Hitachi washing machine.

Finally after 1 1/2 mths, the shop delivered the stand for the washing machine. My old front loading machine kaput after 18 yrs of hard work, and I bought a Hitachi 12 kg washing machine from my regular shop. Decided on a 12 kg because of the amount of daily laundry. The old machine was rather small (only 5 kg), and sometimes i had to do a few loads which was not very efficient.
Little did i realise that when i decided to purchase the machine of the problems i would faced.
It being such a long time since i bought a new one, i did not realise that machines came with a stand until my good friend told me. Well, u might wonder what the stand is for. It is to raise up the machine, so that the legs do not get wet and rusts, and also so that rats and cockroaches do not get into the machine, at least that was what i was told.
Contacted the shopkeeper, and also Hitachi to inquire whether a stand was included in the whole package.
What was most disappointing was the reply I got from Hitachi. Apparently, since I did not purchase the machine from one of their distribution partners such as Sen Heng , I could not deal directly with them but had to go through the shop where I bought it from. Emailed them through the address published on their website, but I did not even get a reply to my email. So what is the use of the email address on the website. The shop where I bought it from was also having problems supplying me the stand, and gave me different replies every time I called. On my 2nd call to Hitachi,( by the time my patience was running out), managed to contact a lady who was not much help either except to confirm that the machine did come with a stand, and suggested i go back to the shop again and ask them to contact their salesman who supplied the machine.
I just wonder what sort of system of customer service that Hitachi have. At the end of the day, the machine carries the Hitachi brand and customer support should be provided irregardless of where the machine was purchased from.
As i am a regular to the shop, the owner decided to keep his good name and ordered another machine, and give the stand to me first.
Well, would i ever purchase any Hitachi equipment again. In fact, before this I was thinking of getting a Hitachi fridge, but now it is a case of once bitten, twice shy and I will be looking at other brands instead. Maybe Hitachi should learn a tip or two from the Customer Service Manager from Kenwood Kitchen Appliances who went out of his way after work to deliver a K-beater with no extra delivery charges when my k-beater broke and I could not go to Subang to get 1.