How to buy appliances with scratches and dents

Does the term scratch and dent appliances sound familiar? If you've ever hunted home bargains for big-tickets, it'll be. Scratch and dent refers to brand new , large appliances sold by third party retailers at heavy discounts. These appliances are ideally perfect. They 're fresh off the assembly line, unused and as designed, they function.

The only difference is that at some point their external packaging got damaged. The only issue with such appliances is, in theory, slight and merely cosmetic. Any scratches or dents are often minor, and out of sight.

You can get a fridge, stove, or washer in mint condition for a used appliance price by purchasing a scratch and dent device. If you're lucky you might be able to snatch something off its retail cost for 40 to 60 percent.

But as with any sweet-sounding deal, there are a couple of catches. Don't expect any deliveries of white gloves. Deleting old appliances and installing new ones is your problem. And this is for starters only.

Buying appliances with scratches and dents

Pros

• May be much better than supermarket
• Occasionally requires a regular, manufacturer-honored guarantee
• Damage to the appliances could be minor and external (cosmetic)

Cons

• Appliance could become a lemon
• It is your duty to mount and uninstall these

If you've ever found the scratch and dent way of shopping an appliance, you've come to the right spot. Below I outlined the steps to be taken to get a scratch and dent appliance so you can save any headaches on yourself.

Decide if you are first in the business

Just like grocery shopping when you are hungry, without a plan, don't stroll into a scratch and dent store. You could end up with something that you don't need, if you do. First, figure out as many details as possible. Narrow down your desired type of appliance. That could be a refrigerator, a dishwasher, a washer, what do you have. Set something else right out.

Next, make a list of features, and give them priority. For example, an in-door water dispenser may be your must-have item in a refrigerator. Perhaps you have a thing to load laundry machines at the front. Of stainless steel, or a pearl-white finish, you can feel the same. Whatever your boat floats, know before you're off.

Examine future appliances carefully

If you find something tempting, take careful inspection. Look for any dents or scratches which are visible. Hopefully, if you spot something, it's on the back or sides of the appliance, as it's hard to see tiny blemishes in those places. On the front of a fridge or stove, you could find small, but more visible scratches or dents. That could be enough to make you think twice about a buy.

The cracks in the glass surfaces are worse than scratches. If you run through this, especially in displays or control panels, then you should large appliance sales rule it out. Not only is it dangerous, but these controls and screens may soon fail, and they're costly to fix.

Check your prices

Still looking like a deal for your prospective appliance? Check the price tag to make sure it is. Compare the store's offer against the suggested retail price from the manufacturer. It should be slightly discounted, to 40 to 60 per cent.

If that's not the case, think again about your purchase. If you wait long enough the retail model 's price will plummet.

Comprehend the risk

Buying products with scratches and dents is a gamble. No matter how careful you might be, you might be ending up with a computer that continually breaks down, requiring costly parts and repairs. Having appliances backed by approved, manufacturer-honored warranties pays off.

Confirm at least that, if things go south, you can exchange a lemon machine for store credit. It is a smart idea to consider shelling out, beyond the normal 1 year coverage, on an extended service contract.

Put on the DIY attitude

This isn't for everyone to buy a scratch and crack gadget. In fact, for most people it is not. This is a complete and total DIY effort from beginning to finish.

Second, you'll need to dig out your old gadget and take it away by yourself. When your new appliance with scratch and dent arrives, you'll install it too. That may mean fiddling with or all of the dryer vents, water pipes, electrical wiring, circuit breakers.

If you're not onboard with any of these, drop the idea before getting into too deep. If you pull everything off, you 're going to have a lot of bragging rights — and you're going to save a bundle as well. It's your choice.