How are sales

[maran747]

Sure would like to know how Segway is doing, sales wise. Got to admit, people still have not abandoned their cars and bicycles, beating a path to a Segway store. I own an HT, I love it but I do not use it as much. Looking at photos of the Segfest in Sacramento, doesn't look like it was much of a success, I don't think I counted over 30 people in the photos.
Not being a bearer of bad vibes but lets get real. I think I've seen another Segway out in the street only about 3 times here in Los Angeles.
Just curious to know the overall health of Segway as company.

[Murray Fisher]

I have owned my Seg almost two years and have only seen two others during that time and both were at vacation spots....people keep asking me WHEN the predicted flood of them is going to start! Big joke here..population 30K....a traffic jam is when you can see two more cars down the street! Ho Ho. I am well known here and get lots of good comments. I know all the city officials and they are not concerned about passing regulations re WHERE we can run them. I go in and out of ever store here, including banks, restaurants, clubs,malls, supermarkets, etc with no problelm. Would you believe I even talked two places into installing those doors that open via a big push button so it would be easier for me to enter. I sure have not seen any trend at all to buy them though.

Murray Fisher

[pam]

hmmmm, one of the most asked questions on the Chat. No one knows for sure - stated to be in the 10's of thousands by an officer of the company - and has been stated to have doubled every year. Regardless, there has been a major shift in the distribution chain with the opening of Segeay dealerships in the last year. I think that we're going to see real sales in the next couple of years. As PT used to say, this is a marathon, not a sprint.

The overall health of the company? We have naysayers on the list who predict immediate (or shortly thereafter) demise based on everything from a dislike of new product design to CEO changes. We have positive listmembers who just as firmly believe that Segway is just finding its wings and will evolve to be just as innovative in it's sales as it is its products . If you hang around, you'll hear every view expressed.

But until they take the company public, I doubt we'll be hearing the exact sales figures.

Pam

[austin@SOH]

From a dealers prospective, it seems to me that there is quite a demand for the new line. We have people on a list waiting for their Segways and it seems like there is a new one every week. I have to agree with Pam, now that there is the dealers, we can actually get out and promote the Segway locally, which helps a lot.

Austin Colby
Segway of Hagerstown

[Dragan]

Here's another vote along the same lines as Pam and Austin. I think probably one of the more significant errors made early on was the method of distribution. The establishment of the dealer network has started to do the most important thing that can happen with a new product; put it in the hands of local people, familiar with their market, who know how to promote and to sell.

We have been extremely pleased and quite surprised with the level of interest. We've had period of daily machine sales when we had adequate product, and now almost daily orders for pending product. This without even spending a nickel advertising. The local media had done that for us, free. Love or hate the new offerings, they have attracted a huge level of interest that goes up almost weekly.

Exposure is critical, and I think the Segway is going to mimic the cellphone in some ways; for several years, you rarely saw anyone with a portable phone, and when you did you looked on in envy. Now, it's hard to find a 10 year old without one. Not that I'm suggesting that 10 year old should have a Segway, but I think the change in mindset needed to embrace cellphones is what's needed, and that it will come.

Personally, I would'nt be very surprised as a dealer to see all previous sales of Segway eclipsed this year alone. I think we're sitting close to the cusp of acceptance on a broader base worldwide. I don't think it will ever be the U.S. sales that push it into mass acceptance, I think it will be international markets, just like it was with the cellphone.
Wayne

Segway of Alberta - Calgary
www.mysegway.ca

[Florida Ever-Glides]

Even with sales diong well, I doubt that we will be seeing lots of them in public. My thought is that currently LLC is doing a paradim shift towards 'recreational vehicles' with their two new lines. Yes, the HT has new colors but it seems that the excitement is in the XT and the GT.

The HT will probably sell more than last year, but the recreational use 'sales' will possibly lessen the number of sales for sidewalk/street use. A little confusing, but I hope you understand my logic...

Disclaimer-This thread is not meant to ridicule, insult, belittle, or otherwise cause anyone to get pissed off. Have a nice day...

Tom Jacobson
http://www.floridaever-glides.com

[Sal]

quote:Originally posted by Florida Ever-Glides

Disclaimer-This thread is not meant to ridicule, insult, belittle, or otherwise cause anyone to get pissed off. Have a nice day...

Tom Jacobson
http://www.floridaever-glides.com


Tom, your posts are always insightful and helpful.

I understand why you put that comment there; it is a shame that some people in this great community take opinions as personal affronts.

-Sal

Think Different
www.apple.com

[Dragan]

Tom, I agree with you; we're not likely to see a half dozen Segways per block in the foreseeable future. There are a lot of issues at work limiting that from happening very quickly if at all. What we are starting to see, though is while the XT/GT's are drawing them through the door, discussing their needs and planned uses for a machine more often than not points them at the p and the 180 instead. We're still getting calls about the XT about 5 to 1, but from a confirmed sales standpoint, we've sold more 180's and p's than XT's, and it's not been availability driven; we don't have any of either model left, everything we're selling right now is on order.

Wayne

Segway of Alberta - Calgary
www.mysegway.ca

[mario-ramos]

(excerpt from Cbsnews timeline)
First introduced at a world's fair in 1939, television was received with mixed reviews. Kids gather around this set in 1954. By 1955, 64 percent of American households owned a television set in 1955, compared to a mere 2 percent in 1949. Television, like the century's earlier invention, radio, revolutionized mass communication.
Mario Ramos

[Stan671]

Looking at a picture from the Sacramento SegwayFest is not a good way to judge it's success. SEG America was hoping to have about 50 people at the gathering and sized it and priced it accordingly.

We measure success by meeting expectations and satisfying attendees. From all accounts, we did both of those and therefore declare it a success.

Stan Dobrowski

[yosgof]

Segways are sold ear to mouth with a bit of PR based exposure and very little if at all advertising and LLC guided marketing.

None of the dealers who posted here gave actual numbers bud i'd venture and say its single units per weeks. This is very nice on the Segway scale but very small if the Segway is ever to become a commodity. Compare this for example to sales figures of mountain bikes which go probably by many tens a week at many many more stores around the country.

My point is that Segway LLC must invest in proper brand promotion an marketing. Only this will result in a much wider public acceptance make the Segway the next "it" item. Until this happens sales will grow very nicely - on the Segway scale.

- Yossi
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/3365119-lg.jpg

[fredkap]

I picked up my new XT at Segway of Orange County's store Wednesday. I had to wait 15 to 20 minutes while they completed the sale of a pair of used 167's. Dave from Encino traded up to a red 180. They had received 9 units and it was time for them to call the new owners. I don't know how long it will last but units are flying out of the showrooms.

Fred

[Itsi Atkins]

Fred what do you think, it is a soft and enjoyable machine.

[Brooster]

I'll chime in here if I may. I got to ride an XT last weekend. It's a beast! It's a soft and enjoyable machine, but it still has no place on the sidewalks and has the potential to undo everything we've worked for if it becomes too popular too quickly.

I've said this before, but the XT is a machine that would more appropriately have been released well after the HT has already been fully accepted as a viable transportation alternative.

My i167 still scares people--you can just tell by the looks on peoples faces--and I'm an ultra-courteous rider.

There's a lot of work to be done ...

Just 2¢.

Brooster

[fredkap]

The XT is a beast. This machine has my kids excited, the 167 is a little to geeky for them. In Old Sacramento there were cobblestones...jarring on an I series, barely noticed on the XT. The fright factor that you mention is because it is significantly more macho looking but that is perception not reality. I would rather see people on Vespas than Harleys but Harleys sell.

Fred

[Steve@SOH]

Just a few additional comments...

Austin (a.k.a. Austin@SOH) and I recently demonstrated the "i" and "p" machines at a "Senior Fair". To quote our local paper "The idea behind the Washington County Comission on Aging's Senior Fair is to expose senior citizens to the services and products available to ease the aging process. (Herald-Mail)".

We only learned of the Fair a few days before it has to occur but were able to secure a booth. Due to our late involvement, we missed the opportunity to be included in any of the pre-Fair press and promotion.

The response to the Segways far exceeded our expections. The Fair was about five hours long and we were giving demos almost continuously (On both machines). Riders included senior citizens, government officials, social agency staff, two different baseball team mascots, the press and TV news and medical professionals.

The local newspaper used a captioned photo of Austin giving Segway demo to an elderly lady in the article about the Fair. In addition, the local TV station did a live feed from our booth.

Last but certainly not least, I gave a woman in her NINETIES (Yes, 90s) a demo. She had a smile from ear to ear as she tooled down the aisle.

The comment we heard over and over again was "I've seen these on TV (or in a magazine) but I never thought I'd have a chance to try one."

To paraphrase a well worn line... "Demo them to the community and they will come."


Steve@SOH
Segway of Hagerstown (MD)

We're livin' in the future.

[Brooster]

quote:Originally posted by fredkap

I would rather see people on Vespas than Harleys but Harleys sell.


I'm right there with ya on that one Fred. I'm listening to the roar of Harleys on Lake Shore Drive as I type this, and I'll be hearing them--and the Japanese crotch rockets--when I'm trying to get to sleep tonight.

Noise pollution is unneccessary, and pisses me off more and more the older I get. And I'm only 45. :)

Brooster