Ending several months of speculation, Home Depot will begin offering Maytag and Jenn-Air major appliances in its home-improvement centers early next month.
The 960-unit chain will handle “virtually all of the most popular Maytag and Jenn-Air models,” a Maytag spokesperson told TWICE. Home Depot will stock Maytag laundry and cooking appliances, dishwashers and refrigerators, as well as Jenn-Air cooking appliances.
The appliances will initially go into Home Depot’s four stores in the Jacksonville, Fla., area, and then move into the chain’s stores in other markets within a few weeks. By early December, Maytag and Jenn-Air white goods will be sold in all U.S. Home Depot stores, according to an announcement.
Appliances under the two Maytag brands are currently sold in 15 of Home Depot’s Expo Design Centers. All Home Depot locations carry floor care products under Maytag’s Hoover brand, as well.
After a year of testing GE and Whirlpool appliances in selected markets, including Jacksonville, Home Depot began rolling out a full line of major appliances from those two companies in January, at the rate of about 100 stores per month. The chain stopped ordering appliances from Whirlpool shortly thereafter, reportedly because of delivery problems (see TWICE, February 7, p. 38).
Said Maytag Appliances president Bill Beer, “One of our key growth strategies is to broaden our major appliance distribution base and compete for more consumer purchase decisions. Our expanded relationship with Home Depot will allow us to do just that, and we believe it will prove to be very beneficial to Maytag and Jenn-Air brand sales in the future.” — Cathy Ciccolella
