Home appliances — from kitchen gadgets to white goods like washing machines and fridge-freezers — involve a complex mix of technical specifications, energy efficiency data, installation requirements, and regulatory obligations. WEEE recycling duty and energy labelling are legal requirements for electrical goods retailers in the UK. Migrating to Shopify requires bringing all specification data and ensuring these compliance obligations are met on the new storefront.

Appliance categories

White goods / large appliances: Washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, fridge-freezers, ovens, cookers. Delivery typically requires specialist two-person teams and old appliance removal.
Small domestic appliances: Kettles, toasters, microwaves, coffee machines, food processors. Standard parcel delivery.
Personal care appliances: Hair dryers, straighteners, electric shavers, electric toothbrushes.
Floorcare: Vacuum cleaners, carpet washers, steam cleaners.
Heating and cooling: Electric heaters, fans, air conditioners, dehumidifiers.
Built-in appliances: Ovens, hobs, extractor fans for kitchen installations.

UK energy labelling requirements

Electrical appliances in the UK must display energy efficiency ratings under UK regulations derived from EU Energy Labelling Regulation. The label was reformed in 2021 with a new A–G scale (replacing A+++–D):

Energy efficiency class must be displayed on product pages for washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, televisions, and other regulated products
The energy consumption figure (kWh per annum or per cycle) must also be stated
Products registered with EPREL (European Product Registry for Energy Labelling) — link to the product fiche if selling into EU markets too

product.metafields.appliance.energy_rating = "A / B / C / D / E / F / G"
product.metafields.appliance.energy_consumption_kwh = "132"    // per year or per cycle
product.metafields.appliance.energy_consumption_period = "per year / per cycle"
product.metafields.appliance.noise_db = "48"                   // for washing machines etc.
product.metafields.appliance.capacity_kg = "9"                 // washing machine drum
product.metafields.appliance.capacity_l = "300"                // fridge/freezer volume

WEEE recycling obligations

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 require UK electrical goods retailers to:

Offer free in-store take-back for old electrical equipment (or join a distributor take-back scheme)
Offer free home collection of old appliance when delivering a new equivalent appliance ("one-for-one" take-back)
Display WEEE information on product pages: the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol, disposal instructions, and take-back options
Register with a WEEE compliance scheme (e.g. REPIC, WEEEcare, B2B Compliance)

Add a WEEE disposal section to each electrical product page, and to your delivery/returns policy page. A metafield for WEEE category helps automate this:

product.metafields.appliance.weee_category = "Category 1 (Large household appliances) / Category 4 (Small household appliances)"
product.metafields.appliance.weee_takeaway_offered = "true"    // for large appliance delivery

Technical specifications

product.metafields.appliance.voltage_v = "220-240"
product.metafields.appliance.frequency_hz = "50"
product.metafields.appliance.wattage_w = "2200"
product.metafields.appliance.dimensions_cm = "60x60x85"        // W x D x H
product.metafields.appliance.weight_kg = "72"
product.metafields.appliance.colour = "White / Black / Stainless steel / Silver"
product.metafields.appliance.connectivity = "WiFi / Bluetooth / None"
product.metafields.appliance.smart_home = "Google Home / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit"

Delivery and installation for large appliances

White goods require specialist delivery. Configuration in Shopify:

Create a separate shipping profile for large appliances with carrier-calculated freight or fixed-price specialist delivery rates
Installation as an add-on service: use Infinite Options or a product bundle app to offer "Add installation service (£X)" on washing machine and dishwasher products
Old appliance removal: similarly, offer "Old appliance removal" as an add-on
Note delivery lead time clearly — large appliances often have 5–14 day delivery, unlike same/next day parcel products

Warranty registration

Many appliance brands require warranty registration. Options:

Include warranty registration instructions in post-purchase email (Shopify order confirmation or flow automation)
A metafield for warranty duration helps display warranty period on product pages consistently

product.metafields.appliance.warranty_years = "2"
product.metafields.appliance.extended_warranty_available = "true"
product.metafields.appliance.manufacturer_warranty_registration_url = "https://..."

Post-migration checklist for home appliances stores

Energy efficiency rating and consumption figure on all regulated electrical products
WEEE crossed-out wheelie bin symbol and disposal information on all electrical product pages
WEEE take-back obligation: one-for-one collection policy documented and offered for large appliances
Technical specs (wattage, dimensions, weight, capacity) as metafields
Large appliance delivery: specialist freight profile configured with appropriate lead times stated
Installation service add-on configured for relevant products
Warranty duration displayed; post-purchase warranty registration instructions in confirmation email
Colour/finish variants correctly labelled (stainless steel, white, black)

Migrating a home appliances store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)