It occurred to me a few days ago that the third anniversary of this blog has passed. It was just over three years ago that I was asked to write a blog about Manny's and the appliance industry in general. I've really enjoyed putting these pieces together. I've been happy to see readership (or what the Digital Marketers call "hits") slowly but steadily increasing over time, and the feedback I've received has been generally positive.
When I started writing this, I decided early on where I wanted to focus, and also what I would avoid.
For example, I didn't want to "rate" or compare appliances between brands. If you're looking for that type of comparative analysis, such as one finds in Consumer Reports, hundreds of sites will provide that service (some of more value than others.)
I also decided not to place too much focus on segments of the market such as luxury appliances or double-wall ovens that appeal to a relatively small percentage of the public. I have discussed these categories a few times, but only as an "overview."
I also decided not to get negative and wouldn't trash brands, competitors, or particular products. (I actually wrote a pretty scathingly negative piece on a certain brand about a year ago, but shelved it.)
My goal has been to try and help the majority of our customers; someone who is looking for a mid to upper level appliance, who is trying to make a good decision that fits his or her taste, requirements, and in many cases their budget. I've tried to bring up the very questions we would be asking if you came into our store (space limits on a refrigerator, fuel type for laundry or cooking, how you plan on using the product, to name a few), and also have tried to show the process involved in putting together a kitchen package. Hopefully that has helped you to be better informed about the purchase you are making, be it a single replacement piece or an entire kitchen.
I've also tried to point out some of the advantages that working with a local retailer like Manny's can offer, specifically better product knowledge and customer service, fast reaction times when it comes to delivery (or if issues develop as well!), and pricing that is at least competitive, and often more aggressive than those ubiquitously located "Big Box" stores.
Wrapping this up, I'd like to thank the 35,000 or so people who have wandered onto this blog for your time and interest!
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As anyone who gets exposed to the onslaught of advertising currently found on TV, radio, social media, and the Internet probably knows, Memorial Day sales are in progress. In past years these sales have often extended right through the July 4 holiday period, which has traditionally been one of the two biggest promotional periods of the year (Black Friday - really Black November these days- being the other.) Right now, discounts from manufacturers in every appliance category are passed down to retailers like Manny's, and business for us (and yes, for other retailers as well) increases from mid-May through early July.
Unfortunately, anyone who listens to or reads the news is all too aware of the pressure on retail pricing the last year or so. Whether it's my iced coffee at Dunkin', the cost of filling my car with petrol, or the price of staples such as beef in a supermarket or restaurant, prices have been slowly creeping upward.
The appliance business has been subject to the same increases in materials, shipping, and in some cases, tariffs. Personally, I've been pleasantly surprised at how minimal the increases have been; if you had asked me at this time last year I would have predicted more substantial increases than what we've seen.
Having said that, these "upward pressures" continue, to the point that several manufacturers have cautioned us to be careful when quoting the end dates on any of our promotions.
So, what are we at Manny's doing to combat this, you ask? Well, we aren't passively sitting by and watching!
We've been aggressively reaching out to manufacturers (GE, Frigidaire, LG for example) to get special deals on appliances that we can then pass on to our customers at prices that in some cases blow away our competitors!
I'll give two examples:
These one-piece stack laundry units can be found in our Westfield scratch and dent outlet. None of these units has ever seen a customer's home! We have been able to negotiate with our distributor and several manufacturers to purchase large quantities of units that had either box damage or (very) minor cosmetic damage. These units all come with their original manufacturer's warranty, and have been priced anywhere from a third to half of normal retail!
Here's another example:
Shortly we will be receiving dozens of Electrolux front load washer - dryer pairs. The washer is a full size 4.5 cubic foot capacity with a reversible door, shorter than average cycle times, and are EnergyStar qualified. The dryer (we'll have both electric and gas) will be a giant 8.0 cubic foot capacity with multiple temperatures and even a steam refresh setting. We're going to be selling these sets for an incredible $999 for the pair!! ($1099 for the gas dryer, as gas dryers are always $100 more industry-wide than their electric twins). Quantities will be limited of course, but if this set fits what you're looking for, than these pieces are the proverbial "no-brainer"!
As always, Manny's offers rebates on kitchen packages, and we often have rebates that are exclusive to independent retailers that are not available to the Big Box retailers. I love pointing these out to my customers, as they are literally a "Thank you for buying local" rebate that we provide in addition to the national manufacturer rebates!
Now, since Covid-19 we have only seen rebates on multiple piece, or "suite", purchases. Well, not any more!! Beginning May 13 we're proud to offer $100 to $150 rebates on our most popular Kitchenaid dishwasher models. Kitchenaid has always been known for the quality, performance, and quietness of their dishwashers (in addition to being U.S. made and built!). Again, this rebate is only available to local, independently owned appliance retailers.
These are meant to be just a few examples of the ways we're attacking price increases. We're always trying to find ways to offer extra value to our customers.
So whether you're looking to replace an old appliance or considering upgrading/renovating/remodeling your kitchen, please reach out and speak to any of the sales professionals. We have showrooms in three states; addresses and contact info is on the front page of our website.
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