If the builder is one that brings in repeat business to the store and has spent a couple of hundred grand there in the last few years, he might qualify for a 3-5% discount on new appliances that don't have minimum pricing. If the builder only spends 50K or so per year at the appliance store, expect the discounts to be in the 1-4% range, depending on brand, but not including minimum priced items. If the builder brings in less business than that, don't expect a discount at all. Appliance margins are not what people think they are. 10-20% is the usual, and all of the store's overhead has to come out of that number. Offering a discount to the volume builders usually involves locking them into certain brands and models so that a bulk buy can be made. In a more custom situation where the homeowner has actual input into the appliances chosen, the discounts are far far less because it will be a single one time purchase only.

You can occasionally find bargains on scratch and dent items or store displays if you would like to save more money.

live-wire-oak's numbers are probably right. Based on my own recent experience building a house, builder's discounts on appliances are not what you might guess they'd be - in other words, they don't amount to much. The thing you have to ask yourself if, as in our case, the builder then adds his mark-up, is whether you really want to buy your appliances as part of your house or to do it yourself afterwards.

Ask for a contractor's discount. I got 12% off my Dacor appliances this way.

If we take internet retailer pricing (such as the better wesites which everyone uses to scope appliance specs)what kind of discount can one expect on a volume package of say 8-12k? Is there a magic percentage number that one should be able to hit for such a package purchase. Seems like between 10 and 15% is possible. This thread didn't generate that much interest before but seeing if anyone else has any interest in this topic or comments.

I have been very surprised when shopping for appliances that I havent been offered a discount, especially if I agree to buy all my appliances from one dealer. Mine are high end and they tell me the manufacturers don't let them discount from the MSRP. Seems they want all sellers to have the same price. OK so my big purchases don't quailify (SZ,Wolf,Dacor) but I am going to try to have them give me a steep discount on the Advantium. Maybe this is where different stores will compete. Anybody else have suggestions?

I would suspect it's a matter of posturing with the retailer you go to. Anyone who has done any buying professionally will tell you to get more than one price and try to squeeze (gently) with the retailer that seems to offer more (it could just be an intrinsic thing of you liking the people more at one store or another). Others posted here that there isn't that much margin in appliance prices, but I am not sure I believe SZ or Wolf are completely "non-discountable"--I could be wrong though. I am looking at a very medium sized package around 10k and seem to be able to get between 10 and 15% off of what I mentioned to be "major internet retailer" prices. As has been suggested elsewhere, I would rather deal with a reputable local retailer who will deliver for free anyway. Again, hope there are others out there who might have some helpful suggestions. I realize a lot of people are very keen on mid to very high end appliances on this forum, but acquiring them efficiently is not an out of bounds topic for most consumers.

Why do we as a nation expect a discount on everything???? Discounts are given or offered, they are earned. Buy a lot of product - earn a discount, spend a lot of $$$ - earn a discount. A one time appliance buy, even if it is big $$$ to you is simply one order and a small amt. of $$$ to the appliance store and manufacturer. Why should a discunt be extended to you for showing up buying a fancy X and smiling??? The next 10 folks that show up to buy a fridge, DW, oven and cooktop, sink and micro are all just like you. If you were to buy this every two weeks or month then you now represent a customer that appears on the radar and worthy of a discount.

Do you guys barter at the grocery store, Tiffany's, your favorite restraunt, the airplane ticket counter???? The price s the price is the price at these places. Yea, I know they might have a coupon, or promotion or shopper card, but these are strictly advertising vehicles to stimulate demand, just like most discounts are. If the lowest price I can sella DW at is $1000, and you won't buy w/o a "discount" than Isimply write $1110 on the tag draw a line thru it, 10% off and vola, you get your discount, I sel the DW for the grand. Nothing has changed except YOUR perception. Car dealers and department stores do this all the time.

From my personal experience, this forum is for and by end users of appliances. Questions range from "what do I do if my kid microwaves his ipod?" to "I'm considering a DCS or Maytag range, is there anyone with user experience with this item?" There are also people who just love kitchen swag--old and new.

Gardenweb members can share experiences and make the complicated choices of choosing appliances and using them easier--giving people helpful information about getting a fair price is well within this scope.

The more transparent the marketplace is for consumers, the better off we are. If an internet forum such as this can help serve that purpose, then terrific for us the consumer. If someone wants to put up some 18th century notion of what commerce should be like that "dealers should control their buying public", then watch out. Today's information infrastructure will ferret this out sooner than later (and already has to a great degree thankfully).

Buying an oriental carpet may still hold a lot of mystique for consumers in 2007, but buying a refrigerator (even an expensive, overpriced one) should not.

The way I look at it is why not ask for a discount. In my area there are several business that sell the same appliances. Can't hurt to ask. Most often when I have done this approach I save a little.

SW - I am not an appliance salesman - though there are several around here and are pretty forthcoming about it. My company does sell appliances occasionally, but it's for the benefit of some of our clients. It is less than 10% of sales and about 4% of profit. Hardly worth the trouble from a $$$ perspective. I am a businessman and look at the market place as a whole not simply as aowner but also a consumer. I like to buy stuff too, and like to get the best value for my money. That doesn't always translate to what is the lowest price for X?

I am simply trying to further a discussion about us as a whole an d the whole notion of "discount". Should you bend over and take as gospel whatever is told you or quoted as a price? Heavens no, like Julie says doesn't hurt ot ask. But, I feel we have taken for granted the current marketplace's trend of discounting. Places like Wal-Msrt, HomeDepot, Target, and others have massaged all, well most of the fat in the distribution chain out and given that savings to us the customer. We have become accustomed to the low price and conditioned to percieve this as the norm. We then complain when we can't get X (SubZero, Rolls Royce, Jimmy Choos, or Kate Spade) at a discount, deal, lower than what the price tag shows. Part of the reason these items are of high quality, high style, and generally have a knowledgable support staf to service them is because they are not pressured into lowering the price because the public wants a deal. There high price is not simply tacked on mega profit from an asian copy of whatever. It represents, big $$$$ sent on R&D, quality materials, good wages to employees manufacturing teh stuff and marketing. We simply cannot have trending lower pricing and get to complain when we find out: oh, theres lead paint on that $2.99 roller wizbang poparound sparkler the kiddies want. We have simply driven the marketplace to provide this. If we'd shop at the Independant, local, no fancy web page, toy store, and bought the made in the USA, West Europe, or Scandinavian toys they tend to carry we wouldn't have this discussion. Why don't we? Because "their stuff is high priced, there're not open on Sun., don't have a web page, and never have sales or coupons.

I'm simply trying to have people think about the broader implications of "give me a deal". You really don't want the marketplace as a whole turning into a bazzar, you may on a specific transaction negoiate a terific deal, but over the long haul you and the majority will overpay. What the companies with min. selling prices are trying to do is level the playing field for all. Quality product,service and a stable price so no one feels bad that you paid x for it in St. Louis, while your cousin's neighbor's doctor paid x + $235 because she didn't know about gardenweb and the Nov. secret handshake, coupon, 12% pretty face discount.

antss: Marking-up to mark-down is part of game. Then, consumers bring dealers to their knees and then the deal is struck. It's all a game so don't get excited.
BTW, I expect a strarting discount of 10% when I buy a major appliance. Whether it's Sears or mom&pop, I can always go down the street if someone doesn't accept this.
On a $20k purchase, recently, I was offered 10% for just walking in the door and settled-out at 14% on the lot. That was at Pacific Sales.

ANTSS et al.,
I have to say that this is one of the more interesting threads I have seen here and you make some valid points.

The interesting thing about this forum is that there are some lurkers from the trades probably watching what's going on with a smirch on their face--like cheshire cats in a window waiting for a blue jay to land in a tree to think about pouncing on:) I actually belong to another forum (nothing to do with kitchens or appliances) in which mention of dealers (positive or negative) is forbade and the "promotion" of any thing is really discouraged. Here it's a little more...blurred I think.

Well, I am in the final throes of buying some stuff and thought it would be interesting to check in here. Basically I think I am glad to revive the thread (for a little while at least) and see what people have to say. In the interest of full disclosure I am of course buying top of the line laundry-set, range, fridge, dishwasher, hood, microwave all in one shot. Some of the big ticket items are made in the US which I think is great (I actually feel quite good buying something from a place close by), and hope they work out--if they don't I can toss paper airplanes at their factory.

You make some great points about "perceived value" vs. "real value" and it's relationship to discounting and bottom dollar--your exposition of this is good and does make us think.

I take a slightly different view about this, however. I will stay brand agnostic about all this even though I mentioned a few brands in the previous posts. No matter what we do, we are all prisoners of a giant Madison-Avenue-Mind-#$%@ that does an incredibly sophisticated job in telling us, more like dictating to us what we should buy and what we have to have to be happy. And then there are all the pushers (dope-sellers of all stripes and sizes to be sure) ready to supply the crack and dope to keep everyone sedated and happy and these large companies will spend whatever it takes to make sure we are inured with the message that we HAVE spend to have the VERY best.

Yes, to be fair you mentioned R&D and Wages etc. especially if it's made here, but the big huge part of this is simply marketing mindshare--getting the message across that one has to have it!

I think it's great you brought this all up, because yeah, wouldn't it be cool if there were more things made locally with a lot of quality and love-we'd all be better off. However, our current information culture is designed to sell people expensive stuff--it's set up that way on purpose! (Not a conspiracy, but the forces of media are just too powerful and people naturally fall in line.) I wouldn't be so impertinent about this except when I see my 12 year old neice--growing up not in a huge city just Anywhere USA--measuring her self worth by the quantity of super-luxury handbags she can lay her hands on. She's 12 for gods sake!

And it's not just Americans who think like this (although we are certainly definitely in the Big Leagues) it's everywhere that's developing and it's just going to keep getting worse. I know people who can't drive anywhere now without a GPS in their car!

Ok, enough, I along with the rest of the appliance heads out there can't help ourselves--we're too drawn in, we crave big BTU's and double compressors and silent insulated dishwashers so much that we risk ignoring what's really important--others around us.

These things are nice, but not completely necessary. I think that a lot of the "regular joe stuff" is fine for most applications. Why do we always "crave" the "best" why can't we focus on being kinder to each other rather than worrying whether the super-obnoxious-neighbor is going to be impressed with our luxury warming drawer or copper apron sink. What really should be making us happy anyway?

So with a nod to antss for the fine comments and a good dose of crow-eating-self-conflicted pride I say, if you can get it cheaper go for it. You may not need it, but if you can't help yourself, try to save yourself a few bucks where you can and enjoy yourself.

I live in New York, and even though no one discounts, in the end all of the 5 major stores that I called discounts on Subzero as well every other appliance. After getting my discounts per item, I go back for final pricing. So, the way to do it here, in the end, is to just get a % off the bottom line of the total, without getting the details. This way the store is not technically discounting the product.

"I expect a strarting discount of 10% " & "I was offered 10% for just walking in the door and settled-out at 14% on the lot" We for a long time have been conditioned into this buying posture by manuf. and sellers.

This is exactly the turkish bazzar used car lot mentality I'm talking about. I'm not getting my knickers in a wad over any of this. Simply saying that you shouldn't get upset now that some of the industry is trying to get the pendulum to swing back the other way. Buying a car use to be this way, thre was no negotiation, the price was quoted and you paid or didn't.

SW - I totally agree with you about the drug dealer Madison Ave. Boys telling us what we gotta have now. I thought in the interest of cerebal overload for most folks , that should be left for another discussion. I mean just try this on for size: Madison Ave's percieved quality product vs. what is actually delivered vs. what you need vs. what you really want vs. what you can actually live with and be happy if you hadn't heard of said quality product to begin with.

I simply get frosted when people around here get incredulous because Jimbob's Washer Store or Beverley Hills High Line Appliance didn't give them a "deal" on something, I mean after all I'm spending $20k. I simply want people to get of autopilot and think about the broader picture. I know it's hard, we wern't born with the give me 10 off gene, Madison Ave. is who conditioned us.

BTW, Kat , does Sars give you 10% off for walking in the door?? Unless it's an advertised sale no. Even then, there are exclusions. The Bosch DW you get there is going to be no cheaper there than at an agressive local appliance store. Bosch sets the min. selling price, sale , no sale, coupon, promotion, super haggler came to town direct form Turkey.