Looking for a new dryer, refrigerator or other major appliance? Eligible military exchange shoppers in the continental United States; Oahu, Hawaii; and Puerto Rico now have the option of buying these products through a partnership with The Home Depot.
The items can be purchased via the online exchange store or at exchanges on five Army and Air Force bases. Home Depot will schedule delivery and installation of the appliances, which include washers and dryers, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, countertop or built-in microwaves, ranges, cooktops, ovens and hoods. The home improvement chain will also provide customer service for all deliveries and installations.
The exchanges have sold major appliances, but the primary motivation for this partnership is to provide better service to customers, especially in delivery, officials have said. Stores that don’t have Home Depot appliances on hand will still sell them and offer delivery. By June, sales associates will have a mobile checkout system to help customers browse The Home Depot inventory and buy an appliance.
“In addition to providing a significantly expanded selection of major appliances, exchange orders will be fulfilled using The Home Depot’s existing capabilities to provide efficient and dependable delivery,” said Tom Shull, director and CEO of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service.
Those five exchanges with Home Depot major appliance showrooms are Fort Moore, Georgia; Fort Cavazos, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. By October, another 60 Home Depot appliance showrooms will be added to exchanges across the continental United States.
Authorized shoppers across all military branches can also shop for these appliances at shopmyexchange.com, including: including all active, reserve and retired military members and their dependents; Department of Defense civilians and retirees; and honorably discharged veterans who have confirmed their eligibility to shop at ShopMyExchange.com.
The Home Depot officials anticipate rolling out the program with the Navy Exchange and Marine Corps Exchange stores later this year.
The purchases are tax-free and the prices will be 1% lower than the price available at Home Depot stores and its website, said spokeswoman Stephanie Meyering.
In general, Home Depot offers a 10% discount to military members, veterans and their spouses who register through their website using Sheer ID. But that 10% discount doesn’t apply to appliances, whether in Home Depot stores or online, said Meyering. That’s also stated on their website. That 10% discount will also not apply to appliances bought through the exchanges.
As always, you should still do some comparison shopping before you buy.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
