More and more it seems common for builders and homeowners alike to purchase appliances, plumbing, and electrical fixtures from markets and discount sites like Amazon or Wal-Mart. And on the surface you might ask, “why wouldn’t you?” Often these sites sell these items for less than your local big-box stores and perhaps at wholesale prices.

But rather than ask, “what’s the catch?” we instead click Order Now thinking we just saved ourselves some money.

Illustrative Example of Product Support

On a recent bathroom remodel I did the client procured all the materials themselves. Their thinking was they were saving themselves money from me doing it – and that with their industry connections and shopping-savvy they would find things for less (knowing that I likely wouldn’t “shop” products – which is true… more on that below).

As with all projects – things came up, wrenches were thrown, and surprises were uncovered. One of those things was the fact that the drain assembly on the name-brand faucet they purchased was cracked and unusable.

Had I purchased the same faucet – I likely would have ordered it from Build.com. An authorized dealer of the faucet. And because I’ve had similar situations happen before I know what would have happened is that they would have warranted the items and had a replacement in the mail the same day.

You can probably guess that the client did not order the item from an authorized dealer. And you can deduce pretty quickly how they how to remedy the issue.

Three Benefits of Authorized Dealers

The story I hope helps illustrate that like most things, “you get what you pay for.”

1. The often slight increase in price in purchasing products through an authorized dealer means you’re getting the warranty and product support to go with it. You’re getting a dealer with skin in the game that has the ability with the profit margins to make it right.
2. Buying from a dealer – especially when working with a contractor – means you’re part of a trusted and valued partnership. If something goes wrong, that contractor and that dealer will handle it. Temu isn’t going to come to your house and swap out electrical fixtures at no cost to you.
3. And the last reason I think you should work with an authorized dealer is that often they have access to products you can’t buy as a consumer. Bradford White is a classic example. Considering that the number one reason I see anything fail is how it was installed – it’s a wonder why more companies don’t require they be installed by a licensed professional.

Have Questions?

We have a guide on how to choose appliances and fixtures worth checking out. Build.com is one of our preferred vendors for both. As always, don’t hesitate to reach-out if you have questions.