I am a Pfaff person. Have my second one now which I wanted for the larger throat space and the good lighting. I believe Pfaff is a high quality machine and worth the their price. I didn't start quilting until I was 60 yo. My first Pfaff was on a close out price due to a new model coming in, so it was a fair price. And no, I don't think most stores can do a trade in when the price is reduced, but the one you saw was probably a better buy than one with a trade in. Especially if that store will be there to support you with classes. My first machine came with embroidery capability even though I wasn't interested in that at the time. I never did get bitten by the machine embroidery bug, but went to a few of the shops free classes, so used it some. Anyway, if I were wanting an embroidery and sewing machine, I would sure get a Pfaff.