Where do you usually look first when you are shopping for a major appliance? I remember my mother always liking Sears back in the day. Kenmore was a good name. It seems like a lot of Sears stores have been closing (or getting smaller) though. I bought my last big appliance at Lowe's. I looked around at Home Depot as well, but we ended up choosing a dryer from Lowe's. They were having a good sale, plus there was a rebate. Always check their site for rebates when comparing prices. I've seen several good offers on there. I will probably be looking for a new washing machine before long, so I'm wondering if I should stick with them or possibly look elsewhere first to compare. I'm hoping you guys will have some advice. Where do you like to shop? Do you find good deals at the home improvement centers or do you prefer other stores?
We have a few appliance stores here, even the supermarket carries some cheap appliances like blenders and electric fans. But we mostly buy from SM Appliance Center, since it's the one nearest our home.
My Mother is like your Mother Sears all the way for big appliances. I on the other hand go for prices. If there is free delivery, free installation deals and deals on take away old appliance too. Wherever I can save I'll look it up. Like here, there are coupons for buying things-very good to check here for coupons to use it really saves money when you buy big money things. Like you I watch sales, repair options and 'likeability of product. New products got new devices to Sales saves you lots of money and the coupons here saves you lots too! Good luck on your purchase.
I buy appliances when they are on sale especially in the super markets in my area. There is a super market that is ten minutes from where I live which is having a mayor sale in appliances. I am waiting on a payment to buy a new fridge since mine has given up. I hope I am not too late because they are good brands too.
Wow, I didn't know you could buy a fridge at the supermarket. That mus be one big store. Well, I think when our moms got into Sears it was a good store. These days, you can't really go by brand name alone. Some companies now have products that are made by other companies and then rebranded under their own name. I try to always look it up and see who really made it. Yes, @Krissttina Isobe you noted some other important aspects of getting the best deal. Aside from rebates or even coupons, it's important to find out about the policies. Free delivery and installation as well as free removal of the old appliance are big items on that list. I can't believe I forgot to mention those, but I always look into that too. Those things can add up to a huge savings.
This is always a frustrating one, but I also think that mostly this is because I do it when something breaks. Maybe a little foresight would help me alleviate this a little bit.
Whenever there is a need to buy a major appliance, we give time to ourselves to sort out the list of our choices. What we usually do is to roam the mall to check on the appliance stores – note down the specifications and the tag price. And then we also ask the people in our circle for their experience. The latest appliance we bought is the window type 1 horsepower air conditioner for our bedroom. We settled for the brand of Carrier and it’s an inverter type costing 34,000 pesos (around $700).
Sears is having a big 4th of July sale right now. I believe that Home Depot is as well, but it appears that Sears may be offering the greater discount. I saw some washing machines for close to half price. I haven't really had time to look at everything else, but they have lots of appliances on sale this weekend. I saw one ad for 40% off and then a banner on their site to take an additional 10% off (this was Sears).
That's a really good point. I think a lot of us do this. It's really better to avoid waiting until you feel like you "have to" buy something though. You're more likely to do better research for the best value and get the most for your money, if you don't feel rushed or in a pinch. We've been scouring the Internet for the best deal (not just price). The review site ratings seem to differ greatly from what the actual consumers have to say about the various appliances. Some brands get high ratings, but verified buyers hate them. It's a lot of leg work to find something good at a reasonable price.
We generally look at brand stores like Samsung, Godrej, LG before buying something in this category but never forget to check the prices on online store. At my present location I would look at Norman Harvey or JB Hi-Fi besides Kmart, BigW, GoodGuy which have complete range with all the items available under one roof. In most cases online shopping is more beneficial in the sense of extended warranty and installation.
Yes, you can get a lot of information online that you wouldn't be able to access as well in a store. It's easier to sort through all the details like warranties and things like that and compare them. Extended warranties always feel like a rip off to me. Why do I have to pay extra to get them to support their product? I recently bought a new washer after much comparison and debate. It came with a better (free) warranty than what was offered by some of the extended warranties that you have to pay extra for. That was one of things that helped firm up my choice.
I look at delivery charges first and also what codes or discount vouchers there are and go from there. Generally items are always price matched and during a sale there is very little difference in price. I try to look for models that are discontinued as they will be sold off cheaply but will still be under warranty. I tend to look in supermarkets for the best deals, but online is the best place for a price comparison. I would also check ebates to see if they have any offers on too.
@Theo In my case delivery charges are almost same whether I buy them online or from the store if the item needs installation. @thisnthat in some cases you may find it a burden to pay extra for extended warranty but in fact it is not especially in case of electronics items like computers household equipment like refrigerators etc. For example I bought a laptop with 2 years' extended warranty. You would be surprised to note that keyboard of the laptop stopped working just after one year, a few days after the normal warranty would have expired but it was changed for free of cost and when I visited my home country a few months later the mother board also stopped functioning which was again replaced free of cost. I was glad I spent AU$40 extra for extended warranty.
@Theo, here the pricing usually includes standard installation including basic parts for that if needed. Many companies will also remove your old appliance free of charge. I always ask, just to be sure. It's always a good idea to check for rebates as well. Some of them can be quite substantial. Yes, I get what you're saying, @Ray. It does end up being to your benefit. My point is that such a warranty should be standard, not extra. A product's quality should be backed with a good warranty in the first place.
When purchasing large appliances, the most important factor is the brand name and not the store of purchase. As long as you can be provided with a warranty and original purchase slip, if there is any issue with the appliance, I believe you can buy any large appliance from any reputable store. If there is any issue with the appliance, you can always return to same store or directly to the manufacturer.
@thisnthat I agree with you but as I understand that the companies are doing some sort of favor by giving us extended warranty option which is totally optional. The normal warranty period is of course free of cost which is applicable for all electronics and household products and if you feel a further warranty/guarantee is worth you can opt for it which generally costs you very nominal.
