Vector Marketing is the sales arm of Alcas Corporation, the Olean, New York-based company that makes Cutco knives.

Salespeople, most of them college students and recent high school graduates, sell the knives in customers' homes. Vector recruits students through newspapers, Craigslist, direct marketing and posted advertisements. Their flyers advertising high-paying "student work" are a common sight on many college campuses in the United States and Canada.

Recruitment

Vector's marketing and recruitment techniques have generated controversy in the past. Some have accused Vector of misrepresenting its base pay rate, typically about $16.25 per appointment, as an hourly wage. The base pay is a pay guarantee offered for every qualified appointment conducted by a sales representative. Representatives must document their appointments and submit documentation to the company each week in order to receive their base pay. As with most sales jobs, the base pay is a starting ground which guarantees income for reps who are either just learning or struggling with the sales process. For reps who transition quickly into receiving commissions, Vector can be a lucrative employment opportunity.

Vector counts its salespeople as independent contractors, much like Amway/Quickstar, Mary Kay and multi-level marketing organizations, though Vector is not a multi-level marketer. Other professions which employ independent contractors include architects, real estate agents, life insurance agents and tax accountants. Legal overtime and training pay requirements do not apply to independent contractors, nor does the company provide benefits or liability protection. As independent contractors, Vector reps cannot expect federal taxes to be automatically withheld from paychecks. Self-employed workers must learn to withhold their own taxes and manage their finances like an autonomous business.

Vector's recruitment materials have not always been clear about the nature of the work. Potential salespeople often know little about the type of work they will be doing until training begins. Due to complaints about these and other consumer-protection concerns, the company has in recent years implemented a program of "Total Transparency", in an effort to be more up-front about the type of work its representatives do.

Vector is a member of the Direct Selling Association and the Better Business Bureau. For information on the differences between single and multi-level marketing, and further information on direct selling companies, see Direct Selling Association

Working for Vector

Vector's offices are usually situated near a city with several large schools, making access to offices, training and management support easy for some students. Managers often work with students to place them in the office closest to their area of residence while keeping in mind that the more reps an office has, the more the office can potentially sell. Reps are encouraged to attend bi-weekly office meetings for support and further training. The meetings stress a fun, upbeat atmosphere and usually include public recognition for representatives who have attained a high sales level. A main concern in these meetings is to emphasize the competition between the branches in the local and national sector. Contests are also stressed, with various prizes such as gas cards, free cutlery, or chances to win vacations promoted to the sales team.

Management positions with Vector adhere more closely to the traditional office-job format, with managers and assistants working closely with local schools and reps from the office. Managers are paid based on the productivity and retention of their sales staff. Representatives work largely out of the office, generating a customer base through personal referrals and demonstrating CUTCO products to potential customers in the context of in-home demonstrations. In applicable offices, it is stressed that most managers themselves were students once, whose effort has afforded their own office.