Dont buy from Sears

16 years ago

I'm writing this while on hold with Sears. I'm cannot tell you how frustrated I am, but I can at least share my experience so that others can avoid the same thing. I purchased a range and a fridge from Sears last year, (In May, anticipating my remodel to go a little faster than it did). I held off delivery until July since we were not ready. When they were delivered, they were both severely damaged, and had to be replaced- next ones delivered in September. What if I had been almost done???? I was REALLY glad that I was not ready to install!

Well, though I was a bit irritated with them, everything seemed ok. The fridge works fine, and got us through the remodel. The range sat in its brand new packaging until two weeks ago, when it was installed, and it DOESN'T WORK. A sears rep came out, diagnosed a faulty control panel, and supposedly I could get a new one in a bit over a week. I'M STILL WAITING. Now they tell me that the part is on backorder, with NO known date of arrival. Half the time I call them, I get hung up on while being transferred.

When the last rep told me that there was no date for the part to arrive, I told him he could pull one out of another range, or deliver a whole new range to me. His reply: ......er,well."

I figure the longer they keep me on hold the more places I can complain about them online.

I already wrote to the better business bureau.

Who else should be next? :)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

conate
16 years ago
Write the CEO of Sears.

I spent HOURS on the phone with Sears trying to get a rebate.

I ended up writing the CEO of Sears holding company.

I got my rebate, but you know, I doubt I'll ever buy anything of consequence there again. Too much hassle!
linkay42
16 years ago
They are the worst..Took me a year to exchange my Oasis after several services and 2 no shows..I got the HE2t in its place.It is fine thank god so I do not ever want to deal with them again.
Related Discussions
Buy appliances from Sears? Warranties?
Q
Comments (15)
Sears is a major ripoff artist. They list some nebulous "suggested retail" price at which they never sell their merchandise and then everything is "on sale" every day at different meaningless prices. When they run their 20% off sales, they price it off of their suggested retail price that the merchandise never sold at. Half the time the stuff retails every day for only a tiny bit more than their special sale prices or sometimes it's actually cheaper before their sale. And their "service" agreements are a joke. Maintainence appointments on ranges or fridges? They are nonexistant. There IS no regularly required maintainence on appliances other than keeping them clean, which one of those useless part changers from A&E would never do. If you ever do have a need for an actual service call, it will take A&E 3 calls (and 3 different changed parts) to figure out they still haven't fixed the problem. They have zero diagnostic abilities. All in all, only buy from Sears if you do independent research about the exact price something is selling for, not what questionable % it's supposedly discounted by. Never buy their warrantiies, and if you can avoid having A&E doing any needed work under the manufacturer's warranty, insist on some other service company.
...See More
Dont buy from Sears
Q
Comments (15)
We bought a washer and dryer almost three years ago. When they delivered them the delivery person noted an almost imperceptible scratch on the drier and immediately asked whether I wanted to accept it or send it back and get a different one. I agreed to accept it, and Sears automatically added another year's warranty on the drier at no charge, plus sent some touch-up paint for the scratch. (Frankly, I couldn't find the scratch again, so just put the paint away for future use.) Then, less than a week before the one-year warranty on my washing machine had run out, I had to call Sears for a warranty repair because my washing machine suddenly started overflowing every time I used it. The repairman came out and couldn't find anything wrong. He said he really "should" charge for the call, since there apparently was nothing wrong and they were called out for nothing, but that he wouldn't charge this time. I told him that was good, because I wouldn't have paid. I then asked him what I was supposed to do with a machine that wasn't working right, after just one year? He suggested I wash smaller loads and see if that helps! I immediately got on the phone with Sears, prepared to go to battle if necessary. Once I explained the situation, the repair center said that, since the repair guy couldn't find the problem, they would simply replace the washing machine with a new one. So, overall, I've been pleased with Sears and expected I might go back there to buy some, if not all, appliances for my kitchen. Unfortunately, I believe what others have said about this happening more often than not, with many different companies, is probably true. We bought all of our kitchen appliances from a local appliance store sixteen years ago when we built this house. We haven't had to replace any yet. Some days, when I start the dishwasher, the thought crosses my mind, "I wonder if this will be the last time the dishwasher will work." I keep expecting the appliances to start breaking down, after sixteen years. When my appliances either start breaking or we get started renovating the kitchen, I'm not sure where we'll go. But I haven't ruled out Sears, considering how things worked out with the washing machine.
...See More
Don't buy Anderson, Stay away from Pella, forget Marvin!
Q
Comments (16)
I am a commercial contractor in Florida. My last home had Pella Architect series throughout. 10 years and 8 months in the home, and we discovered the bottom rails in approximately 75% of the windows had rotted. Our house had casement and French doors throughout. We had two French Doors that the bottom of each had rotted. The only way we found out that our windows and doors had failed was the magnets for our alarm system fell out. The alarm monitor said “zone faulted” When I called the Pella representative in Orlando, I was told that had we called a year earlier, they would have warranted the windows. The frustrating thing was since we live in Florida, it's typically to hot to open the windows so we would never have known if not for our security system. After some investigation into the windows, it became known that Pella knew this issue was a problem for quite a few years. According to one of their installers, they had been testing windows for 6-8 years in south Florida because of the numerous failures. Soon I will be purchasing approximately $150,000.00 worth of windows. I am leaning toward PGT casement windows. I think vinyl and aluminum both have their advantages.
...See More
Should I buy from Sears or local appliance store?
Q
Comments (25)
A & E is technically Sears. Whirlpool and Sears are principal owners. Any service facility is a crap shoot. I also disagree extended warranties are scams, I have used them and find them well worth the investment. My kid had his 2700 Samsung refrigerator replaced from Best Buy at 3 years. And the biggest caveat is just because someone offers local service on a particularly brand, does not mean they are a factory warranty agent. If there not, there's no service or at least factory reimbursable! Yellow pages is full of them. You really have to do what your comfortable doing. Don't like big boxes then buy local. Don't like warranties, don't get them. BUT somewhere down the road there will be consequences for the choices you make, either favorable or not.
...See More
muscat
Original Author
16 years ago
I ended up calling Bosch, and they are going to take care of it independently from Sears. I am still disgusted with Sears, but I'm happy to say that at least now I know this thing will get fixed.
gin_gin
16 years ago
I too have had a nightmare of a time resolving my issues with Sears. Originally ordered Oasis set November 07. Washer didn't work correctly from day 1. After a couple of repair attempts And one no show where I wasted an entire Saturday waiting for the repair tech (who lied & claimed I wasn't home when I called to complain) I started pushing for new machine. Took me numerous phone calls and hours on hold to get that accomplished. I was lied to and told I would get my replacement machine, then the next time I called they didn't know what I was talking about and said no one had ever approved a replacement. When I finally got my replacement I was charged for it in addition to paying for the original machine. The delivery guys took 1st machine when they delivered 2nd machine. When I called a couple of weeks later asking why I had not been refunded for the first machine they claimed they had no record of my returned machine, they didn't know what happened to it. I waited an hour and a half on hold waiting for a supervisor who said they will start an investigation into what happened to my returned machine. I said in the mean time the money you owe me. It's not my problem what happened to the machine after your guys picked it up! At every turn through this process when I was promised something, I asked for something in writing. It was flatly refused. They would not fax, email or send by mail me anything. Every time I called it was a different person. I was told there was no way to speak to the same person twice. When the washer was exchanged I asked the delivery guys for some receipt saying they were picking up the 1st machine, they refused. Finally, FINALLY, just this week I got my refund. Know what finally got the ball rolling? I called American Express a few weeks agoand disputed the charges. AMEX didn't reverse the charges yet, they were still investigating. But I'm sure it was AMEX contacting Sears that caused Sears to finally refund my money. 4 1/2 months. I guess I should be glad it wasn't a year like linkay42. I purchased an entire kitchen of Kenmore Elite appliances before purchasing the Oasis set. I will never spend another dime at sears. I am only 35 so I will probably buy a few more appliances in my lifetime. I doubt the other big box stores are much better in terms of customer service. Next time I need to purchase an appliance I will give my business to a smaller independent appliance dealer.
mutta
16 years ago
YOu should mail the above to your store manager and a copy to the CEO of Sears!!!!!!!!!!!
adapa
16 years ago
I have to put my two cent's in. I've had nothing but great service from sears. Granted I'm in a rural area & there are not many choices but the local store has really gone out of their way to earn my repeat business.
After reading the horror stories I have to wonder if the company has seriously deteriorated in the last few years.
gin_gin
16 years ago
Mutta, I purchased the set on Sears.com, so no store manager to go to. I really wish I had bought them at the store, because I would've gone there every day and pestered them until they made it right. I originally went to the store, and the batty sales lady that pounced on me drove me so crazy that I went home and ordered the machines online. I do have the address for Sears headquarters, and was planning on writing a detailed letter, but the matter has finally been resolved in my favor. Thanks to help from the lovely people at Amex Platinum member services. Now they are people with some customer service training!
plumbly22
16 years ago
gin gin...

This is exactly why I buy EVERYTHING on my amex card... unless the store doesn't accept it... and then I use a mastercard... I figure IF I have a problem... they can fight out the money side better than I can and it only takes ONE phone call to amex to get your money credited... the times I've had to do this... they have always put the amount in a 'suspended' charge file... noot to be paid until the issue is resolved... and since I've known I was right and the store was wrong... I've not had an issue...

amex is wonderful!
wannaflower
16 years ago
Once upon a time Kenmore was the brand to buy. Since I was a child, I remember my mom telling me "always buy a Kenmore because no matter where you live sears will be there to fix it, if you have a problem." Needless to say, the quality & service have dropped since then. I've seen my poor parents get raked over the coals MANY times by sears. They built a house & got all new appliances at the same time believing Sears was still a good company. They've had ovens go out, refrigerators break & the freezing element in a 1 yr old deep freezer rust. Each time they called for service, they were treated very poorly for not purchasing an extended warranty. The freezer rusted within 1 week from the expiration date of the original warranty! They were out of luck because "no extended warranty" (They deal with the franchise owner each time) Save the headache, buy from a local dealer who honors their customers.
If I remember right, they no longer honor the Craftman guarentee (if a hand tool breaks they replace it.)
dadoes
16 years ago
Freezing element rust? Never heard of that one.
wannaflower
16 years ago
Yep, the elements run under the shelves. It was a automatic defrosting freezer & those things rusted! We never heard of that happening either.
pokee99
16 years ago
My sister also told me not to buy from Sears as they are currently going through a labor dispute in my area. Took her WEEKS just to get a service appt. to diagnose a problem with her Kenmore FL washer (which, incidentally, has had to be serviced several times already).

I have a Kenmore washer/dryer currently and luckily, I have not had to rely on them for service...

Dont buy from Sears

Comments (12)

conate

linkay42

Related Discussions

muscat
Original Author

gin_gin

mutta

adapa

gin_gin

plumbly22

wannaflower

dadoes

wannaflower

pokee99

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Dont buy from Sears

Comments (12)

Related Discussions

muscatOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

muscat
Original Author