Most students have seen Vector Marketing’s ads in the corner of classroom blackboards.
The ads offer $11 per appointment, flexible hours, with part-time positions available and no previous experience required. For some, it sounds like the perfect opportunity for any college student. But according to SAVE, Students Against Vector Exploitation, that could not be further from the truth.
SAVE, started two months ago by students enraged with the company, is trying to get the word out about what they believe are Vector’s fraudulent acts.
Vector, the exclusive marketing company of Cutco cutlery, often recruits on LSU’s campus using ads similar to the one listed above. The company hires representatives to sell Cutco knives to consumers by making prior appointments to present the cutlery in their homes.
Chad Hasselius, SAVE member from Minnesota, said the group wants to force the company to start operating more honestly and ethically.
SAVE says Vector has been fraudulent during the recruiting and training progress and while setting up appointments with potential buyers.
“Vector Marketing puts vague, enticing ads out, usually with very little information about the job they are offering,” Hasselius said.
Hasselius said this causes many people to show up for the scheduled interview believing that it is an actual job instead of door-to-door sales.
“They tell everybody that they only have a few positions available to get students more interested in the job and then go on with a sales pitch for the job that lasts at least 45 minutes,” Hasselius said.
Not all student agree with SAVE’s ideas.
John Hoffpauir, a business sophomore and Vector sales representative, said even he was slightly skeptical of the opportunity to work with Vector when he first heard about it, but after sitting through the interview process he knew that it was right for him.
Not only did it give him a chance to create his own work schedule around school, but also it allowed him to make money while interacting with people.
But Hasselius said another flaw SAVE sees in Vector is that sales representatives are trained to deceive potential customers over the phone as to why they want to come over. “While the whole purpose is to sell knives, they are taught to say their purpose for wanting to come over is perfecting a presentation, gaining business experience, getting help on winning a scholarship, or such,” Hasselius said. “In other words, they are taught to call people up and ask to come over giving any reason for it but to give a sales pitch on knives.”
Hoffpauir said he was never told to lie about the presentation. He also said the sales approach he uses is quiet different from what Hasselius said the sales representatives are taught.
Hoffpauir does call the homes asking for permission to come over to display the cutlery, but does not lie about what he is coming to do. He tells them he is coming over to make a presentation, and if the consumer asks what the presentation is about, Hoffpauir responds “to demonstrate Cutco cutlery.”
Eric Ward, a finance sophomore and sales manager at the Vector Baton Rouge office, has been working with Vector for more than a year and also said he has not been told to deceive people into accepting a presentation.
Ward said Vector is not only a fun place to work, it also allows students to make their own schedule and make a lot of money in the process. “As a Vector rep I was able to make about three times the income a regular full-time college student makes,” Ward said. “I must also add that the business is honest, and integrity is one of the things we place utmost importance on.”
Students on campus had their own views of the Vector ads.
Samuel Heck, a computer science senior, said he has seen the Vector ads in classrooms and has even had a Vector sales representative come into his home to present the knives. “It’s obviously a scam,” Heck said. “$11 an hour is enticing, but it’s obviously too easy.”
Elaine Savoy, an animal science sophomore, said she was very intrigued by the Vector ad and was thinking of going to one of the interviews before a friend stopped her. “I talked to a friend of mine, and she barely had appointments and would barely make any money and said it was just a waste of time,” Savoy said. “So, luckily, she got me out of it before I could get into it.”
In conjunction with SAVE, Hasselius said the group has started a petition in an attempt to “stop the dishonest company, Vector Marketing/Cutco Cutlery, and prevent the company from scamming any more innocent college students.” The petition currently has 1,384 signatures.
Sarah Baker Andrus, Vector director of academic programs, said she understands that sales is not for everyone, but hopes SAVE will come and speak with Vector representatives about their displeasure with the company. “I found out about SAVE last week,” Andrus said. “Most people with legitimate concerns come to us directly and give us the opportunity to find a resolution. It’s not unusual for a large organization to attract this type of group. There will always be people who need a crusade.”