AI Washing-Machine Purchase-Consultation Retailer Recommendation Survey: Which Electronics Retailer Do the Five Major Generative AIs Recommend for Buying a Washing Machine?

Summary

To see which purchase sources major generative AIs recommend for buying a washing machine, Stellagent Inc. asked five AI services — ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot — across six purchase scenarios, five times each, for 150 questions in total. The survey was conducted in two stages: first we checked recommendation trends across purchase-source categories including electronics retailers, Amazon, Rakuten Ichiba, Kakaku.com, and manufacturer direct sales; then we limited the question to electronics retailers and, under a nationwide, general-context condition that uses neither the user's location nor prior context, checked which retailer names the AI ranked highly.

Metric	Result
Target AIs	5 services (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot)
Number of runs	5 AIs × 6 scenarios × 5 runs · 150 answers total
Recommendations extracted	740
Most recommended individual store in the category comparison	Bic Camera (61 recommendations)
Top overall in the retailer-only comparison	Yodobashi Camera (240 ranking points)
Mentions of water taps / drain pans / drum-vs-top-load	Water taps 43, drain pans 45, drum/top-load 28 (of 75 answers each)

In the purchase-source category comparison (S1–S3, 75 answers), AI named many individual electronics-retailer names as washing-machine purchase sources, and by recommendation count Bic Camera was the most common at 61. In the nationwide, general-context comparison limited to electronics retailers (S4R–S6R, 75 answers), Yodobashi Camera led with 240 ranking points; first-place picks were closely split between K's Denki (28) and Yodobashi Camera (27), while Bic Camera had the most recommendations (68).

The chart above may be reproduced as-is in media coverage, articles, and other materials, provided that you credit "Stellagent Inc." as the source and include a link to this page.

Meanwhile, delivery/installation, warranty, and in-store consultation were mentioned in all 75 answers, while water taps (43), drain pans (45), and drum vs. top-load type (28) were mentioned less often — leaving cases where installation conditions important for choosing a washing machine were left out.

Background

Consumers are increasingly asking AI, even when replacing a washing machine, "Where should I buy it?" and "Which purchase source won't let me down on delivery or installation?" The purchase sources and store names that appear first in an AI's answer become the entry point from which consumers begin comparing options.

For a washing machine, not only the unit price but also the delivery route, installation space, water tap, drain, drain pan, recycling collection, and warranty shape post-purchase satisfaction. For sellers, therefore, what matters is not only exposure in search and on e-commerce marketplaces, but which purchase sources — and which retailers — AI recommends, and for what reasons.

This survey was conducted to see which purchase sources and electronics retailers major generative AIs recommend for a washing-machine purchase, and whether they guide users all the way to delivery/installation, water taps, drains, drain pans, recycling collection, warranties, and in-store consultation.

Survey Overview

Item	Content
Subjects	Recommendation answers by major generative AIs about where to buy a washing machine
Target AIs	ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot
Scenarios	Three purchase-source category comparisons; three within-retailer comparisons
Number of runs	5 AIs × 6 scenarios × 5 runs, 150 answers total
Recommendations extracted	740
Survey date	July 15, 2026
Method	Entered identical prompts into each AI's web UI and recorded the recommended purchase sources, rankings, reasons, caveats, and mentions of delivery, installation, recycling collection, and warranty
Context-influence control	Used a temporary chat, incognito mode, or a new chat. Because switching ChatGPT to temporary chat produced an error, a normal new chat was used and the prompt explicitly instructed it not to reference past conversation or memory. In the within-retailer comparison, specified to answer as a nationwide generalization for all of Japan, without using the user's location, address, nearby stores, or account information
Aggregation	Based on rawdata/tally.csv, tallied recommendation counts, first-place counts, ranking points, scenario-level trends, and mention rates for confirmation items

Scenarios Used

ID	Scenario	Condition
S1	General washing-machine purchase consultation	No purchase-source category specified; observe which sources the AI naturally raises
S2	Purchase consultation with delivery/installation concerns	State concerns about a condominium, the delivery route, installation space, water tap, drain, and drain pan
S3	Price-focused, comparing online purchases	Explicitly compare Amazon, Rakuten, Kakaku.com, electronics retailers, and manufacturer official
S4R	General comparison within electronics retailers	Limit the washing-machine purchase source to electronics retailers and ask for a nationwide general answer
S5R	Delivery/installation-focused comparison within retailers	State delivery, installation, water tap, drain, drain pan, recycling collection, and warranty, and ask for a nationwide general answer
S6R	Balancing price and peace of mind within retailers	Ask, as a nationwide generalization, which retailer balances low price with delivery/installation/collection/warranty peace of mind

Retailer Names and E-Commerce Coexist in the Category Comparison

In the purchase-source category comparison (S1–S3), AI named many individual electronics-retailer names as washing-machine purchase sources. Under price-focused conditions, however, Kakaku.com, Rakuten Ichiba, Amazon, and online retailers also ranked high.

The table below is listed in descending order of recommendation count. (Because the overall ranking of retailer names uses ranking points, which is a different basis, refer to the within-retailer comparison below.) S1–S3 is a purchase-source category comparison, so individual electronics-retailer names and general categories such as "online retailers" and "manufacturer official" are mixed. General categories bundle multiple businesses together and are of a different granularity from specific store names, so the counts in this table are exploratory reference values. The authoritative overall ranking of retailer names, under matched conditions, is the within-retailer comparison (S4R–S6R).

Normalized name	Recommendations	First-place picks	Ranking points	Purchase-source category
Bic Camera	61	8	196	Electronics retailers
Yamada Denki	51	11	164	Electronics retailers
Yodobashi Camera	45	23	190	Electronics retailers
Rakuten Ichiba	35	0	92	EC marketplace / online retailer
Amazon	34	4	80	EC marketplace / online retailer
Kakaku.com	28	21	122	Price-comparison site
K's Denki	25	1	58	Electronics retailers
Online retailers	20	2	51	EC marketplace / online retailer
Manufacturer official	16	1	34	Manufacturer direct
EDION	14	0	29	Electronics retailers

Yodobashi Camera Leads on Points in the Within-Retailer Comparison

In the within-retailer comparison (S4R–S6R), Yodobashi Camera had the most ranking points (240) among specific electronics-retailer names. Ranking points are calculated as 5 points for first place, 4 for second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth, and 1 for fifth.

For this report, the overall ranking was determined using ranking points as the primary metric, with ties broken in order by recommendation count, first-place count, number of AI services covering, and number of scenarios covering. Under this basis, Yodobashi Camera, with the most ranking points, came in first.

Overall rank	Store	Recommendations	First-place picks	Ranking points
1	Yodobashi Camera	62	27	240
2	Bic Camera	68	2	208
3	K's Denki	62	28	207
4	Yamada Denki	60	16	202
5	EDION	55	2	122
6	Kojima	22	0	56
7	Nojima	14	0	26
8	Joshin	8	0	23

Yodobashi Camera stood out for its high ranking points, while K's Denki had the most first-place picks (28). Bic Camera had many recommendations (68) but only 2 first-place picks, tending to appear as a second-or-lower candidate.

Why the Top 4 Ranked Highly

Below are the most common first-place stores by scenario in the within-retailer comparison (S4R–S6R, n=75).

Scenario	Most common first-place stores
S4R General comparison within retailers	K's Denki 11, Yodobashi Camera 8, Yamada Denki 6
S5R Delivery/installation-focused	Yodobashi Camera 11, K's Denki 7, Yamada Denki 3, EDION 2, Bic Camera 2
S6R Balancing price and peace of mind	K's Denki 10, Yodobashi Camera 8, Yamada Denki 7

Even among the same electronics retailers, the top 4 played different roles in the AI answers.

Store	Evaluation axes prominent in AI answers	How it typically appears
Yamada Denki	Price negotiation, store network, delivery/installation, warranty, trade-in/recycling	Tends to appear as "a major chain with a good balance of price and ease of consultation"
Yodobashi Camera	Point rewards, delivery/installation, stock/EC, clarity of the process	Tends to appear as "a store with solid all-around strength, points, and installation support"
Bic Camera	Point rewards, urban stores, assortment, EC integration	Tends to appear for "effective price including points and ease of comparison"
K's Denki	Cash discounts, free long-term warranty, delivery/installation, clarity of explanation	Tends to appear in contexts that emphasize "warranty and clarity of the total amount paid"

Cross-checking with official information also confirmed elements matching the reason words the AI used. Yodobashi Camera officially describes installation of washing machines and clothes dryers, recycling collection, and an installation-consultation flow for online orders. Yamada Denki publishes items eligible for delivery/installation (including washing machines), recycling collection fees, and delivery/installation charges with a recommendation to get an estimate. K's Denki confirms, as official information, free delivery/installation for designated large items such as washing machines, recycling collection, and cautions around the water tap. Bic Camera publishes large-appliance recycling and washing-machine recycling-fee guidance.

Recommendation Trends Diverge by AI Service

Below are the most common first-place stores by AI service in the within-retailer comparison (S4R–S6R, n=75).

AI service	Most common first-place stores
ChatGPT	K's Denki 12, EDION 2, Yodobashi Camera 1
Gemini	K's Denki 14, Yamada Denki 1
Claude	Yamada Denki 11, Yodobashi Camera 2, K's Denki 1, Bic Camera 1
Perplexity	Yodobashi Camera 10, Yamada Denki 3, K's Denki 1, Bic Camera 1
Microsoft Copilot	Yodobashi Camera 14, Yamada Denki 1

Overall Yodobashi Camera had the most points, but there were differences by AI service. ChatGPT and Gemini gave more first-place picks to K's Denki, Claude to Yamada Denki, and Copilot and Perplexity to Yodobashi Camera.

Mentions of Installation Risks

For a washing-machine purchase, delivery, installation space, water taps, drains, drain pans, recycling collection, and warranty matter. In the 75 answers of the within-retailer comparison, delivery/installation, warranty, and in-store consultation were touched on in every answer, while checks for water taps, drain pans, and drum vs. top-load type were relatively fewer.

Confirmation item	Answers mentioning	Trend
Delivery / installation / carry-in	75/75	Treated as a basic condition of the purchase-source comparison
Warranty / long-term warranty	75/75	A frequent primary axis for retailer selection
In-store / in-person consultation	75/75	The value of checking and consulting in person tends to come up
Recycling collection	61/75	Frequently mentioned as an important condition when replacing
Installation space / carry-in route	60/75	Common as a caution for drum-type or large models
On-site inspection / estimate	48/75	Tends to appear in scenarios with stated concerns
Drain pan	45/75	Mentioned in a certain share as an installation condition
Drain / drainage	43/75	Mentioned as a check for whether installation is possible
Water tap	43/75	Mentioned as a leak or connection condition
Drum vs. top-load type	28/75	Easier to omit than size or carry-in conditions
Official EC / online flow	15/75	Fewer than in-store consultation

The chart above may be reproduced as-is in media coverage, articles, and other materials, provided that you credit "Stellagent Inc." as the source and include a link to this page.

Implications for Sellers

The results of this washing-machine purchase-consultation survey suggest the following four points for sellers.

For washing machines, not only "low price" but "peace of mind through installation" becomes a reason to recommend

In the AI answers, on top of price and points, delivery/installation, recycling collection, warranty, and in-store consultation were repeatedly used as reasons to recommend a retailer. Sellers need to present, on the product page, not only the unit price but also the conditions for delivery/installation, collection, warranty, and additional fees in a structured way.

Even among the same top stores, the evaluation axes differ by AI

ChatGPT and Gemini strongly recommended K's Denki, Claude recommended Yamada Denki, and Perplexity and Copilot recommended Yodobashi Camera. Each company needs to check which AI and which purchase scenario it is strong in, and to maintain official information that is easy for AI to cite and summarize.

Under price focus, users flow to e-commerce and price-comparison sites

In S3, Kakaku.com, Rakuten Ichiba, Amazon, and online retailers ranked high. By clearly showing not only the unit price but also the total including installation/collection/warranty, in-store consultation, and a contact point in case of trouble, electronics retailers can be chosen more easily even in comparison contexts against price-comparison sites and e-commerce.

Confirmation items such as water taps, drains, and drain pans are easily omitted in AI answers

Delivery/installation and warranty were touched on in many answers, but checks for water taps, drain pans, and drum vs. top-load type are relatively rare items. Retailers have room to publish, in a structured way, the items AI should check in a purchase consultation — washing-machine body dimensions, carry-in route, drain-pan inner dimensions, tap height, drain position, and door-opening direction.

Prompts Used

The prompts were originally entered in Japanese. Full English translations are provided below. The following six prompts were used for the 150 responses included in the published analysis.

S1

I want to replace my washing machine. Where should I buy one? Please list three to five purchase sources in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer using only these conditions.

S2

I want to buy a washing machine for use in a condominium, but I am somewhat concerned about the carry-in route, installation space, water tap, drain, and drain pan. Where should I buy one? Please list three to five purchase sources in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer using only these conditions.

S3

I want to buy a washing machine as cheaply as possible. I am unsure whether to buy from Amazon, Rakuten, Kakaku.com, an electronics retailer, a manufacturer's official store, or somewhere else. Please list three to five purchase sources in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer using only these conditions.

S4R

If I buy a washing machine from an electronics retailer, which retailer should I choose? Please list three to five recommended electronics retailers in order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not use my current location, address, IP address, nearby stores, nearest store, local store conditions, account information, search history, past conversations, or memory under any circumstances. Do not assume a specific area such as Tokyo or Koto City; answer as a nationwide generalization for Japan.

S5R

I want to buy a washing machine from an electronics retailer. Which electronics retailers can I trust for the full process, including carry-in, installation, water tap, drain, drain pan, recycling collection, and warranty? Please list three to five in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not use my current location, address, IP address, nearby stores, nearest store, local store conditions, account information, search history, past conversations, or memory under any circumstances. Do not assume a specific area such as Tokyo or Koto City; answer as a nationwide generalization for Japan.

S6R

I want to buy a washing machine from an electronics retailer as cheaply as possible while avoiding problems with carry-in, installation, recycling collection, and warranty. Which electronics retailer should I choose? Please list three to five in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not use my current location, address, IP address, nearby stores, nearest store, local store conditions, account information, search history, past conversations, or memory under any circumstances. Do not assume a specific area such as Tokyo or Koto City; answer as a nationwide generalization for Japan.

Excluded Preliminary Prompts

For the within-retailer comparison, we initially collected 75 responses using S4–S6 (three scenarios × five AIs × five runs). We then reran the comparison as S4R–S6R with added conditions that more explicitly excluded contextual influence from current location, address, nearby stores, account information, and related factors. Responses from S4–S6 are not included in the 150 responses used for the published analysis. The full preliminary prompts were as follows.

S4 (excluded from the published analysis)

If I buy a washing machine from an electronics retailer, which retailer should I choose? Please list three to five recommended electronics retailers in order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer using only these conditions.

S5 (excluded from the published analysis)

I want to buy a washing machine from an electronics retailer. Which electronics retailers can I trust for the full process, including carry-in, installation, water tap, drain, drain pan, recycling collection, and warranty? Please list three to five in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer using only these conditions.

S6 (excluded from the published analysis)

I want to buy a washing machine from an electronics retailer as cheaply as possible while avoiding problems with carry-in, installation, recycling collection, and warranty. Which electronics retailer should I choose? Please list three to five in recommended order and explain the reasons and points to watch for. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer using only these conditions.

Notes on the Survey

• This survey is an exploratory study of 5 AIs × 6 scenarios × 5 runs and is not intended for statistical generalization.
• Because switching ChatGPT to temporary chat produced an error in the browser-operation environment, answers were obtained with a normal new chat. The prompt explicitly instructed it not to reference past conversation or memory, controlling for context influence.
• AI answers are outputs on the web UI as of July 15, 2026, and even with the same prompt they vary by date/time, model, search settings, and account state.
• The overall ranking is calculated using ranking points as the primary metric; the order changes if recommendation count or first-place count is used as the primary metric instead. Reason-word extraction is a reference value based on machine matching.
• Product and service names in this report are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Revision History

• July 15, 2026: Added the full prompt text and the reason preliminary runs S4–S6 were excluded
• July 15, 2026: First edition published