Janaome's are at wal-mart
 

Stopped in Wal-Mart to day to grab a few essentials....imagine my surprise when I saw not 1 or 2 but 3 different Janome sewing machines in the fabric/sewing section! Prices were from $149.99 to $499.99. That was pretty comparable to what the local Janome dealer has them priced for.

I think they started selling them at Joann's recently too.

Well that is a surprise to me too. I would have thought they might just be selling them online.

and the question is, should a person buy one there? or not? Mine is in the shop getting it's annual check up. I think like my old singers.

Why not? It's not like they are inferior machines. I bought my Brother SQ9000 from Wal Mart about 4 years ago and it is still running like it came right out of the box.

I love my Janome but I believe they buy cheaper versions for WalMart the same as the Brothers they carry. I have both of these brands, bought from dealers and they are better built than the WalMart versions. What do you do when they break! I'm sure no one at WalMart fixes or cleans them!

as with all brands sold in the big-box stores, you will find only a manufacturer's least expensive models.
that is not the same as "cheaper versions."

if you buy model xyz from big-box, it will be exactly the same as model xyz from a dealer.
if the price at big-box is lower it's because they have the volume advantage and the leverage to negotiate lower wholesale prices.

My janome dealer will only give lessons and repair machines bought at her store. We have a place other then her to get them cleaned and repaired but what about lessons if you buy it at Wal-Mart? I would not be afraid of buying it at Wal-mart. I wish I had known Sears sold Janome before I spent twice as many $$$ buying from a dealer.
I don't believe Janome would make a "cheaper" machine to sell at wal-mart. That would be bad for their reputation/name brand.

Since Janome made the final Kenmores, I was hoping that perhaps they would be sold at Sears. I do miss going into Sears for my sewing supplies...some stores still carry some of the notions but nothing like in the past. TOO bad!

Zennia....I too bought my Janome (Harmony) from Sears so many years ago that I have forgotten how old she is. Paid over $400 back then and that was on sale. She still runs great, but have been considering a new one from a dealer. One with less decorative stitches that I never use and a larger throat space. I may have to check out Walmart just for grins.

Also, they can be cheaper at the big box store because they don't provide any service.

Any repairman that can service a Janome should be able to service a Wal-Mart Janome.

Some repairman won't though if they know they were bought at Walmart. Just tell them it was a gift. JoANn's and Walmart have had Janomes for quite awhile atleast down here in Corpus Christi. ANd Brother. just make sure the box has not been tampered with. I saw a gal pull a part out then put it back. Luckily, so did security. They got her on shoplifting.

Patrice is right - there are different Janomes out there and the low end model are very rarely sold by dealers because they don't have much of a profit margin than on the high end models. Janome knows there are people out there that will not walk into a dealer's shop because the customer doesn't think they can afford their machines. By getting them noticed and loved by selling in the Big Box stores they will attract those customers as their interests and financial situations improve. Very few people start at a dealer or buying top end machines.

When I was growing up there were Singer dealers all over the place, I think there are very few if any left. I remember seeing one not too long ago but was not able to check it out. Dealers are getting fewer and further apart, not because of the Big Box stores but because the sewing machine is not in every home like it used to be. We need those dealers so we can get our machines serviced.

My local dealer services any machine I have, no matter where I buy it. I hope that all of you have a great dealer like I do.

Your Janome dealer is not considering those who may have just moved into your area. That would make me a little upset with them and to not buy anything from them.

Someone on here wrote to I think it was brother and heard back that if you buy model XYZ at Wal Mart or dealer they are the same machine. I am sure your machines are higher end models, but I for one cannot afford the high end machines at a dealer if I can get the same one for hundreds less somewhere else. I have never had a lesson and read the manual if I have a question.

I was the one who wrote the Brother company. They are all the same quality machines in their respective price range. Only difference is the Dealer chooses not to sell the lower priced ones. People are so conditioned to believe only buying at a dealer you get a better machine. The one thing taking a beating is one's wallet.

We went to a dealer to buy my embroidery machine, her price was hundreds more than what we wanted to pay. I found the same one at a lower price online. She wouldn't even offer to meet prices, I've never been back there.

I don't believe any machines are inferior quality. You pay for all the bells and whistles you want. These are probably basic.

Everyone has the right to pay as much or more for any machine they want.
I have bought two machine on line and one from a shop. There was no advantage to buying at a shop. From now on I will buy on line. I only use straight stitch only machines w/ 9" throat.

I just want to mention that my post was edited and I didn't say anything against the rules. Geez.

This thread is filled with way more 'negativity' than the harmless joke I posted. I guess some are allowed and some aren't.

I also bought the Brother SQ900 from Walmart several years ago and it's still going strong. It's my RV machine, take to class machine and I taught my granddaughters how to sew on it. It's been well used and it is lightweight, and I'v never had it serviced. Hum, maybe I should do that.

A very good example is the Brother Scan n Cut machine. WalMart, JoAnn's, Amazon and some other stores sell them for less than the Brother dealers sell them for. They are the exact same machine but the one at the Brother dealers has more built in designs and more bells and whistles. Speaking of, the new Scan n Cut2 comes out today. Some of the dealers have started selling them as of Wednesday when they received them.

I bought the new wireless scan and cut for less than $300 at HSN.

Last November I purchased a Janome "New Home" at WalMart for 299.99. I had researched this machine when I first saw it at WalMart. It had good reviews and was just the right fit for me. I have been very happy with it and it uses the same feet my vintage New Home uses plus it has the needle down and speed controls options that I really wanted in a machine. Janome made this machine specifically for WalMart. Both WalMarts near me each had a couple and after those sold I have not seen the machine again; nor have I seen any other Janomes at our WalMarts -- just Brothers and Singers.

The Singer repair shop fellow told me that the ones sold by chains like WalMart are really not the same ...that they are more of the "disposable" type.. use it till it quits, and then toss it......he says that a lot of them are almost not repairable..............there has to be some reason for them being so much cheaper, right? I don't know....just passing on what he told me

Home Shopping Network is debuting the Scan n Cut this morning at 10:00 for the first time....have my DVR set to record it. The dealers just received them last week. I am friends with a Brother dealer and they received theirs last Tuesday. The dealers sell the model with the most designs and bells and whistles. The lower ones are the same machine but with less designs, extras, etc.

That's interesting. I've heard that Walmart offers manufacturers so much money for an item, and the manuf makes it for that $ amount. That in my mind, doesn't mean the manuf will make it with cheap parts, but would be interesting to know what the real story is.

Mickey's in Painted Post, NY is closing or has closed, which was a Janome dealer. A friend of mine had purchased her Janome at Mickey's. Is there another Janome dealer near, other than Mickey's ?

I recorded it but haven't watched yet. I bought the machine sunday night right after they put it on their website. Same price and free shipping. They usually put items online a day or two before they're on the show (which some people don't like-they sell out quicker that way). I tried the original scan n cut but it didn't fussy cut accurately. At the time there were few resources on the web for it. Now there are tutorials for calibrating, etc so hopefully this one will work out better for me. Mainly I want it for paper crafting but if it might get me doing some more applique.

A very successful quilt shop that has been in business for decades in my area and going strong all because the owner never puts down any one for buying a machine at any store. They are treated like they bought the most expensive machine she sells. She gives lessons for any machine for a min fee if not bought from her. She is thrilled when someone buys a new machine, no matter where it's bought. Her repairman will do what he can to fix most any machine. She says every machine Walmart sells helps her business too. Most will want a newer machine that will do more after a while and will buy from her.

WOW - we need more quilt shops like that. Tell us where she is - I'm sure anyone in a nearby area would love doing business with her.

I recorded it too and couldn't wait to get home to watch it. I rarely watch HSN - actually don't watch much TV at all - I'd rather watch that needle going up and down - LOL. I was very disappointed - not in the Scan n Cut - but in the program. Both women were trying to talk at once - they kept jumping from one thing to another without finishing each thing and it kept skipping to different products for sale - nothing to do with Scan n Cut. As far as the machine goes I think it is going to be great. I have been just dying to get one since two of my friends got one over the summer. My problem is that I am a snow bird and will be heading back to Florida at the end of the month and I thought I'd prefer to wait and buy it from a Brother quilt shop near me - I'm there 7 1/2 months. I called the shop and they do classes on them and also give anyone that purchases one a 15% discount on all accessories. They will also help you with your machine purchased from them any time at all as long as you have the machine. Now I am SO thrilled that I did wait or I wouldn't be getting the new Scan n Cut2. I want it totally for appliquéing. Who knows maybe I'll get into creating greeting cards - I used to do that years ago. I would love to hear how you like yours after you get a chance to work with it. You could PM me. Pat

thanks for the links and info! that's great!

A wonderful attitude - I would consider buying from a dealer like her -
and would NOT NOT NOT buy from someone that acted condescending about the machines I have.

I'm not sure I see your dealer's rationale behind not giving lessons or repairing Janomes bought in her store. That's revenue she is giving up . I can see why dealers wouldn't take trades on machines they didn't sell, though. They can't stand behind someone else's machine. But not to give lessons or repair others? Why not?

When someone asks board members for advise on purchasing a machine, nine times out of ten, board members suggest that the "buyer" try out the machine before they make a decision. Can you do this at Wal Mart or does the low price make it less of an issue?