worst you can get hired by Burger King or something and start making money
with nothing down in about 2 weeks. And they pay you while you train... because...
as an hourly employee, the HAVE to. With these sales co's you are on commission
only, and your "take" is whatever they WANT to give you. I am sure if you read your
employement papers no set in stone percentage is given.

It sucks... and is stupid... but it's the truth.

~Allykat

[jaybug]

That's not a trap, that's a squid.

[NekoAkiko]

I've heard good and bad things about them. But it gets old when you have to keep sitting through shows just so a friend can earn money or something. My parents bought some knives and we do love them, buuuut they're SO spendy. D: I actually like my Rachel Ray knife better xD

But in general since it IS hard to make money with them: don't do it. :\

[superjaz]

do me a favor, when they hand out the snuggies and give out the kool aid run!!

[Slash5150]

DO NOT WANT!

Everyone I know that has worked for them, quit in less than a month.

[chelseahavoc]

dont do ettt >< one of my good friends worked with them and it turned to hell for them, they spent oodles on gas and knifes and got yelled at for makeing a tiny mistake that she didnt even know WAS a mistake (i.e. they didnt tell her) dont do it its a huge waste!

[KogaRyu]

The deposit is for your Demo Kit. It keeps people from running off with a small set of very expensive knives. Vector/Cutco is one of the better commision based sales jobs you can get at entry level. That said, there is no middleground, you will either be very succesful or quit after a month or two.