How a few minutes of work saved me big bucks

But every once in a while, the legwork pays off. And today was one of those days for me. In fact, legwork is probably the wrong word choice. Research is a more applicable one, since I it took all of a half hour to work the phones and the Web to score a killer deal on a new washing machine. Here's how it went down.

This morning, I get a phone call here at the office from my wife, who tells me that our 15-year-old top-loading Kenmore washer has conked out. From her description, the problem sounds terminal – gurgling, clunking, and sudden silence. Calculating what we paid for the washer back in the day – around $500 – and the cost of the last repair job for a housecall and parts – around $250 – our decision to take the patient off life support is a no-brainer. 

My search for a replacement begins by checking out our advice for buying a new washing machine, along with the latest washer Ratings, and brand-repair histories. Based on our budget, I narrow my options to two models, a GE and Frigidaire, both quiet, capable and highly energy- and water-efficient front-loaders, which seem to have tumbled in price since I last looked. With all due respect to my colleagues in the Home Franchise, I don't follow the latest appliance trends until catastrophe strikes. 

After eyeballing the product specifications – don't even think about buying an major appliance until you know the exact dimensions to make sure it'll fit through the door opening – I opt for the GE, the number-two rated product and a CR Best Buy. But the $900 approximate retail price tag strikes me as steep. As a matter of course, I always consider published prices to be a starting point. To see if I can make out even better, I do a comparison on PriceGrabber, which lists a range from $718 to nearly $1,000. Trouble is, I don't recognize most of the online sellers, and the idea of buying a major appliance the same way I buy clothes – via the Internet – leaves me uneasy.

So, my next stop is the old standby, Sears, first the chain's Web site, followed by a call to the local store. They've got the machine in stock, and it's on sale, for $807, and Sears is offering free delivery and removal of my old washer. What I don't like is the fact that I have to pay for delivery, then apply for a rebate to get back the $55 fee. That's ridiculous, but I guess Sears figures it'll come out ahead because so many people don't bother to fill out and mail in the necessary paperwork for reimbursement. Sears also offers a price-match guarantee. Find the washer priced lower elsewhere by a local competitor and Sears says it will meet the price and give you a refund of 10 percent of the difference between its price and that of the competitor.  It's a challenge I gladly accepted.

I check the Web sites of other big appliance sellers including Home Depot, Best Buy, and PC Richard & Son. All the prices are in the same ballpark as Sears.  But I discover a venerable local chain, which features the washer on its Web site for $690, an absolute steal. Because you need to document everything when requesting a price match, I make sure the quote is apples-to-apples. I print out the Web page with the model number and price; write down the name and phone number of the salesperson I speak with; note the date and time of our conversation; confirm that the model is brand new, not a demo or closeout; and also verify that there's no extra charge for delivery or disposal of the old appliance. Check and double-check.

Having done my homework, I call back Sears to seal the deal. They acknowledge that the retailer offering to sell me the washer for $690 qualifies as a local competitor (note, neither Sears nor other big-box stores will generally match those low-ball quotes from those online-only storefronts). The final price: around $680, plus tax. 

I'm heading over to the store after work to do the paperwork.

Have you scored any great coups leveraging the power of a price-match guarantee? Click on the comments link below to share your story.