At a Glance:
What Are Clearance Appliances?
Are Clearance Appliances Low Quality?
How Much Can You Save with Clearance Appliances?
When Can You Find Clearance Appliances?
Find “Clearance Appliances Near Me”
The only thing better than adding new appliances to your home is getting a great deal on your chosen items. Everyone loves saving money while still purchasing their favorite brands and the top models they expect. However, some buyers worry that purchasing appliances at a discount might mean not getting the quality they expect. Are clearance appliances worth investing in or is this a sign that there’s something wrong?
We’re busting the myths that clearance appliances lack the quality that you expect for your kitchen, bathroom, and home. Here are a few things to know if you want to save money while appliance shopping.
What Are Clearance Appliances?
Clearance appliances are the final models that brands have left before they debut their new options and styles for the year. The best way to understand clearance appliances is to look at the manufacturing cycle of companies. Here’s how it works:
- Companies design and test new models for the coming year. Right now, companies are testing models for the following year.
- Once testing is complete, these models are produced and shipped to stores. At the turn of the new year, the newest models usually hit showrooms and warehouses.
- Customers buy quality models throughout the year. Companies might manufacture more of the same model if demand is high.
- At the end of the year, stores discount items to clear out inventory. This year, brands are trying to sell current appliance models to make room for the next season’s models.
- Stores place unsold items on clearance. As soon as these clearance models are gone, stores replace the space with new, full-price models for the current year.
Supply and demand determine how many clearance appliances are available. For example, there was a shortage of refrigerators during the COVID-19 pandemic, which means there weren’t many refrigerator clearance items left. However, if a company overproduces refrigerators, there might be more clearance appliances sales at the end of this year.
Are Clearance Appliances Low Quality?
It’s a misconception that clearance appliances are low-quality or unwanted units. An item sold on clearance is more affected by supply and demand than the actual quality of the item. Customers should seek out clearance appliances if they want a good deal and find models and brands they trust.
✔ For example: Let’s say LG produced double the number of dishwashers than customers wanted over the course of the year. It suddenly needs to make room for new models and needs to at least break even on the extra units. Purchasers might discover that there are a lot of LG clearance dishwashers one year because of overproduction. The next year there might not be as many if LG produces fewer units.
There are times, however, when the units in the clearance section are of low quality. If customers find that a particular model doesn’t perform well, they might leave negative reviews of the product. This could dissuade buyers from choosing that model or buying from that brand, creating a surplus of units that need to be placed on clearance. If you decide to shop at an appliance clearance sale, take the time to read customer reviews. You want to make sure the item you buy is highly rated and wasn’t placed on clearance because of unpopularity.
Related: Discount Appliances Still Provide Tremendous Value
How Much Can You Save with Clearance Appliances?
When you look at the clearance section of appliance stores, you might see a variety of discount levels. The electric dryer clearance prices might be 50 percent off while the gas dryer clearance prices are only 30% off. Why? Appliance sales are driven by a variety of factors. Here are a few elements that affect clearance prices:
- Brand: Stores and brands have limits for how steeply items can be discounted. A luxury brand like Miele might only be sold on clearance for 10 percent off.
- Price: Appliance stores still want to make a profit on appliance sales — or at least break even. Some brands might have smaller discounts if the items cost a lot for the store to buy.
- Demand: If suppliers know that there is high demand for items, they won’t feel the need to discount units steeply. However, if there is a surplus of items, the clearance prices might be lower.
- Duration: New clearance items might only be discounted by 10-20 percent. However, if an item goes unsold for two months, the discount might drop to 30 percent and eventually 50 percent a few months later. The longer an item goes unsold, the cheaper it usually is.
This means you can’t guarantee clearance appliances that are 50-75 percent off. Instead, you might find some in-demand units that have small discounts and other units that are priced to sell.
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Shop NowWhen Can You Find Clearance Appliances?
While you can find clearance appliances throughout the year, there are a few key periods when you should look out for these items. Use this seasonal guide to learn when to look for appliance discounts and deals:
- Spring: This is the hardest time to find appliance discounts. New models are on the shelves and selling at full price. Check reliable providers (like us, East Coast Appliance) if you want to find a deal.
- Summer: Many appliances are still selling at full price during the summer, unless they are discounted for holidays. Use Memorial Day and the 4th of July to find deals.
- Fall: This is when the majority of appliance discounts occur. Vendors will start offering sales during Labor Day and Black Friday. Items might be discounted outside of the holidays to prepare for the new models.
- Winter: Manufacturers want to make room for new appliances in the Spring. Take advantage of holiday sales in December and clearance items in January. This is the best time to get a deal.
Unfortunately, not every homeowner can wait until the perfect time to buy new appliances. If your washer is broken now, you need to buy a new appliance to do laundry. Look for clearance washing machines regardless of the month. This is a good place to start your search even if you end up buying a full-price model.
Find “Clearance Appliances Near Me”
There are other ways to save on appliances if you don’t find the items you want on clearance. Check out the scratch and dent section of East Coast if you don’t mind appliances that have a few cosmetic issues.
Scratch and dent items work just as well as any appliance on the showroom floor. However, they might have been bumped during transit and have a few dings, scratches, or dents in them. Most of these issues are unnoticeable but store owners still don’t want them displayed in the store. Instead, they discount the items and sell them as scratch and dent units.
You can find scratch and dent units throughout the year — even in the spring. If stores are receiving a large shipment of appliances, there might be a few scratch and dent models added to this department.
If you are okay living with appliances that have a few cosmetic issues, then you can save some money in the scratch and dent section.
No matter what your budget, style, or needs, when it comes to clearance appliances, Virginia homeowners trust East Coast Appliance. On top of being the largest independent appliance dealer in the area, we also have a wide selection of products for every kind of household. To explore more, such as our in-house appliance financing, appliance promos, and more, visit us today or shop online!
Learn More: How Do Appliance Rebates Work?
FAQs
Before you go, take a moment to consider some of these questions we’ve gotten from our shoppers.
Are some brands sold on clearance more than others?
Each brand comes to an agreement with store owners on how items can be sold. While some luxury brands don’t want their units to be sold for clearance prices, they might have to list them for cheaper in order to make room for newer models. Almost every brand that doesn't sell out of last year’s models will see their units on this year’s clearance shelves.
Can you buy clearance items online?
Yes. East Coast Appliance has a dedicated clearance page where you can buy discounted items that they want to sell quickly. While East Coast has a scratch and dent section, you will need to see these items in person to make sure the cosmetic damages are acceptable before buying them.
Why Trust East Coast Appliance?
Locally owned and operated since 1988, East Coast Appliance is the largest independent appliance dealer in Virginia. We sell it ALL — from new name-brand appliances to scratch-and-dent appliances to our very own refurbished appliances. Aside from our huge selection of every major brand and everyday low prices, what sets us apart from our competitors is that we service what we sell and that we are locally owned and operated with factory-trained associates. And if you’re a local, great news: East Coast Appliance is committed to providing the absolute lowest prices on the same available brand and model — simply bring in the ad of the local retail competitor while the lower price is in effect and you'll receive your price match.
Shop Clearance Appliances at East Coast
There is a reason we are dubbed “The Discount King” — for unbeatable deals, shop clearance appliances online at East Coast Appliance. Our friendly associates are always happy to help you find the perfect clearance appliances and other items for your home, whether you call us or use our online chat feature. Better yet, stop by one of our showrooms to see why we are the best appliance store in Virginia. Visit us today!
Learn More: How to Save Money When Buying Appliances