Do you trust the quality of appliances bought at appliances outlet stores(i.e Sears)?

Haven't shopped around to compare prices, but if it's a few hundred cheaper, maybe not worth buying at Outlet.

Any helpful tips is appreciated. Looking to buy a new wall oven.

11/9/2009 4:40:47 PM

Yeah.

That's how we've bought appliances my entire life. We go to sears or lowes and buy something. Gotta watch out for the bait and switch, though.

11/9/2009 5:04:27 PM

^^do you mean sears or sears outlet? apparently it does exist. (i didn't know this until now).

if you mean just plain sears, or lowes, or whatever. yeah i'm pretty sure the majority of people buy new appliances from big box retailers.

question: is english your second language? just curious. not trying to be mean/sarcastic.

11/9/2009 5:06:56 PM

No, a Sears Appliance Outlet store. What's the catch, I wonder...

And no English is not my second language.

Usually when I post in the day, it's during working hours, so I try to be as quick as I can in posting before my boss comes around. Sometimes I'll leave articles (grammar) out...I guess that's what you're catching in my sentence?

11/9/2009 5:50:50 PM

My brother is the manager at one of the hhgregg's and I have seen the best prices there and if you find it better somewhere else but like their service better or whatever they will match prices.

11/9/2009 8:35:52 PM

I heard you can negotiate the prices down at HHGregg's

11/9/2009 8:42:31 PM

^Yea basically it is up to the salesperson to a certain extent. They can drop the price but it comes out of their commission, and only until it gets to the price the store sets for them so they don't lose money obviously.

11/9/2009 9:51:26 PM

There used to be a Sears scratch and dent place near the airport in Greensboro and that is where my family bought all their appliances when I was a kid, I guess because they were heavily discounted and my grandfather has like a lifetime employee discount # that he can get us discounts with. I went there about 5 months ago to buy a washer and dryer and found that they were clearing the place out and I think merging it with the outlet place (in Charlotte maybe?). Anyways, the quality of the appliances are going to have more to do with the manufacturer than where you buy it. At Sears this gets real tricky, just because it's branded Kenmore doesn't mean that it was manufactured by them, you basically have to find a model # cross reference. I found one a while back and will post it here if I can find it again. The only thing I really remember is stay the hell the way from anything made by Frigidaire (as I said before it could be branded with any name at Sears, the model # matters).

EDIT

Ok here is one, I dunno how up to date it is though and I feel like there was a better one I found in the past...
http://www.appliance411.com/parts/sears.shtml

[Edited on November 10, 2009 at 8:05 AM. Reason : ]

11/10/2009 7:53:49 AM

They just opened a Sears Outlet connected to the Kmart on Bridford parkway (near Windover) in Greensboro. Maybe the one you used to go to moved there.

11/10/2009 9:36:46 AM

^Ah you are right.

http://www.news-record.com/blog/2009/10/20/entry/sears_outlet_store_opens_in_greensboro

The old one was kind of tucked away off Market St on Boeing or Cessna (or some airplane name) drive. It was like a repair/returns/processing center and if you never went in the building you would have never known that they sold anything.

As far as finding a good deal, it's mainly going to come down to luck. It just depends on what exactly the particular outlet has. I mean if they have 1 brand new oven with a giant scratch (or some dings) on the side from the shipping process, you might be able to get it for 40-60% off what it usually goes for. On the other hand, if it is just a customer return, it may only be a few hundred dollars off. If it is a discontinued or old model, it's hard to say where the price would fall.

[Edited on November 10, 2009 at 10:33 AM. Reason : ]

11/10/2009 10:29:13 AM

Didn't there also used to be a Sears outlet on Lawndale in Greensboro, next to that big hulking windowless brick building, where the Target is now? Though they sold all kinds of stuff, not just appliances.

I'm sure if you do your homework you can get some good stuff though. I don't know if Kenmore is as good these days as they once were, but my parents have a Kenmore dryer that is either 20 or 21 years old and still works like a champ. They're several years into their third washer in that same time span.

11/10/2009 10:48:31 AM