Brookstone Sales Figures

[kagudesu]

I just spoke with the Director of Customer Service at Brookstone who informed me that their stores have sold about 200 Segways. That's not too bad, I guess, considering they started like 3 months ago. It's 200 more that Segway LLC would've alone!

Now that they've added more stores to the list, hopefully this number will rise.

Cheers,

Andrew Crow

You own a Segway, now buy a Macintosh.

[Ground Loop]

I spoke to Sales Folk at two stores here in San Diego (UTC & Fashion Valley) and they said they expect to have actual demo units in the store by the end of February. They have a whole day of "training" scheduled for the employees.

They were surprised to hear that I have one already, and had plenty of questions.

The impression I got is that someone is making too big a deal out of the 'training' and learning to ride. They had the feeling it was going to be difficult, on the order of learning to ride a motorcycle or unicycle. I know we're All About Safety, and Segway LLC's #1 priority is "L their L", but come on. The Brookstone folks were shocked to hear that someone could actually ride it after just a few minutes of practice.

It takes days to learn how to ride a bicycle, and nobody is suing Schwinn over their skinned knee.

[pt]

200 x $5,000 1,000,000

one millllion dollars in sales.

not too shaby.

yah yah, cuts of the total price, the p-series all that. but that's great in 3 months!

in one year that's $4m dollars.

i know *a lot* of companies that would *love* to have that in sales.

go segway, congrats.

i bet the # is higher than 200 too, at least that's what i heard.

cheers,
pt

[ZoliHonig]

[font=Century Gothic]Yeah.
My Friend was by a brookstone store and there was like an hour wait to try out the segway on display.
Man, I wish I had one already!!!
Either I strike it rich in one of the contests, or wait till i make some money in the summer and buy one.
Speaking of which, do you guys think I can get a used seg for around 2000 after the summer???[/font=Century Gothic]

[8]-Zoli[8]

[mzokc]

Since the topic of training came up, I am absolutely amazed at how well each person who rides my HT has done. The secret (found months ago) was this simple statement before the person attempts to climb on:

"Put both hands on the handlebar and ONE foot on the platform."

As they do that, I check where their hands are and that the ONE foot is properly positioned. Then I say:

"Now, just step up on it like a step stool." (If they are looking down I may mention to "Just look up and step on it like a step stool or ladder.")

It works every time. No bucking, no sudden moves. Absolutely amazing!

Next I have them move forward and backward by saying:

"Now lean forward for forward and backward to stop and move backward."

As they then stand completely still, I say:

"Just turn this front piece on the left handlebar and do a complete 360."

Most of them spin completely around and their "training" is almost complete. Soon they are gliding around and turning while I stay close. My next comment is simple:

"Just don't hit any solid objects and avoid slippery surfaces."

Not that there are any in the demo area, but I want to give them that information for the next time they step on a Segway HT.

They then step off the HT and it is critical to watch that they don't glide backwards during the step off. If necessary I have them repeat the step off so it's second nature.

Usually I will then demonstrate how to do a curb step and get the HT back up the curb. It's my demonstration only, they are never handed the HT to do it, but it helps them understand how it is done and that you can't ride up steps!

With almost 700 who have stepped on during almost 11 months, the demos and "training" continue.

Mark

[dhugger]

Not to be picky, pt, but...$4,500... you're off my about $10,000. Also, figure it costing LLC about $2000 or so to produce a Seg, so 900,000-(2,000*200)= $500,000 profit... then figure half are p's. Let's be generous & take off about $150 for each p sold... $500,000-(100*200)= $470,000. Now divide that over 3 months. That's $156,666 per month, $39,000 per week, or about $1.9 million per year profit (from Brookstone). Now let's say LLC has about 70 full time employees... if they spit that money right down the middle, that's under $30k per year per person. Then you've gotta take all their bills & taxes into account. I'm not trying to bash LLC or anything (you all know how I feel about the Segway), but they really need to start selling some more units.

-Derek Hugger-

[dhugger]

On a happier note though, I do applaud LLC for selling the additional 200 units through Brookstone. I just hope they've sold more than 200 total in the last 3 months.

-Derek Hugger-

[mrleisure]

quote:Originally posted by dhugger

On a happier note though, I do applaud LLC for selling the additional 200 units through Brookstone.


And I applaud the person at Brookstone who actually stated the number of units they have sold.

"In the future, we will all drive standing up"
David Byrne, in 1984

[pt]

poop.

cheers,
pt

[GlideMaster]

Hope he keeps his job. I wonder would he give you Brookstone's Sales Figures?

<center>http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/avatars/glidemaster.gif</center>

[kagudesu]

I asked. She said that they were happy selling them and they were glas I was happy with the product. I don't think them telling me they've sold a few is much different than the store telling me they sold 40 Mega-BackCracker Pro Massage chairs at Christmas. Maybe it's just me. I can't see corporate getting pissed. 200 is better than I had expected.

Regardless, Segways are selling, which is good for everyone.

Cheers,

Andrew Crow

You own a Segway, now buy a Macintosh.

[driley]

Checkout the promotional video on Brookstone's website. I like it.

http://www.brookstone.com/service/service.asp?cust_serv_id=259

Devin

[KSagal]

I know they sold at least one other than the 200 during that time. I went to Brookstone in Burlington Mass, and though they had literature on the Segway, they had none for me to try. That was on Saturday. I started to order my unit that Saturday nite on the net and completed the order directly from Segway LLC on Monday Morning. Wednesday, I drove to Manchester and picked up that unit. So...201 at least.

Karl Ian Sagal

[ZoliHonig]

Wow!
Their video is better than the one on segway.com! by far!
Maybe LLC Should tweak it a little and make it their own.

[8]-Zoli[8]

[GlideMaster]

Brookstone video looks great and unlike the video we made here they all have on helmets this time. I wish they would have let me perform like the guy in the vest. Still a nice video. Does anyone know what city it was shot in? No where near as much foot traffic as the video we shot here in Chicago.

<center>http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/avatars/glidemaster.gif</center>

[tomamil]

The Brookstone video is marvelous! Captures the spirit of the Glide and promotes the machine as a revolutionary new mode of transportation with no stridency and great charm. Congratulations to the video's creators -- I suspect LLC had a strong hand in its preparation, and if so, it's a breath of fresh air indeed.

Almost made me pick up the phone and order another one -- and then I remembered we're still illegal in NY State. Oh well, patience, patience...

Tom A. Milstein

[SegwayUtah]

Does anyone have an idea of how to save a local copy of the video?!? I haven't ever looked into saving a streamed Windows Media video before. Does DRM allow it, or is it copy protected because they don't want it copied?

Chris

[sailboss]

Now that is one very cool video! Makes gliding look like it really is-- Way cool and Fun!


"The seventh deadly sin is --Pizza!" -- Jimmy Buffett

[gotseg]

Great video, alot of thought went into it as well. Showing a guy lifting the p-s with ease, couples gliding side by side then smoothly parking and stepping off for a pitstop at a restaurant. Traffic backed up and the lone segwayer is still moving. Great vid!

gotseg?