I bought mine at Lowes. List price something like 3200. Lowes price plus 10% off about 1700. I would not buy a Samsung fridge ever again. Can't wait to get rid of it and it's only a year old. We are going to try to make it 5 years so we don't feel totally ripped off.

I don't know about refrigerators but I have read that the faucets at box stores are made differently than those available at plumbing supply stores. Plastic vs brass inside, etc.

What is it about the Samsung that you don't like?

Same model number is same machine wherever you buy. Repair people fix machine using parts for that machine without regard for retailer.

Yes, ty sail_away.

In addition, with the counter depth model at least, the top shelf can't accommodate a standard milk/soy/almond carton upright. You can lower it one, but then your second shelf is almost unusable and your top shelf is now too low.

Because of the way the ice maker is configured, your door storage on the left side is almost non existent. Couple hot sauce size bottles, couple small jelly jars, that's it.

We have adapted to those foibles. And the temp is solid. The middle drawer is nice. The exterior stainless is nicely finished. It's a pretty machine.

I will update after I call Samsung about the icemaker.

As others have pointed out, if the model number is exactly the same then it is the same item.

But I will point out that the actual appliance itself is just part of the purchase. In comparing prices between appliance dealers and big-box stores, if you haven't already done so, you've got to consider the cost of delivery/installation/removal of the old appliance/etc. as well as any bargaining you can do at point of sale (discounts, freebies thrown in, etc.). I say this as someone who has purchased appliances at both big-box stores and independent appliance dealers (and, who, for what it's worth, has not found the prices all that different).