I decided that since I couldn't afford the creme de la creme of stoves, I would at least do some research to get the best stove I could buy, for the price I could afford. Here is what happened:
1. I goggled "best stove Toronto." Fortunately a consumer listing came up with 10 stoves compared on a scale of 1-10. This list was not only current, it also included prices!! I circled the top 3. I called my local appliance place, Home Depot, only to find out that they couldn't pull up the model number for the stove that scored 9.9 on the list.
2. I called Whirlpool, perhaps there had been a keying error. No, Whirlpool manufactured the stove, but it had been discontinued. Perhaps they thought that they were giving us too much of a good thing for the amazing price of $469.00 CAD.
3. For some reason I was having trouble locating the second stove and it was pricier anyway. The third stove was a Sears' model, I wasn't sure about, since the stove that quit on me was a Sears'.
4. Armed with my consumer report, I decided to drop into a few places to get something comparable. Home Depot had a GE model for $448.00. I hesitated. I'm a bear for punishment. Obviously I hadn't driven around enough, waited in line enough for the few listless salespeople there were out there, or kicked enough ovens :) to buy something just yet. I needed to beat myself or the stoves up a bit more! (You get put in jail, if you beat up salespeople :)
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Virgin Stove! |
5. I came home and looked on line at a few more stores. One showroom, not that far away had the same GE stove at $439.00. I drove over the next day. It would have been a done deal, but they couldn't deliver for 3 or 4 weeks. How could I cook Thanksgiving turkey (Oct.14) without a stove?
6. I went to another Home Depot in the area. They had the ubiquitous GE model, but it was now $668.00. I thought that there had to be a mistake!! I rushed back to my first Home Depot only to find that the same stove, in the same place, had gone up by $200.00 in less than 24 hours. We have inflation - but this is ridiculous!!
7. I complained!! I was told that the sale was over and I was out of luck!! I didn't even realize that it was on sale!! This is when I played the ace up my sleeve. Home Depot had a sign that said, if I found the same stove at a lower price, they would match it and take off another 10%. I pointed them on-line to the appliance store that had the model listed for $439.00!! There was some mumbling and grumbling, but they honoured their policy and sold me the stove for $404.00. Now I had to pay shipping and tax, but I would have had to pay that anywhere. In the end, I was very glad that I had done my research.
Touché, my new stove arrived today!! Now to tackle the other slings and arrows!!
Have a wonderful day!!
Do you offer consultancy services in the UK/ :)
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