Where To Buy Home Appliances
by Ruby Bayan
Like most commodities in the free world, home appliances are for sale in more places than you probably imagine. And because you naturally want only the best dishwasher, toaster, microwave oven, or vacuum cleaner your hard-earned money can buy, you want to be sure you've checked all the vendors you can reach. So, before you say, "I'll take it", give yourself some time to check out what's available where. Here's where to look for home appliances:
Phonebook Flip through the pages on "appliances". You will find a list of household appliance centers, appliance warehouses, exclusive dealers, and even rent-to-own stores. You can also look for dealers listed under the specific appliance you're meaning to buy, like "Refrigerator," "Oven," or "Microwave."
Newspaper Ads and Flyers The Sunday paper is always teeming with classifieds and traditional print ads. You will catch the latest appliance sale flyers and inserts, as well as personal ads for trade-ins or used household appliances, in your local paper.
Online Stores More and more people are shopping online because most major vendors have online stores where people can virtually browse products and submit orders. With the growing versatility of online shopping, you can compare the prices of different vendors offering the same product, you can explore different models, and even take advantage of special "hot" deals. Type up the word "appliances" on your favorite search engine and check out the resulting links. You will be surprised at the world of buying options you will have at your fingertips.
Online Auctions An alternative to direct online shopping is by acquiring your desired appliance through auction sites. It may take a little getting used to, but online auction can be your way of owning the particular household appliance you've always wanted -- at a give-away price. Some prominent auction sites are eBay, Egghead, Yahoo Auctions, and Auction Universe, among many others. Internet Auction List has integrated the hundreds of auctions sites online.
The Mall Your local shopping mall will surely have appliance stores in its directory, if not in its vicinity. Superstores like American Appliance, Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, Walmart, and Wards, are scattered all over the USA and carry a wide range of brand name appliances you can choose from. Small appliances are also available in supermarkets and grocery stores.
Bulletin Boards You will find bulletin boards at the supermarket, the mall, and your apartment complex clubhouse. People who want to dispose of their appliances (used or otherwise) sometimes post handwritten notices on these bulletin boards. Most of the items are at rock-bottom "need to sell" prices. You may find exactly the appliance you need by just making a phone call to a bulletin board advertiser.
Your Mailbox Warehouse sales, weekend offers, and holiday specials are usually announced to local residents via mass mailers. If you're on the lookout for once-in-a-blue-moon deals, you may discover a great opportunity spelled out in what could look like junk mail. Check them out before you throw these mailers away.
Garage Sales While you're on the road and have some time to spare, you may want to follow that "Garage Sale" sign. Who knows, the folks may be trying to get rid of the microwave oven you so desperately want to own.
Here in the USA, you'll be pretty excited to discover so many gadgets, innovations, and "high-tech" housewares for every type of home and lifestyle. I can spend hours exploring what appliance I want to own next. It can be overwhelming, but here's one thing I learned: don't be too in a hurry to grab the first home appliance you see. Give yourself a week or two to check your mail, read the ads, surf the net, or go for a drive. With a little patience and a good eye for quality, you will soon be the proud owner of the best piece of home appliance your money can buy -- and exactly the one you've always wanted.
[First published at New2USA.com, 2000]
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