Best Buy levels appliance playing field

Home Depot, Lowe’s and Sears offer free delivery and installation of major appliances, and now Best Buy does too. The company this week announced what it declared was an industry-leading combination of free delivery along with an 18 months same-as-cash financing offer to spark interest in the appliance category.

“Buying appliances can be a pretty stressful experience for customers,” said Kevin Balon, SVP and general manager of home appliances for Best Buy. “Having the ability to opt-in for both free standard delivery and 18-month interest-free financing gives our customers more options and makes the shopping experience a little easier.”

The free delivery option eliminates what had been a competitive disadvantage for the company and puts in on an equal foot as far as delivery is concerned. Where the home centers continue to have an advantage over Best Buy and Sears is with their price-match offer. Home Depot and Lowe’s both offer a price guarantee and kick in an extra 10% when presented with a lower price on an identical item.