Stupid questions you need to ask when purchasing new appliances

**Hosakawa Tito** · 12-20-2006, 18:05

I needed a new stove and refrigerator. I checked the online consumer reports appliance section to get repair history info, features, and prices on the different manufacturers & models in order to make an informed decision before even leaving the house. Found the best deal with the place that I have bought most of my past appliances.

They delivered and set up my new fridge and stove yesterday no problems...yet.

I wanted to broil a steak for dinner and discovered that my new stove, Frigidaire, doesn't come with a broiler pan & insert. However, there's a manufacturers' mail in coupon for a free broiler pan & insert, just include $5.95 for shipping and handling, and allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.

How stupid is that. They're willing to give it to me for free anyway, so why not include it with the stove upon delivery. That's like selling me a new car without headlights, telling me I can send in a coupon for free ones, just don't drive your car at night for a month.

I went back to the appliance dealer this morning, I've known him for years, and talked to him about it. He told me many manufacturers are pulling these type of stunts recently. Beginning in 2007, new Whirlpool washing machines will not be supplied with the hoses and connectors to hook up the waterlines. Needless to say I will not be buying any appliances from such companies as these, and I'll ask such heretofore obvious & taken-for granted questions as "does this appliance come with the needed hardware & parts" to have full use at delivery. I won't buy it if the answer's no.

I stopped off at Walmart and bought a broiler pan, Frigidaire can shove their free one.

**Ser Clegane** · 12-20-2006, 18:17

Sounds like a very silly attempt by the manufacturers to earn/safe some extra bucks.
I wonder if this actually works - while they might safe some money by not supplying some extra pieces (also because even if they would give it for free some customers just will not bother), disgruntling customers (like you) might easily cancel these profits out.

Reminds me of the case when I had to take US Airways for a flight back from the US. At that time I had to take an economy flight since it was for a training and I had to find out that the charged 5$ for the headset to watch the movies during the flight (first time that happened to me).
Made me wonder if they attract enough customers by making the price tag for the flight 5$ lower to make up for those who might not want to fly US Airways again (like me) because charging an extra 5$ for the movie on a long distance flight just gives a subjective impression of very bad service.

**Fragony** · 12-20-2006, 18:22

Originally Posted by Hosakawa Tito

and refrigerator.

Was dat

**Kanamori** · 12-20-2006, 18:24

Well, they do send fewer free ones via mail than they would have to include otherwise. My guess is that it actually ends up being a fairly significant number that they don't have to produce, because people don't want one to begin with, go somewhere else, or already have one. Whether or not w/holding the broiler pan is worth the association it leaves in their customers' minds is really anyone's guess; they probably know more though, through complaints, drops in sales maybe related, money saved, or otherwise.

Either the practice of not having so many accessories included that people may already have is going to spread to most all companies, or it will be a failed venture because the rest of the companies won't take part... those market games they play with each other...

**English assassin** · 12-20-2006, 18:39

two words: mailing list.

**Don Corleone** · 12-20-2006, 19:05

Hosakawa-san,
I understand and appreciate your frustration, but I think you're expectation is a bit high on Frigidare in this case. In fact, they don't offer you any other cooking implements, such as a frying pan or pots. I will grant you the broiler pan has come to be seen as a required extra, but in fact, you're making the argument for never adding in extras.... people come to see them as required.

Also, I suspect that EA has hit the nail on the head. They want your personal information, probably to resell to junk mailing lists.

**Hosakawa Tito** · 12-20-2006, 20:17

Hehehe, Don you sure know how to throw a little cold water on a self-righteous fit of pique.

They certainly don't have to provide me with a broiler-pan, even though it has been a standard included piece for stoves over the 25+ years that I have been buying them. I also don't have to buy their product in the future, and won't, when treated in such an underhanded way.The intuitive EA has nailed the real reason, because the coupon also asks, seemingly innocently enough, "oh by the way, what's your email address?" I don't appreciate the back door tactics to pimp my address to the purveyors of spam. I'm not playing that game, and if more consumers will complain to them about it, maybe it would nip these tactics in the bud. I can be a mulish s.o.b, and if they want some info, they'll get some, but probably not the info they had in mind.