When on the hunt for new home appliances, everyone loves a good deal. Home appliances can be a huge investment, but finding a bargain will leave your wallet a bit more heavier than you expected. It can feel like your playing russian roulette rounds deciding to go either online or instore hunting, but we will share some tricks and tips in this blog with you on how to get great appliances at unbeatable prices.
Timing is Everything
Seasonal Sales
A trend has been developed that shoppers took notice, and that is that retailers often follow a predictive pattern when it comes to their sales. You can shave big by marking major holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Presidents’ Day on your calendar where these shops give huge discounts on home appliances. Another titbit is that new models usually roll out during the fall, so you can pounce on last year’s inventory deals around September and October.
End-of-Month and End-of-Quarter
If you are a natural at negotiating, you can take advantage of the pressure salespeople are under to meet their month end or quarter targets. It’s not just an urban legend. Give it a try and see if you can possibly grab a bargain on the sales staff during these times.
Shop Smart, Not Hard
Price Comparison Websites
Time is really a luxury that many of us just don’t have, and scrolling through websites to get the best deal on a new washing machine or fridge is not how we want to spend our free hour. Luckily, there were developers that thought the same and now we have price comparison websites to do the heavy lifting for us. Just type the appliance name in any website like PriceGrabber, Shopzilla or Google Shopping, and they will give you a price comparing list from different retailers. Easy peasy.
Cashback and Coupon Sites
You might feel the urge to click “buy now” when you see the appliance you want, but hold your horses. There are cashback websites like Rakuten and Honey that can get you a percentage off from your purchase. And coupled with a quick search for discount codes on sites like RetailMeNot and Coupons.com, you will be grinning like a Cheshire cat when you click the buy button.
Out-of-the-Box Thinking
Open-Box and Refurbished Items
You might scratch your head and think we are nuts, but a true goldmine for best deals on home appliances are open-box or refurbished ones. The open-boxed labeled items are usually ones that have been returned shortly after buying them and there is a high chance that they haven’t even been used. On the other hand, the refurbished ones are those that have been returned, professionally repaired, tested and got the stamp that they are working like new. There are sections dedicated to these types of items at a great price at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
Scratch-and-Dent Sales
You can get some high quality items at a pretty good markdown price on a scratch-and-dent sale. That is if you don’t mind some minor cosmetic flaws that is. Even with those small dents, scratches or other imperfections, they still work. Just like out-box items, there are also sections dedicated to them at places like Home Depot, Sears Outlet, and Lowe’s. You must always try and examine the appliance in person just to make sure that any damage is really only superficial. But this is really a great option for those who want quality appliances without paying the grand price tag. And these goods are normally near-new or even brand new.
Financing and Extended Warranties
Zero-Interest Financing
There are retailers that give on their big-ticket items (which includes home appliances) zero-interest financing. Even though it’s not saving on the actual price tag, you can spread out the costs and not spend more on interest. Just make sure that you read all the terms and conditions and that you understand exactly what you are getting into. The trick to it all is to make sure that you pay off the balance in the period.
Manufacturer Rebates and Extended Warranties
If you don’t really put up a big fuss to jump through some hoops, then you can score some great deals on manufacturers rebates. The “hoops” are often either mailing in receipts or filling out some online forms. You can take an extended warranty for that extra peace of mind, but do some quick math first to make sure that the extra costs are really worth it.
Negotiation: The Art of the Deal
Haggling is an art, but not for everybody. If you have the confidence and the time to prep, then you can get your home appliances at a great price. Your prep begins with researching the average price for the make and model of your appliance, and also know about current sales and promotions. And when you approach the sales person, don’t go on the attack, but be polite to them. Tell them about those promotions and sales that other places have and if they are willing to match or better the price. Use the bundling technique if you are buying multiple items. It can be risky, but worth it to walk away, because it can prompt the sales person to offer a better deal. Just like many things in life, timing is everything in this instance too. So, if you want to try your hand at haggling, do it during the off-peak seasons and month end when they are trying to make their targets.
Conclusion
Getting the best deals on home appliances doesn’t have to be a big headache. Just pay attention to the sale cycles, use those smart shopping tools, think outside the box when it comes to scratch-and-dent or refurbished items, make those financing options work for you, and sharpen your negotiating skills. Put all these together then you will soon have those prime products in your home at the best possible deal. So start prepping for the next Black Friday, and learn how to coupon like a pro.
