What’s going on at Sears?

[johnzcarz]

Is Sears going down hill with their tools and order delivery methods? We have a big store here that's been around so long that even Fred Flintstone used to shop there, and their tool department was pretty impressive in the past.

Now they seem to have cut way back on what they carry locally – especially the ‘pro’ stuff. Have you seen the same in your area?

So now I have to order through their website. When I do that they e-mail you that the item has shipped – but all that really happened is they printed the shipping label! It can take a week or more before the package is on it’s way. Is this a new cost saving measure – they wait until the trailer is full and then have UPS stop by rather than daily pick-ups?

 

[GTO]

The search function is your friend.
Please,there are countless threads about Sears here.

 

[scott4]

How much does this coincide with the reduced demand for tools from the reduced demand in construction and consumption from the middle class? Theres a large reduction on construction, and aren't Americans, overall, just buying less right now?

Have the tool makers scaled back production, and are we just seeing these effects?

 

[johnzcarz]

Maybe - but it seems with the economy bad people would be doing more of their own maintenance rather than farming it out. But then again, maybe they just don't do it at all.

 

[BPJOOP93]

Done with sears. Never buying anything there again. Long story but they really pissed me and my wife off. Just my .02

 

[cowboyjosh]

Sears is still in business?

 

[rburke65]

You can add me to the "I'm done with buying at Sears" list. 4 or 5 years ago I got an aluminum floor jack from Sears....I could tell by the lettering on the box that this thing was made in China. Lasted about 3 uses and the seal blew out and there was fluid leaking. Took it apart and then toook it to work, where I was able to find "O" rings for it. Its been fine since then but I"m done. And I will also agree with the thought of the U S General tool boxes being nicer that Sears Crapsman boxes.

 

[TheGunCollector]

As a kid, I an remember going to Sears with my father and browsing the tool section. It really is sad what has happened to their business model.

I'll be sad when, not if, Sears goes under.

 

[RobertMo1988]

i never realized sears sells snap on accessories from there website, seems wierd

 

[Sodder]

Could be the fact they give away tools?

Ordered their deep offset box end set recently and it was shipped with duplicate sizes (many here have had this problem). Sears said, "no problem we will send you the right size". Instead they sent me a new set.

???

 

[StaggeringGoat]

Sears started going downhill in the 80s. Absolutely nothing they have that I need or want.

 

[BackTracker]

I love Sears.

as well as all my American made craftsman sockets for dirt cheap.


Haters gonna hate.

 

[fyrlt1]

Sears is not the same as it once was, but this is true of all retail outlets as well. Sears probably stocks what sells best in a given store/area. If your store doesn't have an item you can go online and find a store nearby that may have it. What isn't available in the store will be in the catalog and available online to be shipped to your store or door.

The 'shipping notification method' the OP mentions is very common, if you ever buy on Ebay you see it all the time. It likely is because they don't actually have the part on their shelf, rather it comes direct from the mfr.. In the catalog they encourage readers to go online to get their 'latest' price. I did this and saved $80.00 on two stainless steel workbench tops, delivered to my local store in 5 days. UPS was not involved in the transaction.

There are other aspects of Sears that worry me more than those issues. Over the years it has seemed to me that the people in charge of buying products that Sears will sell are, IMO doing a terrible job in providing items (not just tools) that people want. The other thing is their sales people, there are less of them and they are not as knowledgable/helpful as in the past. These issues translate to overall less sales/profits, and will naturally result in changing their business model.

Wal mart has changed the face of retail sales in this country for everyone involved. Stocking cheap imported products is not a cure-all and will not insure competitiveness, so other 'innovative' sales/marketing methods are likely to be utilized to streamline operations and reduce costs. Sears is not immune from this. Until this country gets tired of ill-fitting clothes and shoes, poor quality household items, auto parts, tools, appliances, etc., and makes an effort to effect change in our trade policies, it makes little sense to single out any one retailer (other then walmart)as being any worse than another in regards to their goods and services.

We have all dealt with Sears for so long and we have come to expect so much more from them than other stores that their dropoff has been more noticable to us. Even so, I will buy from Sears or Ebay or a flea market or from some guy in an alley if it will keep me from going to harbor freight for tools.

 

[graffix000]

The issue with the shipping is a cost cutting measure by them. Stupid one at that. They ship the goods via usps to a local ups distribution center around you. Then UPS makes the final delivery. I found this out by calling and questioning them one time when it took way longer then it should have to receive my goods. Not sure this is 100% accurate as it was a csr from sears who told me, but seems to make sense for the length of time it takes to get things.

 

[fyrlt1]

I would take that with a grain of salt. Think about that scenario. What sense would it make for Sears to pay two different shippers to ship the same item at whatever their costs are and take longer to do it in the process? Maybe I was more on the money than I thought when I earlier stated Sears sales people were not that knowledgable. My guess is your item was not in stock when you ordered it.

.

 

[johnzcarz]

I would take that with a grain of salt. Think about that scenario. What sense would it make for Sears to pay two different shippers to ship the same item at whatever their costs are and take longer to do it in the process? Maybe I was more on the money than I thought when I earlier stated Sears sales people were not that knowledgable. My guess is your item was not in stock when you ordered it.

.

I would agree with the 'not in stock' statement but the website clearly said in-stock and ready to ship....not that they would ever lie about that
Like I said earlier, they probably accumulate enough orders to fill a trailer and then use one of their idle trucks to deliver that to the UPS hub. Once it gets scanned at the hub then you start getting tracking progress.

Unfortunately my last order took 2 weeks from 'time of order' to 'at my door'. That's a bit much if indeed it was in stock.

rburke65 - the quality of their tool storage (at least the mid and lower end) is abysmal. I bought my first over 30 years ago, it was not the best in their lineup at the time, but compared to one I bought earlier this year, it's the taj mahal. The new one is junk. Unfortunately I was in a bind and needed some additional storage fast, they had a sale on this combo, which included ball bearing slides (that means quality, right?), so I got it sight unseen. When I got it home and started putting it together I was thinking I had handled tinfoil that was a heavier gauge than this thing. Still use the 30yo unit daily (no ball bearing slides), works like a charm.

I do want to be fair though. A while back I ordered a MIG welder from them (90lbs?) and they shipped it for $4.95. Another vendor who is maybe an hour and a half from here wanted $40.00!

 

[fyrlt1]

rburke65.......Based on this episode, 'your done' with Sears? Seems like you are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Did you attempt to get a replacement from Sears? I'm sure they would have coughed one up unless the warranty had elapsed. It seems you fixed the problem with minimal difficulty, "It's been fine since then" (4-5 years) but, based on this episode, 'your done'? I guess bactracker was right, "haters gonna hate"

 

[camarotoolman]

The replacement policy is the best part of Sears. Especialy if ya get a "dumb or noncaring clerk" I've had touble with napa, mac, snap on, proto, home depot.