senior Scoops

Do your homework

Appliances are “big ticket” items. Most people go to a store they are comfortable with look around, find something fits their budget and needs, then they buy it. Senior citizens especially those on a tight and fixed budget tend to be a bit more cautious. A lot of us wait for a sale before we go out a put down our cash. But, buyer beware, sale prices are not always the amazing bargains they are cracked up to be.

Case in point, our recent purchase of a new electric range.

My wife wanted a new stove. We finally decided it was time and hit the stores. She is not a person who requires a lot of bells and whistles. The one thing she did insist on was a self-cleaning oven. That’s it.

Lowe’s

We got to the appliance section and saw several models that would work for us. They all had a list price with a big black line through it and a sale price in big red numbers.

My wife said let’s get someone to help us. The only people around were a couple of employees deep in conversation with each other. Eventually, their talk broke up and one asked if we needed help. “We want info on the ranges” –“Not my department, let me find someone.” The appliance guy finally showed up, somewhat annoyed that we took him away from something more important. We settled on a Hisense model with a self-cleaning feature and air fryer.

• Range —-$749.
• Delivery/installation/ Haul Away (old unit)—$250—-Total $999.
• + Tax
• Pros: Large selection on hand
• Cons: Poor customer service, expensive to deliver

Wow that is a lot to deliver. Installation is no more than plugging it in.

Thanks, “We’re going to think about it”

Salesperson: “Whatever”

Costco

We went to their small appliance section and saw maybe four models on display. We saw one that would fit our needs. An associate walked by and asked if we needed help–we did. 10-seconds later a very knowledgeable and pleasant salesperson was with us. It turns out the one we were looking at was well beyond our price range. We would have to look at something online. The salesperson very patiently walked us through the process. We went home armed with the information needed. We bought a “Mora” brand. I never heard of it before, but given Costco’s commitment to quality and unmatched return policy, we were willing to give it a try. Same options, self-cleaning, and air fryer.

• Range—-$799
• Delivery/installation/Haul Away—FREE—Total $799
• + Tax
• Pros: Service with a smile, Free Delivery
• Cons: Small selection on hand

Conclusion

I will admit I am a Costco devotee, I am a sucker for their $4.99 chicken and $1.50 hot dogs/soda. Chicken and franks aside they treat their customers like adults and appreciate our business. But, I never would have thought of them for an appliance. I am grateful that Lowe’s was so indifferent to our business and sent us packing.

An hour after our trip to the store we bought our new stove at Costco.

Costco vs. Lowe’s —–Costco in a landslide!

—————————————————-

If you found this article helpful and informative, please consider sharing it.

Sign up on my homepage to have new articles sent directly to your e-mail.

Thank You!