‘Great Appliance Swap Out’ Winds Down

New York State's ten-day-long “Great Appliance Swap Out,” a rebate program intended to boost the economy while encouraging residents to switch to energy-efficient appliances, will draw to a close Sunday.

The program, funded with $16.8 million of federal stimulus money, gives consumers cash back if they purchase certain appliances with the Energy Star label between Feb. 12 and 21.

The program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), consists of two options. The first gives shoppers rebates if they purchase Energy Star refrigerators, freezers, or laundry machines. With the second option, consumers have to buy a high-efficiency refrigerator, clothes washer, and dishwasher to get about $500 in return.

At Brooklyn-based appliance store, AJ Madison, content manager Jennifer Prestigiacomo says the company has been promoting the program while also trying to make the rebates easier for consumers to understand. “Overall, we find the promotion to be good for sales," she says, "although it is unclear if the state is putting enough energy into promoting this brief 10-day sale."

Tom Marley, a manager-in-training at P.C. Richard & Son’s Upper West Side location, says he hasn’t sold many items that qualify for the rebates, even though customers have expressed an interest in the program. “It’s not what I thought it was going to be,” he says. “The list of appliances is so limited.”

NYSERDA spokesperson Colleen Ryan says officials are currently considering extending the program or offering it again at a later date should any rebate money be left over after this Sunday. As of Friday, the state had spent about $6.2 million on nearly 46,000 rebate claims, with some $10.6 million left over.