August 2008
Best appliance stores
Champs in price & support
AT YOUR SERVICE
Independent appliance stores scored well with subscribers in our survey for customer service, including help over the phone and in-home support.
Independent appliance stores scored well with subscribers in our survey for customer service, including help over the phone and in-home support.
Amazon.com, for the third year, was readers’ top choice for small-appliance price and selection, while a new name to our best
appliance stores Ratings (available to subscribers), retailer Abt Electronics, was a top scorer for major appliances, mainly for selection.
Yet the customers of small, independent stores were much more likely than those who went to big chains to get major-appliance support without enduring exasperating phone calls.
To help you make appliance shopping a breeze, we enlisted more than 20,000 subscribers, who reported on their experiences buying upward of 35,000 small and major appliances. In another survey, we asked about respondents’ efforts to contact retailers and manufacturers about almost 15,000 major appliances.
Amazon.com won a following with free shipping on many small appliances not sold through partners (our category included grills, vacuum cleaners, and air conditioners), and smaller independent stores were cited for service and checkout ease. For major appliances, Abt Electronics, of Glenview, Ill., earned high marks; it also ships many items free. But when it came to service and support, independent stores outscored all major retailers and manufacturers.
More than 85 percent of the requests for support in the survey were made by phone call to the manufacturer or retailer. Far fewer who’d purchased from an independent retailer and called that business ran into difficulties with automated voice systems, were bounced from one person to another, or couldn’t reach a technician without making several calls. Other highlights of our surveys include these findings:
Lowe’s edges out Home Depot. While neither stood out among the competitors for product support, Lowe's generally outscored Home Depot for product selection and shopping ease, which includes maneuvering around displays and finding people to answer questions. Readers also found Lowe's faster during checkout for a major-appliance purchase.
Mixed results for Sears. While respondents overall were very satisfied, Sears alone scored below average for its major-appliance pricing, despite a price-competition guarantee. Sears was among the better major companies for service and support, regardless of whether the brand was from the retailer’s own Kenmore line or another manufacturer.
Premium products, same support. General Electric stood out for its Web site for customer support, according to our subscribers, but it otherwise scored average at solving problems. Problem-solving was similar for GE’s high-end Monogram kitchen appliances. Service calls go through personnel trained on all GE lines, says Chuck Dawes, product manager for GE Monogram.
Low marks for Maytag. Acquired by Whirlpool in 2006, the company continues to promote its selection of a new “repairman,” who doesn’t seem to have enough repair work to keep him busy. But Maytag earned among the lowest scores when it came to dealing with real-life complaints. (See “Give this guy a wrench.”)
Yet the customers of small, independent stores were much more likely than those who went to big chains to get major-appliance support without enduring exasperating phone calls.
To help you make appliance shopping a breeze, we enlisted more than 20,000 subscribers, who reported on their experiences buying upward of 35,000 small and major appliances. In another survey, we asked about respondents’ efforts to contact retailers and manufacturers about almost 15,000 major appliances.
Amazon.com won a following with free shipping on many small appliances not sold through partners (our category included grills, vacuum cleaners, and air conditioners), and smaller independent stores were cited for service and checkout ease. For major appliances, Abt Electronics, of Glenview, Ill., earned high marks; it also ships many items free. But when it came to service and support, independent stores outscored all major retailers and manufacturers.
More than 85 percent of the requests for support in the survey were made by phone call to the manufacturer or retailer. Far fewer who’d purchased from an independent retailer and called that business ran into difficulties with automated voice systems, were bounced from one person to another, or couldn’t reach a technician without making several calls. Other highlights of our surveys include these findings:
Lowe’s edges out Home Depot. While neither stood out among the competitors for product support, Lowe's generally outscored Home Depot for product selection and shopping ease, which includes maneuvering around displays and finding people to answer questions. Readers also found Lowe's faster during checkout for a major-appliance purchase.
Mixed results for Sears. While respondents overall were very satisfied, Sears alone scored below average for its major-appliance pricing, despite a price-competition guarantee. Sears was among the better major companies for service and support, regardless of whether the brand was from the retailer’s own Kenmore line or another manufacturer.
Premium products, same support. General Electric stood out for its Web site for customer support, according to our subscribers, but it otherwise scored average at solving problems. Problem-solving was similar for GE’s high-end Monogram kitchen appliances. Service calls go through personnel trained on all GE lines, says Chuck Dawes, product manager for GE Monogram.
Low marks for Maytag. Acquired by Whirlpool in 2006, the company continues to promote its selection of a new “repairman,” who doesn’t seem to have enough repair work to keep him busy. But Maytag earned among the lowest scores when it came to dealing with real-life complaints. (See “Give this guy a wrench.”)
