Vector Marketing Corporation Selling Cutco Knives/Alcas RIPOFF New York New York

I sold Cutco knives about seven years ago (when I was 18), then about four years ago worked in their local office as a secretary (when I was 21). One of my best friends has worked there for over six years, and is in a managment position.

I say all this becuase I know how the company works, very well, and can explain some of the things that have been reported.

Their product is knives, and is sold through appointment only. Its NOT door to door, but it can feel that way sometimes. It IS a sales job, and, in my opinion, sales jobs suck. However, they do not rip anyone off. The problem is that you have to create your own business, and be a people person.

First, you practice your sales pitch on your friends and family. Its fun, and there is no pressure to sell anything - you get paid simply by showing the knives to people, by "hourly appointment". PLEASE NOTE, THEY HAVE NEVER AND WILL NEVER SAY "BY THE HOUR". It is by appointment, and an appointment usually takes about an hour.

When I sold Cutco, the pay was $10.50/per appointment, and when I first began, it took about an 1 1/2 to do the sales pitch, but after working for about a month it only took about a half hour. Also, the knives sell themselves, and if you do happen to sell something, you get commison instead, if it is higher than the "hourly" appointment pay. You usually have to sell two or three knives to get the commision instead.

Then your friends and family recommend THEIR friends and family, who they think would like to see the knives. Later, you call the people who had been recommended and explain that "John saw these knives today, and thought you might like to see them, too", and make an appointment with them, and so on, and so on.

As far as the office goes, each office is different, and is only used to recruit people. You work from home, and go to the office only for the weekly meeting.

When I was a secretary, the office was only open in the summer, and changed locations every year, because a different manager would "own" the office, and be responsible for the costs. The only thing I "lost" money on was going to the big regional meetings. It cost a few hundred for gas, hotel, and food just to see an inspirational speaker.

Also, you do have to buy the knives that you are to show, but if you want to quit you get a full refund. When I stopped selling, I decided to keep the knives, and bought a couple more to have a full set. They're just really great (expensive)knives - you wouldn't believe how much easier it is to cook with them.

One final thing - I went to an appointment once (an older woman), and showed her the knives, and she said that she had them already - had bought them in 1941 or '42. She didn't remember that they were Cutco. Anyway, she showed me the set, and it was the most expensive Cutco has, except they were all old and dull. Cutco has this life-time guarantee, and I had my manager send her a replacement for every knife in her set - over a thousand dollars worth of inventory. It was crazy seeing those old knives. The handles were brown, and Cutco only has black and white now.

Oh, and it was also hard to make money consistently. You really had to book a lot of appointments - and no one is on you to do it. You really have to be good at self-motivation. And it WAS hard to make that many appointments - people who don't know you are usually loathe to let you into their house with knives. But its NOT a scam, just a sales job that most people don't have the motivation to do.

You have to pay for your own gas to the appointments, but you can keep the receipts and use them as tax deductions.

I was just job searching in the newspaper and came across an ad-

Perfect for students 14.50 an hour base pay! Must be 17+

I called (Of course) and they set me up an interview for tonight, all the while the girl kept saying that any questions I had would be answered by the mangager tonight, that she was in a hurry and didn't have time.

Being the sceptisct I am, I looked up the company on a few different sites, realized that is a door to door sales job, and am cancelling my interview.

Now, I'm not saying that the company isn't real, and that their products aren't great, I am saying that it is really misleading to tell someone they will make 14.50 an hour being a customer service rep.

I happen to be a proud owner of many Cutco products, and I have a sibling who is a sales representative for Vector/Cutco. After speaking with my sister, I KNOW this experience is not the norm for Vector. I have an ad in front of me, and no where does it say hourly. It states the base pay is 14.25/per appointment, NOT HOURLY!

My sister makes a GREAT living at this job, and does not push the product to her family and friends. Some of her coworkers are making thousands of dollars per month. It is the kind of job that works if you work it, and believe in the product, and lastly have some PRIDE in what you are doing!

Sounds to me like someone wanted to make 15.00 per hour, and when they found out they had to actually WORK for their money they weren't happy.

I suggest you do a little research, and actually speak with employees of the company if you want the TRUTH!