I purchased hood, mw online - no problems. So much cheaper than online.
However I will say that local retailers are quick to match prices. But buying online will save you sales tax. It's a tradeoff.

Please make sure you have someone in mind to install them before going this route. There is another person on the boards right now struggling with that problem.

The hood can be stressful to put in. We hired our cabinet builder/installer and paid him by the hour to put in the hood. Your stove could be challenging too. Ours was a slide-in, and pretty easy; plumber rechecked the line before we put it in. The electrical and venting to the outside was already in place however. Your plumber can install your dishwasher. With the fridge it is not the hookups so much as the sheer size and not scratching it or your new cabinets.

Another thing to consider is who will service them if you have any trouble down the road?
Some places won't service what they don't sell so finding a service man trained in fixing the current appliances could be challenging. People don't really think about service until they need it! We have found that it is easier to shop locally if we can. See if a local dealer will match the price.

The manufacturer is responsible for the service not the retailer. I once called an authorized service place and they refused to provide service since they didn't sell it - I told the manufacturer and they were not happy - they referred me to another authorized servicer and said they would take action against the first place.

We bought from a local retailer who gave us very good prices-- they pretty much matched the online offers. They also offered us a lot of help and guidance during the selection process. We figured that was worth something. Our GC installed everything, not the appliance store, but we were happy that we could deal with a local independent store. My policy when it comes to online purchases is that if the local retailer offers great service and a decent price, I'll buy from them. If I get "iffy" service locally and they aren't offering solid help in the decision making process, I have no qualms about going online.

Only buy online if they are an authorized retailer of the products. That can be a big deal as there are a lot of non authorized sellers out there now with an internet connection and salesmen that promise you anything---even that their merchandise comes with a warranty.

And only buy on line if you are comfortable DIY installing the appliances. If you are purchasing anything complex like a built in fridge or panel ready DW, be sure you have the skills to deal with them. The purchase price is the least of your concerns if you cannot find anyone local who has experience installing such appliances and you aren't handy enough to DIY it yourself. That extra $500 you "saved" doesn't go very far when you have to start hiring out unknown skill level tradesmen who end up damaging your appliances or your home because they were unfamiliar with the requirements.

With all due respect, Green, that seems unduly alarmist to me. Installing appliances isn't rocket science -- if a professional tradesperson can't handle it, that speaks more to their faulty skill level than anything. Your warning applies more to the dangers of hiring unknown installers than to the source of the appliance itself.

If you're concerned, oatmealcooki, I'd run your proposed models by your GC/plumber/electrician before purchasing, to make sure they're comfortable with installing them in your particular kitchen configuration.

I bought my refrigerator and vent hood online, my dishwasher locally, and had excellent experiences all around.

**Make sure you open the box and inspect the piece while the delivery folks are still present, to ensure that any shipping damage is properly documented.**

No, I don't think I'm being unduly alarmist if the OP is considering something beyond your basic GE simple appliances. Better to know all of the issues on the front end so that it can be worked out than to have to post questions on here about who can they find to install their appliances sitting in their garage! (Recent post, BTW.)

Sure, pretty much anyone with a bit of handyperson skill can install a freestanding fridge or stove. It's the ones with the more complex requirements that you will need to be careful with, and it's those expensive models that a lot of people are focused on bottom line price only searching, not realizing the other issues that go with a built in. The people locally that have experience building in those fridges and paneling them will be the ones who work for the local high end appliance showrooms. And, that's the people you just snubbed by buying online. They don't moonlight. And while a good cabinet installer plus some additional manpower can help with the panels issues if he reads the manual, don't think that it won't take them longer and cost more for them to install your built in than it would if an appliance specialty installer did the work.

As far as the warranty issue, there have been plenty of stories about manufacturers, Meile especially, not honoring warranties because the appliance was bought from an unauthorized seller, or out of the authorized seller's territory. Of course, that's only important if you value warranty coverage with your appliances.