So why exactly would I buy something from Sears again?

[wrh3]

They really did not make it right. To do that they would issue a call tag and have UPS pick it up. Driving a package to UPS is a pain and a cost with no benefit.

 

[Super Sport]

holy ****, that is horrible man!!!

so you ordered something. some kid in a warehouse messed up, and now they are returning your money and paying for shipping for the bad item all in a matter of 30 minutes???

yeah that really ***** a lot... you should have gotten your item you ordered in the first place, but they did make it right, not much else you can ask for.. unless you wanted your package gold plated????

So what if those prybars he ordered were part of a deal of the day over at Sears.com? He purchased them at 50% off. But now, rather than send him what he ordered, they refund what he paid. Now he's out of luck getting the pry bars 50% off. Sure, he has his money, but he thought he was about to get a good deal on something he ordered.

I definitely don't agree that they "made it right" by any means. They didn't go out of their way to ensure that they satisfied their customer. While a business doesn't have to do that, they do to ensure they stay in business.

 

[Kracin]

They really did not make it right. To do that they would issue a call tag and have UPS pick it up. Driving a package to UPS is a pain and a cost with no benefit.

seriously?

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="sec-row-od"><td class="sec-pad" width="35%">
</td> <td class="sec-pad" width="65%"> You can have your shipment picked up from your home or office by scheduling your pickup online at ups.com or by calling 1-800-PICK-UPS^® (1-800-742-5877). UPS will pick up all packages with a single pickup request; you will not be charged pickup fees per package.</td></tr></tbody></table>

now im just waiting for the "but now i had to make a phone call or tell ups when i want them to pick up the package, this is unacceptable" comments

 

[Kracin]

So what if those prybars he ordered were part of a deal of the day over at Sears.com? He purchased them at 50% off. But now, rather than send him what he ordered, they refund what he paid. Now he's out of luck getting the pry bars 50% off. Sure, he has his money, but he thought he was about to get a good deal on something he ordered.

I definitely don't agree that they "made it right" by any means. They didn't go out of their way to ensure that they satisfied their customer. While a business doesn't have to do that, they do to ensure they stay in business.

yeah sears went out of business back in the 80's didn't they? how did he even order from such a bad business anyway if they aren't in business anymore?

 

[tube_guy]

So what if those prybars he ordered were part of a deal of the day over at Sears.com? He purchased them at 50% off. But now, rather than send him what he ordered, they refund what he paid. Now he's out of luck getting the pry bars 50% off. Sure, he has his money, but he thought he was about to get a good deal on something he ordered.

I definitely don't agree that they "made it right" by any means. They didn't go out of their way to ensure that they satisfied their customer. While a business doesn't have to do that, they do to ensure they stay in business.

I agree. Sears didn't really make it right and any company out there except for Sears would have shipped the man his pry bars instead of giving him a refund. A call tag for the return would have been very reasonable too, but not completely necessary. Not shipping the pry bars is just wrong.

 

[Hootbro]

yeah sears went out of business back in the 80's didn't they? how did he even order from such a bad business anyway if they aren't in business anymore?

Sears did not go out of business in the 1980's.

People have been predicting Sear's demise for the last 15-20 years, yet they seem to pull it through and continue on in some form.

 

[Hootbro]

I agree. Sears didn't really make it right and any company out there except for Sears would have shipped the man his pry bars instead of giving him a refund. A call tag for the return would have been very reasonable too, but not completely necessary. Not shipping the pry bars is just wrong.

I like Sears overall but have to agree that their customer service skills ****. "Bob" in India has no clue as to what an American's time is worth nor is their scripted customer service responsive to working solutions of overriding their system and correcting a customers order by sending new items at previously bought discount prices.

 

[Super Sport]

yeah sears went out of business back in the 80's didn't they? how did he even order from such a bad business anyway if they aren't in business anymore?

And Sears back in the 80s had better customer service.

Tell me again how well Sears has been doing over the past 5 years.

 

[Kracin]

Sears did not go out of business in the 1980's.

People have been predicting Sear's demise for the last 15-20 years, yet they seem to pull it through and continue on in some form.

that was a joke, because there are always those people that talk about how bad sears apparently is, and how bad business fails, yet sears hasn't gone under, and is still around and selling a lot of tools regardless of how many anti-fanboys they have exaggerating every single shopping experience they have with them.

probably spent 2000 over the last 8 years with sears and haven't had a single issue, i dont even go to the same store all the time, i go to any of the 4 stores and outlets around my area when i feel like it, order online, do in store pickups etc.





although the OP did get a refund, and everything was taken care of. i find it very..... american.... that a lot of people assume that your time when not working should be paid for, like, the fact that there was an error and they corrected the error, and now YOU should get paid because of their error? you don't collect money for sitting in traffic jams, you don't get paid by the hour for standing in long lines at the dmv. and you certainly don't receive money in pocket for being in a store when a computer system goes down and they can't even ring you up anymore and your trip was wasted. so why does everyone feel the need to be paid when there is a mistake made even after it's corrected?

sears made it right. they don't owe a customer anything, but i'm sure if you complain enough and be "that customer", they will send you a 50 dollar gift card so you can go shopping on their dime and be satisfied that you were finally "taken care of". things like gift cards, or discounts for mistakes are a courtesy given by the retailer at their discretion, and certainly not a right of the customer by any means, and if you feel it's your right to collect, then to you i guess.

 

[Hafen_Kafer]

One word, "Entitlement"
Many feel they're entitled to a "deal" of the day or to a cheap and good quality tool.
Many regulars from this site know before hand the quality of customer service and the buggy website of Sears AND YET THEY STILL DANCE With them when a deal comes up.

 

[Super Sport]

One word, "Entitlement"
Many feel they're entitled to a "deal" of the day or to a cheap and good quality tool.
Many regulars from this site know before hand the quality of customer service and the buggy website of Sears AND YET THEY STILL DANCE With them when a deal comes up.

I think people have the right to feel "entitled" when a retailer takes their money and promises something in return, and then the retailer does not deliver.

And many people, myself included, continue to shop at Sears because many times the deals make it worth it. But that is not to say that they don't have absolutely horrid customer service or other problems.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

There's somebody out there who ordered a pot and is wondering what to do with a new pry bar set.

I was wondering how I was going to warm up my bowl of soup with my new sears pot....I do like the handle....

 

[Hootbro]

...................

although the OP did get a refund, and everything was taken care of. i find it very..... american.... that a lot of people assume that your time when not working should be paid for, like, the fact that there was an error and they corrected the error, and now YOU should get paid because of their error? you don't collect money for sitting in traffic jams, you don't get paid by the hour for standing in long lines at the dmv. and you certainly don't receive money in pocket for being in a store when a computer system goes down and they can't even ring you up anymore and your trip was wasted. so why does everyone feel the need to be paid when there is a mistake made even after it's corrected?

.................

I you are commenting on my comment of what an American's time is worth as "getting paid", you have totally misunderstood my point.

I do not advocate making a profit on a customer service resolution. What I do advocate in a good customer service resolution is making the original deal right if at all possible.

I will give you an example of the value of my time and probably most people:

An online order from Sears shorted me a 10mm socket, probably less than $5 or so IIRC in cost. Call to "Bob" in India had him reading a scripted loss item statement to me. Basically "Bob" told me that he was sending a UPS guy to pick up the torn package that the 10mm socket had fell out of for inspection and claim processing. As I explained to "Bob" in India, I could not take a full day's work off to wait for the UPS guy that they could not give me a specific time of when he would show up. So basically, I was expected to loose a full days wages to wait for them over a $5 item. That is what I am talking about in terms of value of my time.

 

[wjamyers]

I guess some people's time is worthless? such a shame...

 

[wrh3]

Seems I may have spoken with "Bob" last time I had an issue, he is not the best or brightest. My issue was not a torn box but a completely missing set of USA PRO wrenches that could not have physically fit in the box but were shown as shipped on the pack slip. Even after taking pictures of the shipping box and the items that were in the box, they still didn't get it.....I kept getting a similar canned response. That is when I found the BBB suggestion others had posted about and was pleasantly surprised when it worked.

 

[Kracin]

I you are commenting on my comment of what an American's time is worth as "getting paid", you have totally misunderstood my point.

I do not advocate making a profit on a customer service resolution. What I do advocate in a good customer service resolution is making the original deal right if at all possible.

I will give you an example of the value of my time and probably most people:

An online order from Sears shorted me a 10mm socket, probably less than $5 or so IIRC in cost. Call to "Bob" in India had him reading a scripted loss item statement to me. Basically "Bob" told me that he was sending a UPS guy to pick up the torn package that the 10mm socket had fell out of for inspection and claim processing. As I explained to "Bob" in India, I could not take a full day's work off to wait for the UPS guy that they could not give me a specific time of when he would show up. So basically, I was expected to loose a full days wages to wait for them over a $5 item. That is what I am talking about in terms of value of my time.

no, the time thing was completely unrelated to your post.

but in response to this one, UPS can be directed to pick up a package that is left at a doorstep if you choose, or in a mailbox, etc. they understand that people can't be there to physically hand a package off, there is always more than one way to take care of something.


i recently purchased a couple of lights off of amazon, and they were sold by amazon but fulfilled by another retailer, only received one of the two that were supposed to be in the package and by the look of the package (carboard envelope with folded edge, exposed corners) the light could have easily fallen out of the side of the package because it was chosen so poorly.

amazon refunded by purchase and credited my account so i could purchase another light if i wanted. which i did, it was more time out of my day, i had to wait another 2 days to get the other light i needed by fathers day, and i was a little upset, but **** happens. and we all deal with it. no one is being singled out, and to me, my time is valuable, with 4 kids, more than full time work, some college, home auto repairs, the full laundry list.. my time might as well be worth its weight in gold.

on the same hand i had to return something to amazon, a set of screwdrivers i felt didn't live up to the description of their quality, and i had to repackage them and send them back to amazon, who paid for the ups shipping, and all fees. and even shipped me out the new set i wanted instead before even receiving the old ones. the package was left at my door and ups picked it up while i was at work. do i feel like complaining because the item wasn't as "described" for my standards? no, i did a return, got my money back and got something else even though i had to wait a couple of days to get it.

in the end its just opinion, i feel if someone is returned their money for the item they received that was faulty, or wrong.. or if they didn't receive one, then it's no fault unless its consistent (in which case the old saying of cheat me once shame on you, cheat me twice....)...

 

[NC-Fordguy]

And Sears back in the 80s had better customer service.

Tell me again how well Sears has been doing over the past 5 years.

Just like very many retailers during the recession-- Not very well

........and most everyone had better customer service back in the 1980s

 

[NC-Fordguy]

i think people have the right to feel "entitled" when a retailer takes their money and promises something in return, and then the retailer does not deliver.

And many people, myself included, continue to shop at sears because many times the deals make it worth it. But that is not to say that they don't sometimes have absolutely horrid customer service or other problems.

fify

 

[Super Sport]

Just like very many retailers during the recession-- Not very well

........and most everyone had better customer service back in the 1980s

Sears has been doing quite a bit worse than many of their competitors.

And I guess calling customer service and taking to a foreigner who doesn't speak English for **** and can't do jack for you is only "sometimes" an inconvenience.

 

[Hafen_Kafer]

I think people have the right to feel "entitled" when a retailer takes their money and promises something in return, and then the retailer does not deliver.

And many people, myself included, continue to shop at Sears because many times the deals make it worth it. But that is not to say that they don't have absolutely horrid customer service or other problems.

Yes I agree with you. A little bit. I just don't understand why a GarageJournal member would expect something out of Sears in this day and age .
The other day, I missed out on the professional pry bars deal because my phone app wasn't working. I moved one. If I really wanted them I would've clock out of work and go to the store. But I didn't.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Sears has been doing quite a bit worse than many of their competitors.

And I guess calling customer service and taking to a foreigner who doesn't speak English for **** and can't do jack for you is only "sometimes" an inconvenience.

And better than others---Circuit City ring a bell?

If It happened all the time then I would agree. Seeing how it doesn't your statement is irrelevent.

I would venture you have never worked in the IT world. It's full of foreigners as you say on the other end of the phone line

 

[cheechi]

they match prices up to 90 days in the past, for purchases. I have also had them honor a price on the weekend after black friday before the trend was to do sales all weekend. I'm pretty sure they would do it, but the only thing you will lose is time if you fail.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

they match prices up to 90 days in the past, for purchases. I have also had them honor a price on the weekend after black friday before the trend was to do sales all weekend. I'm pretty sure they would do it, but the only thing you will lose is time if you fail.

Is it 90 days?? I thought it was 30.

Either way it doesn't matter. Some folks will finger fawk everything to death here anyways to further the bitching sense of entitlement

 

[hifi_hokie]

you don't collect money for sitting in traffic jams, you don't get paid by the hour for standing in long lines at the dmv.

Time, whether at work or not, has value associated with it.

If there's a certain way of doing things that is an inefficient use of my time (costs more than the value it provides), I won't do it. Same reason why I renew my DMV sticker online, pay bills online instead of having to go to the **** that is the post office, or shop on Amazon instead of wasting my time at a big box store.

 

[Super Sport]

And better than others---Circuit City ring a bell?

If It happened all the time then I would agree. Seeing how it doesn't your statement is irrelevent.

I would venture you have never worked in the IT world. It's full of foreigners as you say on the other end of the phone line

Circuit City is hardly a Sears competitor. That's you stretching trying to prove an invalid point.

I may not work IT, but I do work in the business world, and I shop at Sears far more than 99% of members on this forum. Sears does some things right, and for those things I give them credit. For customer service, they are severely lacking.

 

[cheechi]

it could be 30. the only time i remember caring was 2 days after i bought something dropped and they fixed it.

but yeah. i definitely am not a fan of sears. and im just as tired of threads

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Circuit City is hardly a Sears competitor. That's you stretching trying to prove an invalid point.

Circuit City sold TVs, cameras, DVD players and other electronics as well as vacume cleaners and Big Ticket appliances- a large portion of Sears business is in those areas.

That is a direct Competitor. The selling of like merchandise. Are you willfully ignorant?

 

[Hafen_Kafer]

hahahahhahahahaha

 

[Loscaldazar]

Next time you have a problem with sears call:

(847) 286-2500

or

888-266-4043

Really, they will solve your problem like (almost) no business has ever done before.

 

[hifi_hokie]

Next time you have a problem with sears call:

(847) 286-2500

or

888-266-4043

Really, they will solve your problem like (almost) no business has ever done before.

Is this like "For a good time, call"...

 

[Loscaldazar]

Is this like "For a good time, call"...

Oh yes

I got $100 last time I called that number.

 

[Kracin]

Time, whether at work or not, has value associated with it.

If there's a certain way of doing things that is an inefficient use of my time (costs more than the value it provides), I won't do it. Same reason why I renew my DMV sticker online, pay bills online instead of having to go to the **** that is the post office, or shop on Amazon instead of wasting my time at a big box store.

obviously, but you still aren't entitled to someone else's money if they happen to hold you up for a certain amount of time. thats just ignorant. you know that there is a chance something could happen when doing things. expecting something to take X time, then wanting money when it takes X+2 minutes because your time is money. is the same as suing an alarm clock company because their alarm didn't wake you up on time for a couple of days a week until you returned it.


everybody knows that regardless of where you are shopping online, you are shopping ONLINE. you know that when you place your order, it has to go through the hands of multiple people until reaching some guy in a warehouse on a pallet jack or forklift, filling an order to go on a truck, to get to the ups shipping warehouse, to get to your houes. theres a hell of a lot of **** that can go wrong when waiting for a package to make a 2000 mile trip in 2 days. be glad they have this system down so well in the first place.


even if shopping in the store, if something happened to the item inside the box and no one knows it until you get it home. it's a minor inconvenience to have to bring it back for another because something unexpected happened, and still doesn't entitle you or anyone else money in the pocket for minor errors. granted there will always be those people who complain and complain and complain until they get "compensated", but we all can't be understanding of circumstances beyond someone's control, can we.

 

[MN Falcon]

Seriously, nobody said the OP is entitled to money from Sears. I think someone did say that Sears should have sent him the tools that he ordered!

That said the OP and everyone does have the right use the time = money argument to decide whether or not to spend their money in any store. For instance, this last spring I was changing the oil on my Sportster both crankcase and gearbox. So I broke out my Craftsman torx socket set, the T25 was too small the T30 was too big. Checked the manual and sure enough its T27. No problem I hop on the computer to see if I can order online at Sears and pickup in store. The product shows not available for shipping or pickup. OK no problem, the store is 20 min away they probably have one on the rack in the store. Nope not even a spot on the wall for the T27. So the nice sales guy called the next closest store and they said they had one. Drive 30 min to that store and the guy was wrong, he had the T25! So now I am out 1.5 hours of driving around chasing a common tool, that's $45 of my time! On way home I stop at a local hardware store and drop ten bucks plus change and I have a new Proto T27 socket. What was cheaper for me, the $10 Proto or the $5 Craftsman that I wasted 1.5 hours on and still didn't get? I am not saying I am entitled to any money from Sears, but the next time I need a new tool, especially with all the other changes, I am far less likely to go to Sears first anymore!

obviously, but you still aren't entitled to someone else's money if they happen to hold you up for a certain amount of time. thats just ignorant. you know that there is a chance something could happen when doing things. expecting something to take X time, then wanting money when it takes X+2 minutes because your time is money. is the same as suing an alarm clock company because their alarm didn't wake you up on time for a couple of days a week until you returned it.


everybody knows that regardless of where you are shopping online, you are shopping ONLINE. you know that when you place your order, it has to go through the hands of multiple people until reaching some guy in a warehouse on a pallet jack or forklift, filling an order to go on a truck, to get to the ups shipping warehouse, to get to your houes. theres a hell of a lot of **** that can go wrong when waiting for a package to make a 2000 mile trip in 2 days. be glad they have this system down so well in the first place.


even if shopping in the store, if something happened to the item inside the box and no one knows it until you get it home. it's a minor inconvenience to have to bring it back for another because something unexpected happened, and still doesn't entitle you or anyone else money in the pocket for minor errors. granted there will always be those people who complain and complain and complain until they get "compensated", but we all can't be understanding of circumstances beyond someone's control, can we.

 

[Super Sport]

Circuit City sold TVs, cameras, DVD players and other electronics as well as vacume cleaners and Big Ticket appliances- a large portion of Sears business is in those areas.

That is a direct Competitor. The selling of like merchandise. Are you willfully ignorant?

Circuit City actually dropped large appliances about a decade prior to their collapse. While Sears sells many similar electronics, that department doesn't account for a quarter of their sales. Circuit City did not compete with Sears in clothing, hardware, home, shoes, or appliances. That would mean that Circuit City was nowhere near a direct competitor to Sears. A minor competitor, sure, but not direct. However, the last few years of Circuit City does share many similarities with Sears today.

Maybe we should be questioning your ignorance?

 

[Hootbro]

Circuit City actually dropped large appliances about a decade prior to their collapse. While Sears sells many similar electronics, that department doesn't account for a quarter of their sales. Circuit City did not compete with Sears in clothing, hardware, home, shoes, or appliances. That would mean that Circuit City was nowhere near a direct competitor to Sears. A minor competitor, sure, but not direct. However, the last few years of Circuit City does share many similarities with Sears today.

Maybe we should be questioning your ignorance?

+1

There was more different between the two than the same.

 

[bowmard]

I will not buy foreign made Craftsman tools at the Sears store as long as the supply of US made Craftsman tools doesn't dry up on Ebay. If in the event all Craftsman tools are made overseas, and I need a replacement, I'll buy used Snap-On or Mac. I don't thinks Sears has lowered the prices of their Chinese made 44809 ratchets and I'll not reward Sears for outsourcing their wares. I'd rather help pay for John Doe's wages at Acme tool works here in the US than pay for Chang Hung Chow's employment at a state owned tool making facility.

 

[Kracin]

Seriously, nobody said the OP is entitled to money from Sears. I think someone did say that Sears should have sent him the tools that he ordered!

That said the OP and everyone does have the right use the time = money argument to decide whether or not to spend their money in any store. For instance, this last spring I was changing the oil on my Sportster both crankcase and gearbox. So I broke out my Craftsman torx socket set, the T25 was too small the T30 was too big. Checked the manual and sure enough its T27. No problem I hop on the computer to see if I can order online at Sears and pickup in store. The product shows not available for shipping or pickup. OK no problem, the store is 20 min away they probably have one on the rack in the store. Nope not even a spot on the wall for the T27. So the nice sales guy called the next closest store and they said they had one. Drive 30 min to that store and the guy was wrong, he had the T25! So now I am out 1.5 hours of driving around chasing a common tool, that's $45 of my time! On way home I stop at a local hardware store and drop ten bucks plus change and I have a new Proto T27 socket. What was cheaper for me, the $10 Proto or the $5 Craftsman that I wasted 1.5 hours on and still didn't get? I am not saying I am entitled to any money from Sears, but the next time I need a new tool, especially with all the other changes, I am far less likely to go to Sears first anymore!

uh.... thats the point, if you don't like it, then don't bother, but mistakes happen. but there are still many a people that feel their time should be compensated with money. and even though the only thing the OP was out, was time. he still felt like sears didn't make anything right, which is my point i was getting at.

 

[MN Falcon]

Uh..... I still don't think you get it. The op never asked for money. He ordered prybars, SEARS made a mistake. Instead of sending him prybars they just canceled the order. IMHO Sears did not make it right. All the op said was that this, plus other possible things makes him really feel like he doesn't want to spend his money at Sears. He never asked for money, you put those words in his mouth.

uh.... thats the point, if you don't like it, then don't bother, but mistakes happen. but there are still many a people that feel their time should be compensated with money. and even though the only thing the OP was out, was time. he still felt like sears didn't make anything right, which is my point i was getting at.

 

[Wangstang]

Sears online sales support is horrible.

Try sending an email here:
Manager on Duty for Sears.com/Kmart.com
[email protected]

It was the only way I could start getting things sorted out about a year ago when they screwed one of my orders up.

Good luck.
Wes