Lucas Beaumont
After the first scratch-and-dent section from Lowe’s, it has since then been opened in a handful of branches all across the United States. The list includes California, Connecticut, and Texas. If anything, this just goes to prove how acceptable of an idea it is for people to but and use an item with minor defects as long as it comes in a better deal or price.
If anyone of you is looking for a great deal for your next appliance, going to Lowe’s newest scratch-and-dent outlet could may very well be your best option. This extended arm for the retail company is located in Monrovia and comes at 31,000-square-feet, making it a third of the size of a normal Lowe’s store. Its official opening will be on the 22nd of October and will be complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Dayna Brown, store manager of Lowe’s, said: “We’ve officially been open one week now, and people are already coming in.” Just as expected, everyone’s ecstatic about this new store. “That’s the best part for me. They come in and say, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to go tell my family,’ or ‘I’ve got to go tell my wife.’ The community seems really excited about it.”
How is Lowe’s Scratch-and-Dent Outlet Store Different from Others?
It’s pretty easy for the outlet stand to stand-out, actually. I could even go as far as saying that it sticks out like a sore thumb. The dishwashers, stoves, refrigerators, and microwaves you’ll be seeing at Lowe’s are actually new. This is what really gets the customers going.
“Other outlet stores have returned units and used units, but everything you see here in Lowe’s Outlet is brand new, just slightly imperfect. Somewhere in transit it has been scratched or dented, maybe on its way to a customer’s house, and it made its way to the Outlet,” Brown says.
In fact, the units can still be bought with a warrant––both for three years or five years! The store now carries up to over 1,000 scratch-and-dent appliance and parts that have come from 61 surround Lowe’s branches. If you’re still not convinced, know that they’ll be priced with as big as 25% to 70% discount based on how scratched, dented, or broken the condition of the appliance is.
Lowe’s Isn’t the First of its Kind
Unfortunately, Lowe’s isn’t the only retail chain to boast this kind of service. Sears Outlet and Safer Wholesome are examples of stores that sell damaged items on a discount as well. According to Bob Phibbs, CEO of The Retail Doctor, retails stores do this so they can retain as much profit as they can without needing the help of services that specifically cater to selling damaged products.
“It won’t be so much the casual shopper, but more the shopper with an analytical personality,” Phibbs says. “It would someone who has visited a number of retail sites and knows what is and what isn’t a good deal.”
Make Sure You’re Okay with Owning and Using (Technically) Damaged Items
It really goes without saying that some of the damage will be obvious. It’s been said that a heavily-dented branded dishwasher worth $1,200 would make the appliance worth $450. That’s minus $750––a whopping discount! It’s just that you’ll be using a dented dishwasher. But apart from that, doesn’t it sound like a deal?
If, however, an appliance is very minimally-dented or not as noticeable as the aforementioned dishwasher, then please take in mind that the appliances are a bit more expensive. Let’s say the dishwasher worth $1,200 had almost invisible dents on the backside (where no one really looks), then it could be priced at around $900 or so.
