Survey: Only 55% Of Americans Plan To Perform Preventative Appliance Maintenance

With the holidays in full swing, household appliances are getting more use as consumers cook at home and entertain guests. PartSelect.com has released a new survey in which over 1,000 respondents were polled, shedding insight into how consumers handle appliance breakdowns during the busy season.

While 67% of respondents reported that they had had an appliance break down while cooking a holiday dinner in the past, only 55% of those polled plan to perform preventative maintenance on their kitchen equipment and appliances in advance of the holiday season. Moreover, 33% are expected to bypass preventative maintenance altogether, while only 49% plan to purchase any replacement parts over the holiday season.

Among kitchen appliances, ovens are the most likely to break down with 54% of respondents reporting a break down while cooking a holiday meal in the past. Microwaves (50%), refrigerators (48%), dishwashers (45%), stoves/ranges/cooktops (43%) and coffee makers (29%) were also reported by respondents to have broken down during the holidays.

Among those planning to repair equipment in advance of the holiday season, 38% are planning to try and do-it-themselves while 28% plan to call a repair service and another 35% will make the determination based on the type of issues and equipment. However, 89% of respondents stated they would try to fix an appliance themselves if there was an easily accessible video to walk them through it, showing the growing value in DIY-video content.

Online shopping trends are also benefitting the availability of critical replacement parts, with 74% of Americans somewhat likely or very likely to source their parts online. Only 10% are sourcing their replacement parts in-store from local appliance repair shops and 9% are sourcing from big box retailers.

When purchasing replacement parts, only 36% of respondents stated they are looking for OEM parts and instead are focusing on price (45%) and fast shipping (42%) as decision-making factors. This is a concerning trend when considering that OEM parts are made to the manufacturer’s specifications, which means they are reliable, safe and efficient, come with warranty protection and provide a total lower cost of ownership.

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