If you had made an appointment to go to a shop that sold sewing machines to test drive two different overlockers, and the shop was an authorised stockist for one of the brands you were trying, ran handling courses on the machine and the salesperson was one of the instructors on that course.
Would you expect the salesperson to refer to the manual to thread one of the machines?
Would you expect to be able to drive the machines yourself? Or would you expect to have the "expert" drive it for you? Whilst both of you were standing up because there were no chairs available for either of you?
Would you expect to be told that you won't be shown how to operate or thread either machine until you have bought it? Because otherwise you could have a free lesson in threading and go and buy the machine on line?
Would you expect a logical, fairly slow explanation of each feature, with a chance to ask questions? Or would you want a lightning fast, garbled, and out of sequence gallop through the control panel followed by a demo of how to change from overlock to coverstitch carried out with you stood four feet away from the demo machine and to the side of it, and the expert's hand obscuring your view of what she is doing?
Would you expect to be allowed to use your own fabrics, which you had brought for the purpose, to test the machines on the kinds of fabrics you tend to use?
Maybe I am just very picky, but when I make an appointment to test drive machines, I expect a chair, the chance to actually handle the machine and try out its features myself. I expect to be shown things like threading and how to change the machine over from one mode to another, and how to set up and tension the stitches so that I can compare the two models and their stitch performance on the typical fabrics I use so I can make an informed choice and purchase the machine that will best suit my needs.
But perhaps that is too much to ask?
I came home, reviewed the notes I had spent weeks making about the pros and cons of each machine based on the brochures and what I had read on Pattern Review. Made my decision. Rang a small shop nearby that is a stockist for the brand I finally chose and he will order me the machine on Monday. It should arrive Tuesday. As far as I am aware the shop does not offer handling or familiarisation courses. Although I hope to be proved wrong about that, I suspect the training will turn out to be me, the manual, the machine and a huge basket of scraps.
23 hours ago
5 comments:
Oh that is annoying!
I wonder if they've had lots of people having in store demos and the buying online?
h dear. I think you should make Pfaff head office aware of this situation - they can't approve of that and they are lucky you didn't just decide (or did you!) to go with another brand altogether.
Pembertons' in Stirling did you whole sit down thing - I was not rushed and in the end spent more that I'd originally budgeted, so all credit to them. They showed and let me drive 2 machines I asked for, 2 similar spec at higher price, explained the diff, then showed a slightly higher than that but much better spec and to top it showed their current 'ooh wow' top of the line, so I could see mine really was a lot for the money. Also got a trade in deal on my old one.
My coverlock came from Drummond's. On the day I went to view - not with an actual appt, but with assurance that someone would be available - it was a bit different. space was cramped, but there were chairs. She answered lots of questions, did samples on my fabrics that I'd brought, but I didn't get to drive it myself. I got a really good trade in deal on 2 old machines. Price included 2 free 1 hour lessons, but I've not been able to take that up. But David (Drummond) did assure me that would be valid for as long as it takes!
They could solve all this by charging a refundable deposit for your proper demo - for serious buyers - and it would end up free for those that actually bought. Just a thought!
Good luck with the new machine - I hope you can soon have the time, space and brain power to really learn it!
Cheers,
AJ
Sorry, deleted my first comment - due to silly error in the content - corrected and reposted. Hmm, that's what the preview button is for, innit!?
XstPenguin
To be fair, it was not a Pfaff I was having demonstrated... I couldn't find a single place that had one to try. I did go with one of the brands demo'd, but the one I had demo'd was an out of date/superceded model... the current model is the one that is being ordered into my local shop.
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