DeWhitt Appliance — Local services in Portland

This business represents the “Dark Side” of appliance sales. Had my wife and I done any research we would have never stopped here. The Better Business Bureau has nothing but bad revise all very similar to the poor reviews on Google. DeWhitt Appliance is all about the sale with no customer service after your check has been cashed. Our experience started with buying a $1,700.00 washer and drier. DeWhitt salesperson suggested we buy American as “there is no supply chain issues should we need parts”, “parts can be overnight shipped if need”. So we purchased an American made set, six weeks later the wash stopped working. We ask DeWhitt for help…..Nothing not even willing to contact the manufacture on our behalf. We were told that DeWhitt had no obligation or desire to help us, that we needed to contact the manufacture. The owner of DeWhitt said in an email (and I am happy to produce it) “Whirlpool will replace the appliance if they can not repair it in a reasonable time”. It has been broken for seven weeks and the earliest the part will be in is another seven weeks, and there is no one willing to say if this part will fix the machine. A family of four without a washer for 14 plus weeks seem very unreasonable to me but DeWhitt is more than comfortable with the time frame. I have read all of the replies given by DeWhitt regarding the bad reviews, never has DeWhitt taken any responsibility or offered any help to the consumer. After several weeks of emailing the owner of DeWhitt I stopped by the store to express my disappointment and the salesperson took my number saying the own will call me, nothing after three days. My wife did receive an email saying “you have insulted me and my Staff” this is not true no insults were ever given. Further the email states that he “ instructed them (staff)to call the police” if we show up to the showroom. Going forward we plan on purchasing from one of the big box stores as they seem to have much better customer service and understand loyalty.

In regard to DeWhitt Appliance’s weak defense.

The manufacture does not send out Service Technician, instead the first diagnostic is done via video conference, as much as you push factory warranties, I would have thought you understood this. Yes our claims have been verified, please stop playing games. You are correct after paying for a new machine that lasted just six weeks and being told our family of four will be without a washer for three to four months a new machine does not sound unreasonable. My wife did say “how would you wife feel having to use laundromats for an extended period of time after spending $1,700 on new machines”. The point was not about your wife or lack of, but rather about purchasing something from DeWhitt Appliance and DeWhitt Appliance not standing behind it. Needing a service call is not and never has been the issue, it’s being without a washer for months and the lack of customer service from DeWhitt Appliance. Once more you say “DeWhitt and the manufacturer will replace machines under warranty after 3 verified mechanical issues. Or it will be replaced if it can can not be repaired in a reasonable amount of time”. I think the readers of this will agree with me that three to four months without a machine is outside of being a reasonable time frame. Yes I did visit the store after becoming frustrated with the lack of DeWhitt Appliance customer service. The only person in the store that I saw was the staff member I spoke with and never, did I raise my voice or use insulting language. The threats you refer to was me writing truthful reviews to as many websites as possible and that I will seek legal action starting next week, neither are threats.

7 weeks without a washer and DeWhitt Appliance does not feel this is a "reasonable amount of time" for a replacement set.

02-24-23: 8 weeks or 56 days and 10 week old washer still not working. DeWhitt said in his reply "DeWhitt ... will replace machines under warranty ... if it can can not be repaired in a reasonable...

Apparently, DeWhitt Appliance is doing so well they don't need to make a sale, and they don't care if you've got money in hand and need to buy a washer.

My washer broke. I needed a new one today so I checked out DeWhitt online, saw they had two of the washers I had researched and approved of. I arrived knowing exactly what I wanted, and was greeted by a polite salesman who took me right to it. However, he then told me I couldn't buy it because it was the floor model. I would have to wait two weeks for it to be delivered. No, that won't work for me. The salesman then directed me to my second choice, the more expensive speed queen model. Awesome, I'll take it. Nope. Wouldn't sell me that one either because again, it's a floor model. Evidently, the owner wont sell floor models but also doesn't keep an inventory. I wanted a brand new washer and had $1000 to spend right then and there but was instead directed to their used and discounted showroom around the corner. I still don't understand why they wouldn't sell me a floor model considering they had so many of them. Certainly selling one, and replacing it within two weeks, wasn't going to stop the earth from turning. Regardless, I headed to the repaired and discounted showroom, which I was informed would allow me to take a washer home that day.

When I walked in the door at that place, two guys that appeared to work there just kinda stared as if they were confused as to why someone was there. I said hello and explained why I was there and what I needed. I emphasized my preference for a certain feature on a washing machine and kind of expected them to you know, do their jobs and help me find a washing machine that met my needs. But nope. Instead I was told the general direction of washers and was left to search around. I did end up finding the only washer on the showroom floor that sort of met my criteria, and when the guy returned, I asked about the price. He told me the washer wasn't for sale because it needed to be repaired. What?! Why was it in the showroom then?

I then told the guy I needed a washing machine today and was prepared to buy, but for some reason no one at this business was interested in helping me. It was so bizarre. I just needed a washing machine. I figured an appliance store was the best place to make that happen, but apparently not.

I will be purchasing a washing machine from another seller that appreciates my business, and will actually allow me to buy a washing machine.

It was such a weird shopping experience and I don't really feel compelled to go back...

UPDATE: Once again the new proposed date for the receipt of our fridge (December 3rd) came and went. Once again we received no communication. Once again we called to figure out when the new estimate would be. We were told we would receive a phone call back. Once again we did not receive that phone call. Again, I would just appreciate communication when things don't go as planned. Instead we are still unaware of the status of our fridge which we ordered early September. Sadly it seems like the only time we get a prompt response is when I lower the stars on this review.

UPDATE: We have received very kind response and a reasonable explanation for the lapse in communication. These are unprecedented times doing business during a pandemic so while we've had a frustrating experience a little grace needs to be allowed. I'll likely end up bumping up star value just because these guys have been working hard to make this right and it seems like my experience is a bit out of the norm.

3 stars because these guys are very nice, knowledgeable, and have great prices. But we do have an issue. We paid the first half for our appliances in early September, knowing that we would have to wait a bit for our appliances to come in because of COVID. We ordered a whole kitchen set. We were initially given dates for when we could expect each appliance to come in, with the latest being mid-October. Those dates came and went with no communication from DeWhitt. We had to call several times to get new updates. These dates keep getting pushed out. We actually understand, COVID is really screwing with production, but we've been very unimpressed with the lack of communication and honesty from DeWhitt. We've paid for appliances we've never seen, we deserve updates on what's happening when things change.

We finally got ahold of them again yesterday and we were informed that they actually have 3 of the 4 appliances we ordered in, and THEY NEVER TOLD US even though we had previously agreed that we would have each appliance delivered as they came. We were then told we would get a call today to schedule a delivery. No phone call. This is the last straw for me, I'm upset NOT because our appliances are taking a while to get in, but because we have a lot of money on the line and have absolutely NO clue what is going on. Honesty and communication go a long way, and we've seen neither. We haven't received our appliances yet so I guess I'll update this as things unfold. It's now been...