I recently bought a set of major appliances from several stores. I'd say definitely try to take advantage of the group buy deal if you can find something you want from what being offered as a part of the deal. The reason is obvious: high quality products at very competitive prices. You can save yourself a lot of efforts on shopping, comparing and negotiating.
If you choose to buy on your own, you will definitely have more options to choose from, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. My advice is trying to define your criteria earlier, know what you want exactly so as to narrow down your options to a few brands/models, on which you can compare features and prices more meaningfully.
With respect to the stores, speaking only from personal experience, I believe Sears has one of the best brand/model coverage, good pricing and warranty program, especially if you like their Kenmore brand. Future Shop has much fewer selections, however, they are flexible and willing to negotiate. The negotiated deal cannot be combined with the "$500 off with $3000+ purchase" offer, but chances are the price is better if you negotiate well. FS also has a pretty decent price-guarantee and returning policy, comparing to that of Leon's, which does not allow returning after purchase. BTW, if you are a Whirlpool fan, you may find more selections at Leon's than elsewhere.
In terms of brands, Maytag used to be the indisputable No.1 brand in North America for major appliances. We bought Maytag for our first home and they are still robust and decent after more than 10 years. However, in recent years, products from Korea, namely Samsung and LG, stole the spot lights and have became the No.1 choice for many people. Their products are well designed, pay good attention to details and give you a sense of higher class; sometimes they do feature leading technologies. E.g., one thing I learned is that the Washer made by Samsung and LG all use "direct drive", i.e., belt-less, so not as prone to repairs, noise, etc. I am not sure how big an advantage it is, but it sounds attractive. Some other brands only use this technology in higher end models.
I wish Chinese manufactures could learn from the Korean companies and be more competitive in the international market.
