(Updated at 6:30 p.m.) J.C. Penney will start selling kitchen and laundry appliances in 22 pilot stores beginning Feb. 1 as it tries to increase sales in home, which is the retailer’s least productive department. The stores are in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa, Fla. Each pilot location will sell 90 to 150 appliance models in a dedicated showroom area with staffers trained in selling washers, dryers and refrigerators. Penney said there will be a range of prices from brands GE, Hotpoint, LG and Samsung. GE will own the inventory and ship the appliances directly to customers, which lowers Penney’s cost of getting into the business. this spring, and Penney plans promotions tied to its store credit card and rewards program. Hundreds of Penney stores could have appliance departments this fall, CEO Marvin Ellison said in an interview Tuesday. “We see the pilot being very accretive,” he said. “I’ve got a history with this, and I’m confident we can achieve profitable sales.”

Wall Street is taking a wait-and-see attitude: Penney’s stock price fell 44 cents, or 6 percent, to close Tuesday at $6.57 a share. Penney’s home business was one of the most damaged during 2012 and 2013 when it was the centerpiece of the failed transformation of the department store by former CEO Ron Johnson. Penney’s home business represented more than 20 percent of sales before the recession but fell to a low of 11 percent in 2013. “Although our sales results in our home business are much improved, it still remains one of the least productive areas in the store,” Ellison said. To add appliance departments ranging in size from 1,500 to 3,700 square feet, Penney will be taking space from products that aren’t selling. In the 22 pilot stores, most of the space is coming from furniture, but other home categories are being slimmed down too, Ellison said, without naming them for competitive reasons. Penney is going after millennials entering the real estate market and has done research showing that it can be a player in the business, especially competing with Sears.

“We’re not getting into this to compete with the home improvement chains,” he said. “We’re a mall retailer, and we’re going to compete in the mall.” One-third of Penney’s customers buy kitchen and laundry appliances in the mall, he said, “but they aren’t buying it from us.” “Our customers said that if we sell quality brands, they will buy appliances from us,” Ellison said.Eclipse Curtain Sizes Since taking over last August as CEO, Ellison, a former Home Depot executive, has said his focus will be on private brands, growing the online business and integrating it with stores and getting a bigger share of the Penney customer’s wallet. Vacuum Cleaner Bags OxfordPenney’s online sales now represent about 10 percent of total sales. Forever 409 T Shirt

Ellison is also stepping up the addition of Sephora shops inside Penney stores from the current 519 location to as many as 700. Department stores used to sell just about everything, but dropped categories over the years as so called “category killers” filled big boxes with just toys, electronics, books and office supples. Getting back into some of these businesses may be a trend. Last year, Kohl’s expanded its electronics departments and now sells 55-inch 4k TVs, tablets, computers and video game consoles. Penney is responding to research that says that female consumers are the key decision makers in appliance purchases. “Recognizing that over 70 percent of our shoppers are women, we’re going to improve the way customers shop for appliances by building an emotional connection with the female shopper who already trusts J. C. Penney to furnish her home and wardrobe,” Ellison said. Penney stores stopped selling appliances in the early 1980s, but it continued to sell refrigerators and washers and dryers from its now-defunct Big Book catalog as recently as 2003.

The company also based its decision to try out appliances after third-party consumer research. A majority of those surveyed said it made sense for Penney to sell major appliances. They also said it would entice them to visit Penney more often. “We plan to continually listen to our customers’ feedback and learn from our pilot operations over the next few months,” Ellison said. “On Friday the Azuma truck arrived within the quoted time range and the delivery guys professionally installed the machines in no time.” “I have rented my Appliances (washer/dryer) through other companies around the US but AZUMA has by far been the most efficient with the best customer service!!” “I was by the door all day, even opening it occasionally when I heard any noise in the hallway.” "Is a family own franchise Store, they deliver excellent customer service, offer competitive prices and excellent brands. This business has been a huge help to me, really appreciate all the services they…"

2% to Charity, Natural Mattresses, Locally Owned "I had to get a twin bed for my son and was dreading it. I didn't want to deal with aggressive salespeople who would try to up sell me something I wasn't interested in. I chose Urban Mattress because I knew…" "Well I would have to say that I am very happy with Sears appliance in Mansfield. My dryer went out 4 days A go laundry already stacking up had a repair man come out was going to charge me an arm and a leg…" Schedule an appointment with us to learn more! "Over the past few years we've purchased so many things through Direct Buy, each time saving significant money over retailers. There are so many options! We wanted to extend hardwood flooring in our home to…"If you own a home, chances are good that -- sooner or later -- you’ll need to have an appliance repaired. Most small appliances, such as microwaves, blenders and toasters, should last around 10 years or more. Larger appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers, will need more regular service and maintenance to keep them in optimal shape.

Learn more about how much you can expect to pay to repair and maintain your appliances.Appliance repair can be a large investment, especially if it’s your major appliances that break down or require frequent maintenance. Homeowners report that the average cost for appliance repair is $170 and most spend between &$107 and $237.  Try to group appliance repairs together, if you can; it will save you some money. Also, try to find a local contractor; they charge less than repairmen who work through a larger company.Most appliance repairman charge by the hour and will also charge a trip fee for visiting your home. Ask how their fees are calculated and whether their pricing includes:Hourly rates fall anywhere between $100 and $200 per hour. Because small appliance repair can take less than an hour to complete, you may be charged a flat fee for repair services such as defrosting a fridge, changing connectors, etc. There are various questions you should ask appliance repair contractors before hiring one.

Inquire first about how contractors charge for services, then ask:A good contractor will also ask you a variety of questions about your appliance(s). Be wary of hiring any contractor that doesn’t ask about the nature of your appliances and the problems you’re facing. Here are some additional queries your appliance contractor should make, or information that you should provide ahead of time.Whether your appliance is gas- or electric-powered will factor into the cost to repair it. Gas water heaters, stoves, fireplaces and refrigerators are more expensive to fix than electric-powered versions. This is because repairing gas appliances carries more risk; carbon monoxide leaks or fire may result if gas repairs are not properly completed. Electric appliances ultimately cost more to power, but fixing them is typically easier than fixing gas appliances.If your appliance is easy to reach, it will cost less to fix than a hard-to-reach appliance. You’ll also typically pay less if the wiring to your appliance is straightforward and easily accessible.

Parts for old appliances -- or rare appliances like gas refrigerators -- might be expensive and difficult to find. Talk to your technician about using used appliance parts to save money. In most instances, they’re just as good as new ones.Refrigerators and freezers are among the most essential kitchen appliances. After all, without these, you’re without cold food and leftover meals. When you have a refrigerator/freezer combo repaired, you will generally spend between two to three hours on labor costs in addition to the cost of replacement parts, resulting in an average cost of between $200 and $400. (Note that this doesn’t include the cost to repair an icemaker, which can cost about $330.)Keep these tips in mind when determining whether to repair your refrigerator/freezer combo:If your refrigerator is buzzing or humming -- or if it’s failing to keep your food cold -- you might need compressor repairs, which can cost between $20 and $200. Some common compressor issues include:Other repairs you might encounter over the life of your fridge include:Without a washing machine, you may quickly find yourself without clean clothes and linens, forced to make frequent -- and expensive -- trips to the local laundromat or dry-cleaner.

If your washer breaks, it’s probably worthwhile to have it repaired or replaced. Depending on what you need fixed, repairs will most likely cost between $120 and $500.You may encounter many issues over your washer’s lifetime. If you need to have the washer repaired for any reason, most service professionals will charge between $50 and $150 per project, depending on the extent of the issue. Be aware of the following common issues and address any symptoms immediately.Your dryer saves you time and keeps you from having to hang clothes out on a line. Like your washer, it’s important to keep it in good working order. The average cost to repair a dryer generally runs between $100 and $400, depending on the type of repair. A number of things can go wrong with your dryer, so it’s important to stay on top of service, maintenance and repair.Gas dryers cost about $50 to $150 more than electric models, but cost less to power. In terms of repairs, gas dryers don’t include heating elements like electric dryers, but they do have ignition coils that will require replacement throughout the dryer’s lifetime.

Some other issues you may encounter with gas dryers are:When you start hearing a squeaking noise, it’s time to replace your dryer belt. Noise may also indicate a problem with your drum rollers and idler pulleys. You can repair all distressed parts when you replace the dryer belt. You can usually do these repairs yourself, however, a professional can help if you’re not confident in your ability. The cost to have a dryer belt professionally replaced is about $200 per project. Follow these steps to replace your dryer belt:To fix the dryer coil, you’ll need to remove the cover from the front or back of your dryer. Disconnect the dryer from all electrical and fuel connections, then inspect the dryer coil and replace it if needed.Some additional issues that may arise include:Keep in mind that you will need to account for the price of parts if you encounter any of these issues. Heating elements, for example, will cost anywhere between $30 and $200. You will also need to account for labor prices, which could cost between $30 and $100 per hour.

See what you can do yourself to save some time and money.Without an oven range, you’re without hot food. Your oven range includes your oven and your cooktop -- and all of the components necessary to make them work. If you need to have any part of your range repaired, you could pay between $100 and $200 per project, depending on the extent of damage. Since fixing an oven range typically requires only around one hour of labor, repair professionals generally charge between $50 and $100 per project for their services.Here are some issues common in ovens, cooktops and ranges -- and tips on how to fix them:These are only some of the repairs you might run into with a oven, stove or cooktop. If you encounter more extensive problems, you may need to call an appliance repair technician for help.The price to fix smaller appliances like your microwave, garbage disposal, and dishwasher will vary depending on the parts you need -- whether you hire a pro or fix the appliance yourself. The cost to repair a microwave, for example, is usually $70/hour plus the price of parts.

So, you’re looking at an average of cost range of $100 to $150. For slightly bigger appliances, such as dishwashers, you may be looking at $100 to $200 per appliance.Make sure you check the warranty on any appliance in need of repair before you call a professional. It could save you money on repairs -- or get them paid for in full.  Not everyone gets an extended warranty on their appliances. Here are some things to consider the next time you purchase an appliance.First, you should consider an extended warranty for:This is because they are expensive initial investments and will cost a lot to maintain or repair down the road. On average, modern appliances:It’s not usually worth investing in an extended warranty on smaller appliances because it doesn’t cost a whole lot to maintain and repair them.You don’t have to call a repairman to fix everything that goes wrong with your appliances. In fact, you can save a lot of money repairing your appliances on your own. Consider tackling these projects yourself:There are some cases in which you shouldn’t attempt to repair an appliance yourself.