What's wrong with buying from Target, Walmart, and Amazon?

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Quality! Quality! Quality! 

 

These big box stores don't get the same quality machines as an authentic dealership. Big box stores usually get machines made with plastic parts and break sooner than later. Reputable dealerships usually only sell machines that are built with metal frames inside. You might spend more at a dealership, but you walk out with a quality machine. Think about the difference between buying a bike at Target and buying a bike at your local bike shop.

 

Example: I was looking to upgrade my 50 pound - made before I was born - Bernina. I loved this machine, but my old-style Bernina was too heavy for me to lift with a back injury every time the machine had to get fixed. So to replace this heavy Bernina, I thought I'd try buying a machine on Amazon because why not? 

 

So, I purchased a computerized Singer with great reviews. This sewing machine came with an automatic thread cutter, threader, fancy stitches, and even an alphabet for about $400 or $500. Unfortunately, In one week, the threader was not working, the tension on the machine was off, and the cutter was no longer cutting the bottom thread. So, I had to send the machine back. However, I was now hooked on the computerized features, so I went back to buying machines at reputable dealerships in my area.  

 

Example two: A lady I know bought her first Brother serger from a reputable dealership. When this first serger started to wear and tear, she purchased the same machine online. She said her online machine started having multiple problems right away and had to be put into the shop to get fixed. She never had these issues with her first Brother serger. Even though they were both the same machine, one serger was bought from a reliable dealership the other was not. 

 

I understand that because of Covid, many reliable retailers started getting into the online shopping market. However, if you decide to buy a machine through their online sites, just make sure you know that they are reputable and clear about their return policy.