Cooking With Less


3 Fri, 10/17/2008 - 2:35pm

By Mike Duff
Energy efficiency is an emerging trend in major cooking appliances as manufacturers develop products to meet new consumer preferences.
Traditional cooking appliances lack definitive efficiency standards, keeping energy issues on the backburner, some sources said.
“We’re really not out there promoting the image of energy efficiency, not in that category,” said Sears spokesman Larry Costello.”

Trading Down


3 Fri, 07/25/2008 - 11:37am

By David Gill and Nathan Weber
NEW YORK–For the nation’s top retailers of major appliances, these are the times that try men’s souls.
Five of the top 10 retailers in this category saw their sales fall from 2006 to 2007, according to data from HFN’s research department. The most precipitous drop was posted by Best Buy, whose appliance sales plummeted by nearly 23 percent between the two years. (HFN’s estimates include sales of small appliances).

Destination Gap Narrows Between Sears, Home Centers


3 Thu, 05/29/2008 - 3:20pm

It was not too long ago that the overwhelmingly favorite destination for major appliances by consumers was Sears.
Over the past decade, however, that institution, an icon of American retailing, has watched the destination gap shrink between itself and its ever-growing home center competitors, especially Lowe’s and Home Depot.

South Korea Emerging As Key Exporter to the U.S.


3 Thu, 05/29/2008 - 3:19pm

By Nathan Weber
Is South Korea becoming the new China?
Not in overall economic power, certainly, but perhaps in major appliances, where the tiny nation—less than 1 percent the size of its gargantuan neighbor in square miles—already dominates exports of laundry equipment to the United States, and is second after Mexico in exports of household refrigerators and freezers.

Connecticut’s Cut on Energy Star Legislation Disappoints Dealers


3 Thu, 12/20/2007 - 7:17pm

NEW YORK-Dealers are disappointed that Connecticut cut short its Energy Star tax holiday.

The Connecticut state legislature earlier this year enacted a bill creating a sales tax exemption for all Energy Star Appliances sold on or after June 4. The initial proposal called for the legislation to be effective for one year following enactment, which once passed was cut short to conclude on Sept. 30, a spokeswoman for the Connecticut Department of Revenue Service told HFN.