This section looks at buying washing machines online

People are starting to trust online shopping and it's currently booming. As with everything else, you can buy very cheap washing machines online but what are the pros and cons? Is buying a washing machine much different to buying a DVD online? Here are my thoughts on buying a washing machine online compared to buying one at a traditional store.

The three main choices when buying washing machines

1. Buy washing machine from a traditional shop or store, by visiting in person
2. Buy washing machine from an online web site that has no stores
3. Buy washing machine from an online web site created by and run by a traditional store

The first option needs little comment, we've all had much experience there. The second and third options however have a subtle but important difference. There are many online web sites selling washing machines, but only some of them have a physical store too. Famous stores like Currys, John Lewis & Comet have been forced to trade online and offer many items cheaper than you can buy them in their actual stores. This seems a little crazy, and people are often frustrated to find that if they physically turn up at one of these stores, they have to pay the store price, and cannot buy the washing machine at the company's web site price.

Ultimately the online store and the physical store are separate businesses, with different costs, and ironically, virtually competing with each other. However, the two cannot totally disassociate themselves from each other because they are trading under the same banner. Although run separately they are inextricably linked. If the household name stores don't have an online presence, offering washing machines (and of course everything else) at cheaper prices, then companies selling online only, are free to undercut them because they have far fewer overheads. It's a simple case of if you can't beat 'em - join 'em.

Anyone can sell washing machines online, even if they don't stock any

The Internet is incredible. If you can create a web site prominent enough, and put pictures and prices up where customers can buy, you don't need to physically stock any washing machines, nor ever deliver one. You could just take the orders and get someone else to deliver the washing machine (usually the manufacturer). If anything goes wrong with it, the washing machine manufacturers have their own service network to deal direct with the customer. You can sell cheaper washing machines because you have far less overheads.

While on the face of, cheaper prices are great for the shopper, you can sometimes be buying from a third party who is only really ordering the washing machine from the manufacturer as you place your order as opposed to sending one to you from their own stock and this can add delays and frustrations. The truth is that to a certain extent (and this applies mainly to certain types of goods) companies selling only online, with no shops, and far less staff, can be parasitical if they rely on people researching and seeing the product in an actual store (that they don't have) before buying. Many white goods retailers invest millions of pounds in large stores, stock, and in training staff (although not very well in many cases - one notable exception being John Lewis ). They often have dozens or hundreds of washing machines for us to look at, measure up, prod and poke and even see in action. If we use these stores, and the time and expertise of their staff to make a purchasing decision - but then go and buy it from an online seller that has only a fraction of the overheads - then eventually the stores may no longer survive.

The High street names have little choice but to set up competing web sites that not only compete with the online sellers, but with even their own stores at times. Where it will end no one knows but I've a feeling it's going to get increasingly difficult to sell online only and seriously undercut traditional stores because manufacturers of products like washing machines are realising that they need stores to display their washing machines properly. In the brown goods sector, traditional stores have already persuaded many manufacturers that they really need them to showcase their goods, and that the traditional stores need better trade prices to redress the balance. This is starting to happen.

Conclusion:

My personal feeling is that for me, as a consumer, although it's great to buy CD's DVD's books etc online because they are really suited to no-store-required selling, the best option for buying something big and complex, that could give breakdown problems is (if buying online) to buy from a company with traditional stores as well. The advantages I see are as follows -

1. Buying a washing machine from somewhere like Comet | Currys and especially John Lewis means I'm dealing with a company I know and have probably dealt with many times before.
2. If anything goes wrong, if necessary, I can turn up at their store.
3. If they lose my custom because of problems, they may lose all my future potential purchases of thousands of their other products, so (in theory) they should be keen for that not to happen.
4. They are more likely to actually stock the washing machine and deliver it quicker. Many online washing machine sellers don't actually stock any washing machines and instead simply order it from the manufacturer, who may or may not have them in stock. And if you need to ring them to enquire about delivery they don't know much because someone else is delivering it for them.

Further comment: Should everyone and anyone sell washing machines? Would you pop a washing machine on your shopping trolley?

Special offers and discounts ..

Special offers, sales and discounts on washing machines and other appliances (This link goes to the white goods special offers and sales section of my blog. This is where I regularly post details of special offers on washing machines, dishwashers, fridges & freezers and tumble dryers that I find or am notified about by companies

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