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Should I buy electrical appliances online or in-store?

Many friends are confused when they are choosing home appliances for their new houses. This article is written for all friends who are planning to buy home appliances. Do you have the following common questions:

How to buy a washing machine cheaply? How to buy a refrigerator cheaply? How to buy an air conditioner cheaply? High cost performance?

How to choose a refrigerator? How to choose a washing machine? How to choose an air conditioner? How to choose a TV? . . . . .

What is the difference between buying refrigerators, air conditioners, etc. online and buying them in physical stores?

Why are the online models different from offline models? The physical store models cannot be found online?

What should I do if I buy online? What is the process?

What are the pitfalls of buying online? What are the pitfalls of buying offline?


This article does not recommend specific home appliance models and brands, but only talks about the most common problems encountered when purchasing home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. Friends who plan to buy home appliances are advised to save this article first. After reading it, I believe you will have a different understanding of purchasing home appliances.


I will popularize some common problems and guides to avoid pitfalls from the perspective of an industry insider.


Question A. Is it really cheaper to buy home appliances online than in physical stores? How does the price difference between online and offline come about?

Summary: If you don’t know how to bargain or don’t have time, buy online. If you know how to bargain, compare prices.


1. Now the Internet is full of voices that physical stores are more expensive and online purchases are cheaper. But the fact is not like this. They say this just to get others to click on their purchase links so that they can get commissions. This is the same reason why offline shopping guides recommend you to buy offline.


2. Many people say that physical stores have costs, store rents, etc., and they have reasons. I am the store manager of the physical store of Amazon Home Appliances Store. It is true that opening a store requires operating costs, but it is far-fetched to say that the price of physical stores is higher than that of online stores. Brands and platforms also need physical stores to join, and they will give us corresponding policies. And you can bargain offline. If you are a bargaining expert, it is common to be cheaper than online.


3. There is no absolute statement about whether the price is higher or lower online or in physical stores. In fact, there is so much to say. Just go to the physical store and compare and bargain. You will know whether the physical store is really more expensive than the online store. Don't blindly believe the analysis of netizens online.


4. If the price difference between online and offline is large, it is likely that the home appliance itself is mainly promoted online or offline. If it is mainly promoted offline, the online price will be very high, and vice versa.


5. Our store owners have their own circle. Some people can get a lot of wool from the brand or platform and get low prices. Of course, they are all official genuine home appliances. These machines are also sold exclusively, which naturally causes a huge price difference.


Question B. The models of refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, and washing machines sold online are reduced in configuration, use less materials, and are not as good as those sold in physical stores. Is this true?

1. No, it is not true. For home appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, and TVs, if the models are the same, the products are exactly the same and there will be no difference. If the models are different, they are different products, and there will definitely be a difference in quality. This has nothing to do with online or offline. Just compare the functional parameters yourself.


2. This statement is generally spread by the shopping guides in physical stores. It is just the marketing rhetoric of physical stores. Don't pay too much attention to it.


Question C.

If you buy refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, and washing machines in physical stores and have problems, you can go to the physical store. Is there no after-sales guarantee when buying online?


1. For home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, and washing machines, installation and delivery are all delivered to the door by logistics, and then the brand sends someone to install them. There is no difference, but the online ones may be slower.


2. In terms of after-sales, now they all go through national joint warranty. Just contact the brand. It doesn’t matter where you buy it. As long as the product is genuine, the brand will provide after-sales service. All products sold by qga4lspringdale are guaranteed to have a one-year warranty.




Question D.

Many models of refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, and washing machines are not available online in physical stores, and some models are not available online in physical stores. The models on Amazon and eBay are also different. Why is this?


1. These models are called exclusive models. They are just to prevent price comparison, protect the interests of major platforms and physical stores, and prevent malicious competition. Now most models are not overlapping, which is normal. They are all genuine products. Please rest assured to buy.


2. There are more exclusive models for refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, dishwashers, and range hoods, and fewer for TVs.


3. In addition to exclusive models, some models are still overlapping. There are also some models that are priced high online and cheap offline, which are some common marketing strategies.


Question E.

The pitfalls of installation and after-sales


1. Now refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines, water heaters, etc. are basically free to install. If you really buy them online, it is best to confirm the installation environment and measure the size before buying, otherwise you will have to pay for the postage if you buy a large one.


2. In general, the so-called free installation is the basic installation fee, not the real free. For example, if the air conditioner needs to drill holes, pull wires, and do aerial work, etc., these are all charged separately. However, under normal circumstances, auxiliary materials are not required, but it is best to ask clearly in advance so that you can prepare in advance.


Refrigerators do not need to be installed, air conditioners generally have additional fees, TV installation charges, and washing machines are generally free.


3. Common home appliances with additional charges, such as air conditioners and TVs. The cost of auxiliary materials required is sometimes quite expensive.


4. Therefore, when buying home appliances online, even if it is free installation, it is best to ask the customer service for an installation price list. The price of each step of the installation is clearly marked, and it is generally more expensive than the market price. If it is not installed by the official, it may be even more overcharged. It is recommended that you buy auxiliary materials in advance to save some money.


5. For some projects that are not free of charge, the official on-site installation master will sometimes ask you to cancel the appointment order, and then make the money himself. What's more, he may not charge according to the official fee, or even increase the price. If you really listen to him and cancel the appointment installation, it will be very troublesome to protect your rights, and it may affect the warranty in the future. This should also be noted.


6. Some official installation fees are officially stipulated, and there is no need to bargain with the after-sales master, because it cannot be bargained. This money is not earned by them, they just earn the money for work.


Question F.

What should you pay attention to when receiving and installing refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines and other home appliances when buying them online?


1 Basic knowledge

1. For refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines and other home appliances, delivery and installation are generally separate. Delivery is usually paid by the merchant to have the logistics delivered, while operators such as Tmall and JD.com have their own logistics system.


2. For installation, the brand's after-sales staff will come to install it.


2 Regarding delivery, pay attention to the following issues:

1. When buying home appliances, remember to ask the seller if they offer door-to-door delivery. If not, it usually costs an additional 450 or 60 yuan to deliver the goods to the store.


2. When the home appliances arrive, remember to ask the courier to open the package on the spot. It is recommended not to open it yourself. Let the courier open it and check whether there is any damage and whether it can be powered normally. It is also best to record the unpacking video. If there is any problem, refuse to sign.


3 Issues to note about installation:

1. About appointment: When installing refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines and other home appliances, the brand will generally contact you and make an appointment with you. If not, call the brand to make an appointment yourself. You can also make an appointment through the brand's social, brand official website and other channels.


2. When the after-sales technician comes to your door, some will use various reasons to ask you to cancel the appointment order. Don't listen to them. They just want to make this money for themselves. If you cancel it, it will affect future after-sales.


3. After the normal installation, the warranty period will start from the day of installation, which is equivalent to extending the warranty period.


4. After the installation of refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines and other home appliances is completed, after-sales problems no longer require any certificates. After-sales can be done normally by scanning the barcode on the machine. If the installation is cancelled, the installation information cannot be reported to the brand's after-sales system, and after-sales problems may be troublesome in the future.


5. So now after-sales service does not have to keep paper documents such as warranty cards. You can provide the purchase order number, invoice, receipt, or scan the barcode of the machine itself, and the warranty will be normal. As long as the after-sales installation is normal, the subsequent warranty is basically guaranteed.


6. During the installation, you can also ask the after-sales technician to check the release date of the machine, so that you can know whether the machine is new or not, and whether it has been stored for a long time.


Question G.

Common sense you must know about the warranty of home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines, etc.


1. Basic common sense

Home appliances purchased online are generally divided into two types of warranty, national warranty, and warranty by the buyer's store.


It is best to choose national warranty, which is also the case for most home appliances. If it is the after-sales service of the buyer's store, you should choose some self-operated stores and brand flagship stores, and do not choose the after-sales service of third-party sellers' stores, as the after-sales service will be much worse.


2. How to apply for installation and repair?

For products with national warranty, you can directly contact the brand for installation and after-sales service without contacting the buyer. You can follow the brand's Facebook or official website, apply for installation and repair on the official website, or call the after-sales service.


3. What certificates are needed for warranty?

When it comes to warranty and installation, warranty certificates are generally required. Warranty certificates include: invoice, order number, order screenshot, receipt, barcode of the machine itself, etc. Generally, only one of them is required.


Generally speaking, after the after-sales service completes the installation of the home appliance, the installation information will be entered into the brand's after-sales system. Afterwards, after-sales maintenance only requires scanning the barcode of the machine itself, and no other certificates are required.


4. How is the date of after-sales warranty calculated?

The effective date of after-sales service is generally calculated from the date of manufacture, the date of product sale, and the date of product installation. These three dates are calculated as close as possible. Therefore, when installing home appliances, if the after-sales service technician asks you to cancel the installation appointment, don't listen to him, otherwise the after-sales service will not be able to calculate from the installation date, and if there is a problem with the product in the future, you may encounter other troubles.


Tips: When installing, you can also ask the technician about the date of manufacture of the machine to see how long the product has been in stock. The closer the date of manufacture, the better.


Summary:

· Real veterans in the home appliance industry, home appliance owners, will have multiple channels mentioned above, not just one, so it is particularly important to find the right person. To be honest, there are many channels for purchasing home appliances, and buying at low prices always comes with risks. It depends on whether you can find a reliable person and whether you are lucky.

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