How do I convince "them" to buy retro?
 

We have several "retro" machines, mostly late 70's-early 80's store brand machines (JC Penney, Sears, etc.) in the store where I work to sell. They're usually metal machines with nylon gears, ZZ machines who are whisper quiet but they won't embroider your name into your underwear for summer camp via telepathy. (sarcasm abounds) A lot of the sewers/quilters in my area believe the more you spend, the better it is and more features are also better, even if you'll never use them or learn to use them. This means I need to convince customers that they don't need the embroidery package to learn to sew and that a $40-80 machine with dials and not buttons/needle-down features are still viable options for adults, not just 9 y/o's as first sewing machines. What do you say to convince folks to give these machines a chance?

Are they allowed to test the machines? Are there any scraps of fabric with examples of the stitches?

I would very nicely say if you are a beginner at sewing and/or quilting you might want to start out with a less pricey machine until you are sure that this is a hobby you want to pursue. I would also add that if and when you decide sewing and quilting is for them, you will take the older machine back as as trade in on the price of a newer model.

Demonstrations that make you wince! LOL need to sew a can together? Run it through and old Kenmore. haha or maybe something like lots of denim layers and produce one raggy denim scrap quilt that would kill lesser machines. You know one where it's like 4 layers together then at the seams it can be up to 8 layers plus batting if they're stuffing it.

I sew retro/vintage all the time - mostly to men. Men get it. There are one or two younger women that do get it. Men see old cars, old motorcycles, etc and they KNOW the vintage and retro machinery is much better. Men want to make their own stuff. Men just don't know how to work the machine. If you show them how it works they will buy it. Maybe you can make a little note about showing them how it works.

To answer your question, You really can't change some people's minds. Some people are just trained to believe that the more you spend, the more you get..... remember, you can't fix stupid! And I'm not proud to say that at one point in my life, I was one of those. Not anymore..... age and experience has educated me. Now that I'm wiser, and actually have more money, I try to pass along some of this knowledge much harder than anyone tried to pass it along to me. So, I hope the suggestions that others have mentioned helps..... you can also tell them my story. Go ahead, spend tons of money and you'll probably love the machine for awhile, until you have to pay tons more money for a tune up, or , heaven forbid, a replacement plastic part.

A lot of times a vintage machine is cheaper than one service call on a newer machine - once someone has thrown away a newer machine they will buy vintage/retro.

what do you have them priced at?
Vintage machines are a dime a dozen if specific model doesn't matter.

Where do you work? Are you selling to beginners or seasoned quilters/embroiderers?

Some folks pay thousands of dollars for machines that do all that you think they don't need.

Same here.

CD in Oklahoma