Local Appliance store beats the big guys!

[Mark42]

Time for a new dishwasher. Decided on a new GE model and started price shopping at the usual places and got these prices:

Home Depot (on sale for $314.10, plus 8 to 10 day delivery, and rebate for $50 delivery fee)

Lowes ($348, $50 delivery 10 day wait )

Sears (same as Lowes).

The local appliance retailer - Hackettstown Trading Post - $309.10 and I can pickup at warehouse (3 miles away) and save delivery, plus I can pick it up TODAY! No 8 - 20 day wait.

Not only did the local merchant beat the lowest price by $5.00, but he saved me the delivery charges and I can get the washer the very next day.

Now I remember why I bought our refrigerator, washer and dryer from this guy. Best price and service from the locals.

Another upside is I put in a new pump/motor assy in the old machine two years ago. That part and a few other good working parts I can sell on e-bay for an additional savings before discarding the old machine.

BTW, the old machine is a GE Potscrubber model that lasted 14 years. In fact, when I pulled the old motor out, it was just clogged with plastic wrap and really didn't need a new replacement. But seeing as I already bought one, I put it in.

 

[Pony]

Re: Local Appliance store beats the big guys!

Mark, incase you have the option to do you own pick-up at any of those stores next time............don't forget almost everyone will price match to get your business. Let the services, not the price be your deciding factor.

Thats an awful long time to wait for delivery at those other stores. Part of my job is shipping out apliances and stuff for home deliveries. I work with the main wharehouse constantly. If the warehouse has it in stock we can get it to the customer in a couple of days depending on the day of the week. If they don't have it in stock at their warehouse but I have it in mine and the customer wants delivery, then it can take 5 days or so again depending on the day of the week and when I have a truck on the dock to have it taken to the appliance delivery warehouse. (obviously in this case the customer also has the option of taking it themselves)

In some cases, and because I have a truck, I have delivered appliances myself when the customer needs something that day and can't wait for the delivery from the other warehouse. My manager and I have done numerous deliveries in the past year or so. All to get the customer the best possible service.

which model did you buy? I am curious as to the price I could have given you.....we just marked down a lot of GE appliances.

 

[tommays]

Re: Local Appliance store beats the big guys!

Thats the best part of buying around here with every store on the planet YET ALL the big ones carry a slighty different verison of common items like a DYSON vacume so they DONT have to price match

Tommays

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Local Appliance store beats the big guys!

Mark,

Legally, a manufacturer cannot sell to one outlet cheaper than another. Sarbanes/Oxley. The big guys can get their payback on rebate of total sales. They can also meet competition (GE vs. LG on like product) and fluxuate cost to distributors. This is a fallout of the Enron mess.

Keep the little guy in mind for all purchases. They tend to service the customer better because they have more on the line with each sale. Nothing personal Pony.

 

[Pony]

Re: Local Appliance store beats the big guys!

Pointer, what you say is absolutely correct......that is why I said let the services that you can get decide where you buy. Not every store is like mine, I just happen to have a set of managers that think more or less as the small business owner.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Local Appliance store beats the big guys!

The machine is a GLD4100MCC(bisque), the local price was $309.10 .

The problem with Sears and Lowes is that the color I want (bisque) is not stocked in the store, just black, white and stainless. Any other color is "special order" ( aka its in the warehouse, not the store) and I must pay delivery charges. They wouldn't ship to the store, and let me pick up there either!!!

Home depot did offer a delivery rebate, but I don't feel like waiting 6 to 8 weeks to get my $50 delivery charge back.

Bottom line is the local guy beat the price without having to "get manager approval" and make we wait an hour while that dance went on. My wife drove over to the warehouse and picked up the unit this morning. I'll install it tonight. With Sears, Depot and Lowes, I will not see a unit until next week at the earliest. After the Thanksgiving kitchen mess is all cleaned up! LOL!

So the local guy purchase total price with tax is 330.73

Sears tax & delivery price would have been $422.00