I just got my newsletter from my local dealer who's carried the full line of Viking, Janome, Bernina, Babylock and Pfaff for MANY years. In it, I was very suprised to see that the company that now owns both Viking and Pfaff (SVP Worldwide) basically dropped my dealership without warning and my dealership won't be selling these machines anymore!

Has anyone else had local dealerships be dropped by Viking and Pfaff? I wonder if we're going to start seeing them for sale at big, box stores? I know Viking is sold at many Joanne's...maybe Pfaff will start being sold there as well?

My dealership wasn't dropped for lack of sales or customer support a they've got a very good reputation and several stores locally. It seems like Pfaff and Viking are changing their focus away from sewing machine dealerships. It was sad news to hear they were being built in China now and that the new machines weren't up to past standards. But, it's even sadder to hear this latest news.

Yes-my LQS was a Viking dealer and is now selling only Janome. They will keep doing maintenance checks on Vikings but I'm unable to get any accessories for my machine there. Very upsetting-I bought a Viking because of the location (15 min away). Each time I've stopped in LQS she advises I "trade up to a Janome before she stops taking Vikings on trade". Cannot afford to do that. Two Joann stores in the area (45min away) do sell Vikings still so I guess that's where I'll go for bobbins, etc. Unless those franchises are also closed--hope not.

What are they thinking dropping sewing machine dealerships?? Maybe they think they'll sell more machines off of the shelf at K-Mart or WalMart? I bet everyone that owns and has spent big bucks on Viking and Pfaffs are grinding their teeth in frustration as the reputation of these companies gets trashed:<

Ya know I really have to wonder WHERE these peoples minds are going.

1. Pfaff used to have a wonderful reputation for quality.

2. Viking enjoyed the same reputation.

NOW, everytime you pick up a paper, we find something else that is poisoning, damaging, or somehow harmful that has been produced in China.

YOOOOOOOOOOO DUDES--------------STOP AND THINK!

Candace....we must have gotten the same mailer...the one about the 52nd Anniversary Sale. I posted on it yesterday. I am planning on hitting the sale, though.

Yes, we're talking about the same dealership. What I'm wondering, is my LQS is a Viking only dealership. I wonder where this turn of business scope will leave them? I had wondered how they competed with the Viking sales at our local Joannes. But, it's very possible SVP has janked their Viking contract and they'll have to become dealers for another brand! I'll have to pop by my LQS and see what's up.

This happened with Bernina last year, in southern Florida. They took the dealership away from 2 of my area quilt shops. I did not appreciate that and neither did many of their other customers. Now we are left with only 2 dealerships in (long) driving distance. I can't understand the rationale.

Note the SVP that Candace used...the S stands for Singer, which bought out the other two companies. I had noticed that Singer stopped advertising their top quality lines some time ago, and recently learned that they did that when they bought out these companies since Viking and Pfaff both have good top end products. Our local dealer told us the story at a recent guild meeting. Their store doesn't yet know how this merger will effect them.

The rep also confirmed that there are no longer any machines being made in europe...they're all made in the Far East...

How sad-I can't believe Pfaff would go to big box stores-their branding was on quality, German engineering, and customer support through local dealers. IF they change they'd never repair their image. My Pfaff 7550 has been a great machine, but now I'd consider a Janome Horizon. Could Pfaff be moving to another dealer in your area or were sales low?

I had actually mentioned this in my PDA and here is the wording in the newsletter:
"Pfaff and Viking were purchased by Kohlberg and Company, an American equity firm that also owned Singer Sewing Machine Company. Singer, Viking and Pfaff then became SVP Worldwide and moved the manufacturing and distribution of Pfaff and Viking to China."

My thought: No wonder the quality of Pfaff is going down.
I can attest to it because of the 3 Pfaffs I currently own, 2 are the old German standard and one is obviously not. It isn't anything I can really quantify but when you are used to one set of quality, you notice when it changes. Don't get me wrong - it is still a good machine, just not for me. I plan to sell it and keep the older 2.

No, our dealer is fabulous. They have a wonderful sales department and their reputation for service and education is outstanding. We would be hard pressed to find another dealer of such quality.

Actually, Bernina is still made in Europe. It's one of the only ones now. So, not all are being made in China.

My thought is this... would someone really buy a TOL Viking or Pfaff and spend 4 or 5 grand for a machine at Joanne's or another big box store? I know I wouldn't. Some people would never spend that much on a sewing machine, period. LOL. But, for us crazy ladies who have very expensive machines, I'd never buy it from a craft store. I can't imagine anyone would do this without a dealership behind you that offers mastery courses. Viking just came out with a new machine that's just under their TOL machine. I don't see how they can come out with these machines and then cancel dealership contracts.

Viking is sold at Joanne - I wonder if they will pick up Pfaff now. This company cannot afford to lose an entire metropolitan area. Allthough - I did drive to Chico when I bought my GQ.

Your machine is most likely made in Germany and yes, they are good machines. Even the new ones are NOT bad machines. I compare them to the Black and Decker products. They went from German-built and lasting to the outsourced shorter-lived product. Not really bad, just not as good as they once were.

BTW: Meissner's will continue to service, support, and warranty Pfaffs and Vikings.

This is what I'm wondering too. Will Pfaff start appearing at Joanne's too? :thumbdown:

It sounded like Meissner's was not fulfilling their quota - so I'm sure they have contracts lined up with other entities. (Joanne??)

Viking probably felt the pressure from the new Janome Horizon to come up with a comparable unit. Time to market, price points, all sorts of concepts play into such a decision.

And seriously, after reading the QB for a while, there will be plenty of "our kind" (and I mean that most affectionately) who go out to investigate the new gizmo and just "gotta have it" don't you think? (I know coz I have 4 machines but only 2 hands.) lol

I can't see how they wouldn't meet a quota considering the amount of sewing machines that go out their door. What I mean is, of course they'll always be those of us who spend lot of $ on sewing machines. But those people won't be plunking down 5 grand at Joanne's, they'll go through a reputable dealer who offers support and classes.

I believe in dealers. I found my machine was well taken care of by dealer who knew it best, plus had great new owner classes. I'd hate to see that go away. I'd travel to get that kind of service. This probably explains why my dealer started carrying multiple brands along with Pfaff outside the parent company. Very concerning for us and our special dealers.

I hadn't heard this yet. :( I have my mom's Viking Lily 550, which of course is an older model. I haven't heard yet whether our LQS/Viking dealer will be keeping or losing her contract.

They wrote "These changes in manufacturing and distribution of their products made is difficult for us to continue selling their products at the level they had come to expect."

Maybe the company upped the quota. That was my interpretation. There is probably more to it.

Very interesting.

I owned a Viking as one of my first machines long ago. I loved it and only sold it because I wanted an embroidery machine combo. I'm so glad that my recent purchase was a Bernina and not a new Viking or Pfaff, because although the dealer will support past purchases and warranties, they won't be offering classes for these machines or other goodies in the future.

I've never been to China but I was told that manufacturing plants are being built by the hundreds using more oil resources then any other country. Cheap high rise apts are being built as fast as they can be to house the cheap labor coming to work in the plants. One day it will have to collapse on itself.

The sad thing about many of the manufacturing plants (and not just in China) is that the conditions are not set to be kind to the human resources.

I have bought all my Vikings, including my Diamond, from JoAnns and been very happy. The staff in the Viking Galleries locally are excellent and provide mastery classes equal to any I have received at independent dealerships - far better, in fact, than the ones provided by my Pfaff/Baby Lock dealer.

Interesting. Our Joanne's has their Viking center smack dab in the middle of the store with people walking by and through the area constantly. I wouldn't consider it a good learning environment or a place where the students and salesman weren't constantly interrupted.

I was going to write that maybe the dealer wasn't living up to his end of the contract...I agree with you....
BTW, this merger took place a few years ago. This isn't a new merger, and these changes are to be expected in mergers.

:cry:

Or if the new contract reads something like...
"you will only sell Viking or Pfaff products..." Well, I can see how that would make a lot of dealers unable to meet their expectations. I've got to pick up my machine in the next week or two and I'll have to ask.

So how many years ago did this merger take place?? Does that mean if you bought a V or P within the last, say 2 or 3 years, that it was after the merger and was made in China??

YIKES!

My Joann store doesn't carry anything but a limited line of Singer. Interesting.

I have a friend that bought a Viking a couple years ago and paid over $8000 for it. Wonder if she'll be able to still get classes and service because she was fighting with Viking then because they were pulling them from her dealers. I'll have to ask her what's happened. She's in MN.

According to one of the gals at Meissner's, the holding company parted ways with 28 Pfaff dealers nationwide.

I also asked about the Viking section in Joanne and was told that Viking leases (or owns) the section in the Joanne store.

Viking has been "downsizing" many of the independent dealerships for years. The most vulnerable have been any wear there has been a JoAnn's where they can squeeze in a leased space for the Viking dealership. There have been major changes in the leadership at Viking, coupled with a move of their US headquarters. This is a company to keep an eye on for the next year or two. viking is moving toward a dealer exclusive arraingment, in other words sell only Viking.
Bernina has a rather high cost of startup for a dealer .. they require so many machines be at the dealer, acessories , all to the tune of about $30,000. Many dealerships can not stock the mimium required to maintain, so some are being "phased"out. In my area there was an over saturation of Bernina dealers.

I wonder what it is about these 28 dealerships that got them dropped? Wow. Meissner's is the largest sewing machine franchise in N. CA!

I don't like that.

Any news on where Janome is being made, or Babylock?

Again, Bernina is made in Switzerland. Janome, Babylock, Viking and Pfaff and all the others are now being made in Taiwan, Japan and China.

I wish there were some US only made brands that were fabulous quality. But there aren't.

The Vikings that are sold in Joann's superstores are sold from a store within a store(Husqvarna Viking company store). The Viking Gallery is a dealer and offers classes and repair services.
I used to work in the HV store in the Joann's in Austin,TX.
As far as I know there are no plans to change this. Anything we sold in our store had to be bought from us, not Joann's; they are 2 separate entities.
I really miss my job.

Sigh

Our JoAnn's sells Vikings. I was in the other day and was talking to the salesperson, who never seems to be actually selling anything, and she said they have classes there, htough I never see anyone taking them. They are seperate from JoAnn's. I wonder just how long they will be in our store. I can honestly say I have never seen a salesperson in there talking to anyone about sales. Granted I'm not there 24/7 but I do go in often and at different times.

NO Phaff will not be sold at JoAnn's. Viking made a deal for JoAnn's to only sell Vikings.
They are wonderfull machines and are not made in China..... the top of the lines are made in Sweeden.
Viking bought Phaff out amd moved them to Sweeden also.... BUT all lower machines are made in China and Tiwan.
Viking does not make Phaff nor the other way around.

Here ther has been a Viking Dealer in the same store for over 20 years. An across the street is the Viking in Joann's so there fore The Phaff dealer can't sell Vikings in his store.... but he has 12 stores and sells Vikings in the next town.

Everyone has cut back with the economy and Viking realizes not everyone can buy or even want the top of the lines so they have Phaff and Singer now.....

Singer did not buy Viking.

I love all my Vikings, through the years I have had 7 of them. Along with an Elna air electronic, and Nechi Logical I still have and a few singers.... Whe we was growing us that is what we heard and they used to be great machines now I wouldn't buy one. I worked for Singer in Colorado at SewFro and had 3 of the new embroidery machine go ca poot.... they was a piece of junk, it was just a JOB to surive I hated selling them and got another job as soon as one came up....

I worked for Viking for 20 years.... and again I will say I love the machines.... Sad how some rumors get started andaway they go. I have a White surger 20+ years old and it is still great but I am looking at the New 7 spool BabyLock.... I go for the best no matter the name. I could sau some negative things about some of the other machines but we do not all drive a FORD. And we don't all live in the city.

I would never trade off a Viking for any Janome, from what I have seen thery is no comparison. Even my 20 year old Viking I would put next to the Janomie's I have seen...I know a lot of people have them and again the Ford/Chev thing. You need to buy and get what you like and does what you need it to do for you. A lot of time it is price points that is part of the decission. But there is another brand out there that is a higher price point but can't touch the Viking usibility....

Viking had so many lines and levels of each line there is a price point for all. Just depends on what you are going to use it for.

I know because I was in the business but the latest and biggest sales lines is it is a quilting machine..... DAHHHHHHH you can piece on any machine and it dosen't make it a quilting machine.
But many are sold as such then try quilting on it LOLOL no way... but you pieced on it just fine.... BIG HUGE diff between piecing and quilting... you need a long big space to roll the quilt...
Sorry but I have heard from this board complaints like that.
Must of been a man that never quilted who came up with that line LOL Ok enuffffff sorry I got so long winded... and hope I didn't step on any ones toes....


I like to be nice and not complain. Life is to short BE HAPPY LOL

Hope all have a great week, happy sewing. Blessings to all

ConnieF

I agree.My Bernina dealer is always there for me.I like knowing a ph call will usually give me any help needed.Just recently,my machine would sew a few stitches & stop.With visions of a 100mile (rd trip)drive in mind,DH called the dealer, explained what it was doing & she said "it must be in bobbin winding mode?" It was & I felt so silly! It'd been quite a while since we needed to call, but the CS of a good dealer can't be beat.IMO,the cost is worth it for that type service.

Has anyone noticed that Fons and Porter and Eleanor Burns are now using Baby Lock machines.

Yes, I have noticed that - 'was wondering what was going on.....does this mean the prices on BL are going to go up now?