The Best Time of Year to Shop Large Appliances

You’ll have so many questions to ask yourself once you decide to shop for a large appliance. One of them should definitely be: When is the best time of year to get appliances for the best price?

First of all, we applaud you for your financially savvy mindset and your desire to shop smart. In fact, that’s what our lease-to-own* program is all about. Extra kudos for thinking ahead and not waiting until your appliances fail you. At that point, you might get lucky and find a good deal, but usually you’ll have no choice but to pay top dollar for a replacement.

These five words sum it up best: It all comes down to timing.

There really are optimal times throughout the year to buy appliances — especially if you are trying to stay on budget, make smart financial decisions and find a great deal. So if you don’t absolutely need your new appliance right away and can afford to wait, your patience could pay off in the form of some very big savings. However, this timing can often depend on what appliance you are shopping for in particular. Let’s break it down.

Buy in the Non-Peak Shopping Season

Experience (and basic economics) has probably taught you by now that when you buy items in their “peak season” — the time of year people want that item the most — you’ll probably pay top dollar. The greater the demand, the higher the price.

Believe it or not, some appliances have seasons, too. For example, air conditioners and gas grills are naturally more expensive in the summer months because retailers know that customers will be shopping around for them. There also seem to be fewer deals on all large appliances just after the Christmas holiday season. Conversely, retailers offer reduced prices on their current appliance inventory toward the end of the year to make room for the next year’s hottest new models (more on that below). 

Retailers understand and take advantage of both the seasonal mindset and the theory of supply and demand that goes along with it. Do: Plan to make seasonal purchases in the offseason when prices are more affordable. Don’t: Allow yourself to get talked into buying something the moment you see it when you can probably find the same model later at a more affordable price. 

Wait for the Major Holiday Sales

Even if you’ve saved up to pay full price on an appliance you want, we encourage you to make smart financial choices that ultimately help you become a better consumer. And you probably know the drill by now: If there is a major holiday coming up, you know there will be a big retail sale tied to it … so why not wait and help your hard-earned money go even further?

These days, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are synonymous with sales. In fact, the major holiday weekends are known for having the year’s best, most discounted prices of many top-of-the-line appliances and furniture items. Plan to shop these items on the next big holiday sale or event, where average discounts are about 30% off the regular price, up to as much as almost 70% off. (1) Stores may even sweeten the deal during these sales (especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday) with extra offers like free delivery (or free shipping for online shopping).

In fact, sales tied to major national holidays are so successful, more and more of the smaller ones (like Presidents Day) also get in on the action. What’s more, extending holiday sales beyond the weekend — often weeks before and after the holiday itself — has become a growing trend these last few years. So be patient if you can ; the next holiday will be here sooner than you think.

Speaking of the next big holiday sale, Labor Day is right around the corner. Year after year, this holiday weekend continues to be full of hugely discounted name-brand appliances. For some retailers, it's even the biggest sales weekend of the year. So if you’re currently in the market for an appliance and you missed the July 4th holiday sales window, plan ahead now for this next holiday weekend so that you can shop accordingly.

When to Buy the Newest … or the “Almost New”

Pro tip: When a brand unveils a new appliance model for sale, retailers will want to make room for it on the sales floor. To do that, they’ll usually drop the prices on appliances they’re already trying to sell. So, chances are you could find a really good discount on an “older” model that’s really only about a year old (or even less). It may be worth doing your homework on when the new styles are coming out just so you can get a great deal on the not-as-updated-but-still-excellent models.

If you have your heart set on the absolute newest appliance, we still suggest you try to hold off until the second half of the year to make that purchase. New models generally make their debut in the marketplace — and will most likely only be found at their peak price — toward the beginning of the year. (2)

Bottom Line: No Matter What, Shop Smart

Of course, we understand that there are those times when you just need a new appliance ASAP. Maybe your current appliance unexpectedly broke down. Maybe you just bought your first home. Whatever the reason, we know it’s not always convenient or realistic to wait it out.

But just because your need for a new appliance doesn’t line up with the right purchase time doesn’t mean your finances need to take a hit. Instead, consider shopping with Acima. With us, you can shop name-brand appliance retailers now — no need to dip into credit or pay cash upfront and get yourself in a financial bind. The appliances you have your eye on may be large, but you’ll be able to make smaller, more affordable lease renewal payments over time when you make use of our no credit option* that makes getting the things you need simple.