Candace

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.

janRN

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.

Candace

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:

crashnquilt

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!

mosquitosewgirl

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.

Candace

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.

cindyg19

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.

ktbb

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...

RDM

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?

MadQuilter

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.