I filed a BBB complaint against Sears today!

[john37]

Well, I had my fill with my local Sears today. Here's the scoop... I put an 8' stainless steel workbench top on layaway about 2 and half weeks ago. I went in to make a payment today (was actually going to pay it off in full) and noticed it was $25 cheaper. I went to the dipshit at the counter and asked if they'd adjust the price. He told me no since the order was over 14 days old. The agreement says no adjustments after 30 days of layaway date! They wouldn't honor and instead told me the best way to do it was to cancel the layaway, pay the $10 cancellation fee (and lose my $5 layaway fee) and just re-purchase the item at the lesser price.
So, I cancelled the order outright, took my money and ran. Filed the complaint as soon as I got home.
I've emailed corporate about those pricks before. They never got back to me so hopefully BBB will have some influence, even if it's enough to get my $15 back.
Sears *****!

 

[rikmeister]

unfortunately the BBB is a joke.

 

[Zrexxer]

That and $4.95 will get you a cup of coffee.

 

[john37]

yeah.... I know but it's least I could do to feel some sort of satisfaction. The nitwits behind the counter could give a rat's ***. If it gets my layaway resinstated with the lesser price, I'll consider it a victory. The thing that ***** is that I already rebuilt the area in the garage for that top specifically.

On a more pleasant note, I, right after filing the BBB claim, expressed my utmost satisfaction after having one of the best meals in a long time. I emailed the restaurant and gave them the highest praise I knew how to give.

 

[krooser]

You should have asked to see the store manager. When I worked at Sears years ago people would cry to the manager and would get away with murder.

 

[Daedalus]

You couldn't just buy it and immediately return it for a full refund, then buy it again at the cheaper price? Save $20. I didn't realized companies actually charged a layaway fee.

 

[weicm3]

I don't sears(or all other big retail chain) will bother a dispute on bbb.

looks like they only do price matching within 14 days.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/nb_10153_12605_NB_CSpricematch?adCell=WF&adCell=BF

revision date was 12/13/09. not sure if that 14 days policy was recently changed.

 

[m289271]

Wow, I didn't know that anybody did layaways anymore.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I think that just cost you 15 dollars to cancel... I think in fact that they have rules because of people like you, and not in spite of people like you. Getting mad over a contract that you agreed to, after they gave you the option of layaway that you chose to take, rather than save the money at home.

Sorry if I sound like your grandfather.

 

[checkthisout]

BBB has no enforcement power of any kind. People who happen to check the BBB before buying stuff from Sears will just be bored to tears by your rant.

Now, get your wallet, go down to Sears, pay the nice man behind the counter and quietly slurk away with your new stainless top.

Just lie to your friends about how much you paid for it if the price concerns you that much.

 

[rburke65]

K-mart, Sears and others are starting lay-aways again because people are finally starting to watch the way they use their charge cards. So lay-awats are back in vogue. But now they charge you a fee for it. Cash is King. Don't hold your breath waiting for the BBB. You should have stood there and thrown "a Royal Crazy" in the store.....you would have got what you wanted.....Squeeky Wheel....

 

[OccupantRJ]

Anyone got a link to this top to share?

 

[Matt M PA]

Hmmm...I'd be annoyed too...but (and hindsight is always 20-20) I'm thinking in the end it cost ya $15 to have nothing...versus the price you had agreed upon two weeks ago...which would have been $10 higher than the "sale" price...and you'd have the top.

I think it stinks that they would not honor a sale price...but I can hear Judge Judy..."did you read the layaway agreement, Sir?".

 

[Stuey]

Wow, I didn't know that anybody did layaways anymore.

Sears will reinstate the layaway program (I believe they did it last year too) before the holidays to **** in as much extra revenue as they can.

BBB has no enforcement power of any kind. People who happen to check the BBB before buying stuff from Sears will just be bored to tears by your rant.

Now, get your wallet, go down to Sears, pay the nice man behind the counter and quietly slurk away with your new stainless top.

Just lie to your friends about how much you paid for it if the price concerns you that much.

I beg to differ.

I've had two unresolvable disputes with Sears before.

1st - I ordered a screwdriver, and it was stuck in "processing" stage for like, two weeks. They wouldn't cancel the order, saying that orders can only be refused at the time of delivery or returned to the store. They also affirmed that processing would take "up to two days". After 10 days, I filed a BBB complaint. The item was shipped a while later, someone investigated and told me that the order had somehow been "stuck in the system", and they sent me $ 5 gift card for my troubles.

2nd time - I placed three orders during what I thought was a massive Gearwrench sale. It turned out to be a huge pricing error catastrophe, and my orders were cancelled. Sears charged my credit cards for every item, but failed to give me a complete refund. After something like five weeks, I had associates confirming that Sears owed me money, others saying that I've already received a full refund, and others assuring me that the issue would be looked into. I filed a BBB complaint, and the refund was promptly issued to me.

So the BBB does have some power in getting Sears' higher up customer service reps to take actions that their regular customer service reps are incapable of.

Also, for 36 months, Sears now has 17,300 complaints logged with the BBB.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

unfortunately the BBB is a joke.

Yep.

 

[FANTASY FACTORY]

Shoulda just went to the top, Wal-Mart.
And why in hell are you buying anything especially a mech part from them,?
are you living in 1954?

 

[CraigFL]

It's too bad that people feel the BBB doesn't help them. I am a member of the BBB and feel it has helped my business a lot plus I've used it several times to settle personal disputes. I think people misunderstand what the BBB is set up to do.

The BBB reports on two kinds of businesses-- Members and non-members. In order to be a member(and remain a member) you must follow rules of good business practices set up by the BBB and agreed to when you join. As a member, you are graded and reported on their website. The BBB has the most influence over its members because it is assumed that since you joined and agreed to the terms, you really want to do the best thing and be fair to your customers. If you don't, you will lose your membership. If you're not a member, the BBB may find out about you, report on you and give you a rating(grade).

In either case, the BBB has a procedure to resolve disputes. When I say "dispute", it means the issue is unsettled and you (the customer) are looking to find a solution that will satisfy you. (It is based on the assumption that you are looking for a fair solution and trying to be made whole and not trying to punish or come out ahead on the situation). The procedure involves writing down in detail the situation , submitting it to BBB so they can forward your exact words to the business for an answer within 30 days. If the business is a member, they will probably answer but if they're not, they may just ignore it in which case the BBB will update their information about the business that the business doesn't respond to complaints-- which ends your complaint right there. If you do get a response(and an offer to settle), you can accept or give another response and wait for another cycle. Note that several cycles may take months.

Some people feel that BBB has more power than they do. They are just an arbitrator that puts two people together that can resolve the issue -- you and the company representative. They have no legal power - criminal or civil. If you have that kind of claim you need to resolve it in court.

Hopefully, this makes BBB things a little clearer...

 

[mikevango]

I think that just cost you 15 dollars to cancel... I think in fact that they have rules because of people like you, and not in spite of people like you. Getting mad over a contract that you agreed to, after they gave you the option of layaway that you chose to take, rather than save the money at home.

Sorry if I sound like your grandfather.

right on!

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Would you have bought it, if the original price was $20, $30, $40 more than what you were going to pay? If so, why let this bother you?

I would have just gotten a store manager and explained the problem. Whether or not you understood policy, you should have explained your side and let them decided if they wanted you business. If it didn't matter to them, then decide if the item was worth the hassel/price to you.

 

[shovel]

CraigFL, Thanks for the scoop on the BBB. I've always thought there were kind of a fox in charge of the henhouse operation. My hard feelings were from a bad experience 30 year ago near my home town. The people in charge then are dead and gone. I guess I kinda need to let it go....

 

[john37]

I think that just cost you 15 dollars to cancel... I think in fact that they have rules because of people like you, and not in spite of people like you. Getting mad over a contract that you agreed to, after they gave you the option of layaway that you chose to take, rather than save the money at home.

Sorry if I sound like your grandfather.

Are you serious? Because of people like me? WTF is that supposed to mean? You judge me based on one incident in my life? All I did was ask them to hold up to their agreement. So holding the agreement THEY provided that says "30 days" in plain written English means nothing? It doesn't say "policies", which I l know can be changed on a whim. This says "agreement" and is spelled out in detail.

There are more issues that I have with the store that prompted me to file a complaint. It's not as if I didn't get my way so I filed. I've been dealing with their BS for too long.

And I agree about the BBB. They helped me in the past when a car rental company overcharged me (grossly).

 

[lawfarm]

I think there was some confusion above.

From what I understand, John was buying the item on layaway. His layaway contract said "no price adjustments after 30 days". That implies that there are price adjustments within 30 days of starting the layaway. On day 14, he sees that the item is on sale, and asks for a price adjustment (still within the 30 day window). Sears desk-jockey refuses. John was adhering to the layaway agreement, and Sears was not. (Do I have that correct?)

That seems like Sears is being unreasonable...although I'm not sure I would have paid to cancel at that point. I agree--going up the Sears chain of command at the store would be the way to go.

 

[Cameronl]

I think there was some confusion above.

From what I understand, John was buying the item on layaway. His layaway contract said "no price adjustments after 30 days". That implies that there are price adjustments within 30 days of starting the layaway. On day 14, he sees that the item is on sale, and asks for a price adjustment (still within the 30 day window). Sears desk-jockey refuses. John was adhering to the layaway agreement, and Sears was not. (Do I have that correct?)

That seems like Sears is being unreasonable...although I'm not sure I would have paid to cancel at that point. I agree--going up the Sears chain of command at the store would be the way to go.

From Sears Layaway Fast Facts:

"Except where prohibited by law, there will be no price adjustments after 14 days from the date you start your layaway."

http://content.sears.com/ue/home/SearsFastFacts_v3.pdf

Unless his community falls under "where prohibited by law," the OP is mistaken about the 30 days.

 

[Costner]

If you are going to file a complaint with the BBB every time a counter-jockey tells you something that is incorrect... you will be a very busy man.

It would have been much easier to appeal to the store manager. It probably would have been less of a hassle, you would have got what you wanted in the first place, and it would have saved a lot of time and headaches.

If you have had "issues with the store" so many times in the past... why keep going back? This just reminds me of people who complain about Chinese made products, but the second they get a catalog in the mail from Harbor Freight they are all over it. If you are going to complain about a company then by all means avoid them and save yourself the headaches. There should always be someone else willing to take your money.

 

[TA^Guy]

Honestly, if it says "30 days" on your receipt then it should be 30 days and I would have cancled my layaway on principle alone.

If I still wanted the item i'd go to another Sears and purchase it or go over to HD and get one of those cool looking tool boxes they have there with the lids that make it so you actually see into the top. Crapsmen boxes and tools are over rated and over priced anyhow. My last two boxes were Crapsman and the next one won't be, thats for sure.

I think that just cost you 15 dollars to cancel... I think in fact that they have rules because of people like you, and not in spite of people like you. Getting mad over a contract that you agreed to, after they gave you the option of layaway that you chose to take, rather than save the money at home.

Sorry if I sound like your grandfather.

So it's his fault that they don't stand by the contract that is printed on hsi receipt?

Before my current job I worked retail for over 11 years and was a store manager for one of the #1 chains in it's industry, price adjustments are very common. And if it's printed "No Price Adjustments after 30 days" on his receipt, then he is entitled to do it have it adjusted anytime prior to that.

John was adhering to the layaway agreement, and Sears was not.

Exactly

 

[chadster1]

All this over $25. How much gas do you use on every trip to the store? How much is your time worth? How much did you spend on that meal?

I guess I am just past the point in life where I let every little thing stress me out.

 

[mikevango]

Are you serious? Because of people like me? WTF is that supposed to mean? You judge me based on one incident in my life? All I did was ask them to hold up to their agreement. So holding the agreement THEY provided that says "30 days" in plain written English means nothing? It doesn't say "policies", which I l know can be changed on a whim. This says "agreement" and is spelled out in detail.

There are more issues that I have with the store that prompted me to file a complaint. It's not as if I didn't get my way so I filed. I've been dealing with their BS for too long.

And I agree about the BBB. They helped me in the past when a car rental company overcharged me (grossly).

let's recap.
1 you are out $15
2 you're mad
3 you have no stainless steal bench top

 

[sammerdog]

let's recap.
1 you are out $15
2 you're mad
3 you have no stainless steal bench top

let's recap for Sear's:

1 they made $15
2 they have a mad customer bad mouthing them far and wide
3 they have a stainless steel bench top even though someone offered to buy it from them for an advertised price

 

[gsport]

but how many times have you came out on the long end of the stick?? this was a one time incedent and usually doesn't happen like that. remember the air hose reels last year at lowe's being clearanced for $23.99? i bought one, had it laying around here for months and took it back. couldn't find the receipt, they scanned it and gave me a $79.00 credit.... worked for me.

 

[viper522]

If it makes you feel any better, according to the Sears website I still have an open order from 3/19/2008.

 

[trythis]

I had a problem with a contractor. I called BBB 5 months later, the contractor never responded to the BBB. After 6 months, the BBB finally revoked accreditation because they failed to comply with agreed BBB standards. You aren't going to get instant gratification.

 

[bazzateer]

If the original price was acceptable then what's the problem? If you order/buy something which then becomes available cheaper it's unfortunate but that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

 

[walrus]

I guess I am just past the point in life where I let every little thing stress me out.

Thats called owning your own business, if you let every little thing stress you out, you'd be in a padded room

 

[Costner]

but how many times have you came out on the long end of the stick?? this was a one time incedent and usually doesn't happen like that. remember the air hose reels last year at lowe's being clearanced for $23.99? i bought one, had it laying around here for months and took it back. couldn't find the receipt, they scanned it and gave me a $79.00 credit.... worked for me.

So theft and/or fraud is ok provided it works in your favor?

I'd bet you would be crying foul if that happened in the opposite direction, and since you knew it was wrong - I'm afraid that isn't anything to brag about.

 

[Teken]

In my personal experience if someone is going to help you they will do so on set. If it requires persuasion or one to make a scene, you really have to ask yourself:

1. Is this really customer service?

2. How will they treat you after the sale if you have a warranty issue?

3. If they value you so little based on the above facts you have given us, why bother shopping and supporting this vendor?

At the end of the day several things have become a truism, for me.

- A man's word is hard to come by, a hand shake no longer seals a deal, when someone tells you something it rarely is the truth, or they will not follow up on what they have promised too.

- Principles, one's word, honor, and doing what is right, and not what is popular is what's missing in this era.

Regards

True EVIL . . .

 

[Basskiller]

Anyone got a link to this top to share?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00914962000P?keyword=stainless+steel+workbench

 

[Keep]

My hard feelings were from a bad experience 30 year ago near my home town. The people in charge then are dead and gone. I guess I kinda need to let it go....

Wow that sounds like my wife......

 

[jmh21586]

My grandpa was a housing contractor. He built a house for someone one time, they called him up months after moving in telling him the paint was peeling off the walls. He went over and the house was like a tropical jungle. The humidity couldn't have been higher. Looked around and founf that the morons had disconnected the dryer vent so the damn thing was venting into the house. He asked them why the hell they did that. They told him they didn't want to waste all that heat, letting it wnet out. He told them it was their problem. They called the BBB and complained. The BBB called my grandpa to get his side of the story. He told them what happened. They agreed that it was the homeowners fault.

BUT..then the BBB asked him to repaint the house anyway to make the homeowners happy.

Grandpa told them to get f-ed.

 

[Iroc-Z]

All this over $25. How much gas do you use on every trip to the store? How much is your time worth? How much did you spend on that meal?

I guess I am just past the point in life where I let every little thing stress me out.

Second that. If you really wanted to get it cheaper just buy it return it and buy it at the cheaper price. Stores do that all the time.

 

[kwb]

5 bucks for a layaway fee on $200 for a month is 33% interest rate.

Stick the money into a jar instead of driving yourself to the store to pay on layaway if you can't be disciplined enough to save the money in a checking or savings account.


They call it layaway because they lay you away with the system of fees instead of calling it interest and getting the state all up in angst over loansharking.