Appliance rebates lure local shoppers

Business was brisk Thursday morning on Sears' appliance floor in Santa Rosa, as shoppers took advantage of California's "Cash for Appliances" offer.

"That's why I came in," said Rick Moore of Santa Rosa, checking Sears' display of washers, refrigerators and air conditioners.

California started handing out $35 million in incentives Thursday — Earth Day — to replace as many as 400,000 old, energy-wasting home appliances.

Consumers can combine the state rebates with those offered by cities and utilities.

Sears is among the retailers offering extra savings to Cash for Clunkers customers, marking down Energy Star appliances an extra 30 percent.

"There are a lot of values out there," said Ed Montague, president of TeeVax Home Appliance and Kitchen Center near Santa Rosa's Railroad Square.

Consumers started scouting his inventory when the program was announced, Montague said. On Thursday, there was a noticeable increase in traffic.

"They weren't lined up around the block, but it's been steady," he said.

At Sears, there were two to three times more shoppers Thursday than on a typical weekday morning, said Rich Granger, the store's appliance manager.

"It's definitely picked up," he said.

Sears opened at 6 a.m. Thursday and added staff to handle the extra shoppers, Granger said.

Shoppers can get a $200 state rebate for a new, high-efficiency refrigerator. Clothes washers are eligible for $100 rebates and room air conditioners get $50.

The money, which comes from the federal government's stimulus program, is available on a first come, first served basis through May 23, but state officials expect to run out long before then.

Rebate programs in Florida, Iowa and Texas were exhausted within hours or days.

To obtain a rebate in California, consumers must mail in an application that includes a recent utility bill and the appliance serial number and UPC code or Energy Star sticker. It also must have a certificate attesting that the old appliance will be recycled.

Retailers such as Asien's Appliance are offering free recycling for trade-ins that were purchased there, said co-owner Chris Wilhelmsen.

So far, the program is a success, he said. "Today we had twice as many customers as usual," Wilhelmsen said.

New appliance models that qualify for the rebate, participating dealers and other rules are listed on the program's website, www.cash4appliances.org. The website also provides consumers with updates about the program's status.

Congress allocated nearly $300 million across the U.S. for the appliance rebate program, a home version of last year's "Cash for Clunkers" campaign.

Nearly two dozen states started the rebates this month.