Household Appliance Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average household appliance stores business in the United States generates $3.9M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 4,361 household appliance stores businesses in the U.S., employing 50,362 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Household Appliance Stores Business Actually Do?
Retailers selling major appliances — refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers. Independents compete with big-box (Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy).
Who buys: Homeowners replacing broken appliances, remodelers, new-home buyers.
Average Revenue
$3.9M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$334K
per year
Total Businesses
4,361
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$154K
small business avg
Labor Cost
15.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.3
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Household Appliance Stores Charge?
Appliance retailers earn thin margins on the appliance itself; profit comes from delivery, install, and extended warranties.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Major appliance markup | 15–30% gross |
Delivery + install | $100–350 |
Extended warranty | $100–500 per item, 40–60% margin |
Haul-away of old unit | $25–75 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete household appliance stores business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a household appliance stores business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the household appliance stores industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $2.3M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $15 | $578K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $312K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $156K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $312K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $154K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
4.91%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.56%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-5.58%
annual
Businesses Closed
1,174
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Household Appliance Stores Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
18 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a household appliance stores business do?
- Retailers selling major appliances — refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers. Independents compete with big-box (Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy). Homeowners replacing broken appliances, remodelers, new-home buyers.
- How much do household appliance stores charge?
- Appliance retailers earn thin margins on the appliance itself; profit comes from delivery, install, and extended warranties. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average household appliance stores make per year?
- The average household appliance stores business generates $3.9M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $154K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many household appliance stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 4,361 household appliance stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 50,362 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a household appliance stores business?
- Startup costs for a household appliance stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The household appliance stores industry is contracting — losing jobs at a net rate of 5.6% per year. More establishments are closing (8.6%) than opening (4.9%), suggesting market challenges.
Approximately 64% of household appliance stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 1,174 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The household appliance stores industry has declined 66% since 2000 (from 32,467 to 11,124 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Household Appliance Stores revenue with other industries: