Appliance World Settles Outstanding Customer Claims  (PDF)

Contact:  Jerad Albracht, Communications Specialist, 608-224-5007 or Jim Dick, Communications Director,
608-224-5020

MADISON – For Appliance World customers who worried about their outstanding and unfilled orders when the Milwaukee-area company shut its doors in January, the wait is over.  All outstanding claims have been handled and just over $89,000 in refunds and products have been returned to consumers.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection worked with Appliance World to mediate more than 200 consumer complaints that were filed after the company closed all of its locations in southeastern Wisconsin.  Complaints against the company typically involved outstanding layaway payments, questions about product fulfillment or the validity of extended warranties.  Representatives from the Bureau of Consumer Protection worked on the case from February until May to mediate all of the complaints. 

“The Bureau of Consumer Protection worked directly with Appliance World to ensure that consumers were treated fairly and received the products or refunds that they deserved,” said Sandy Chalmers, Division Administrator for Trade and Consumer Protection.  “We were contacted by a lawyer for the company immediately after they announced the closing, and that gave us an opportunity to start working for consumers right away.”

For more information, visit datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the hotline toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.

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