Complaint Review: Sears Holding Company/Sears Austin Texas

On April 25 I bought a refrigerator, a microwave and a range from Sears. To guarantee the sale, they agreed to deliver the appliances by the 28th so I could get the serial numbers to use in rebates.

By 11:30 on the 28th I was calling to find out when they would make delivery. They said they had already tried to find the house, couldn't find it, and would reschedule.

After calling the 1-800 delivery number three times, (twice speaking directly with supervisors) getting three different call centers who had no records of my previous calls, and receiving no return phone calls, I called the Sears at Barton Creek where I made the purchases. I found out they had entered my phone numbers in wrong. I talked to the floor manager of appliances. She said the 1-800 number didn't even get to Austin and she would get information for me. She never called back.

I spoke with the sales representative who sold me the refrigerator. He said the floor manager was going to offer me monetary compensation for my inconvience. No one ever called back. By this time it has cost me an extra $380.00 for the contractor to sit and wait.

Around 5:00pm I called and said cancel my order. That's when I got the delivery within 30 minutes.

I asked the deliverymen to take the appliances out of the box to check for freight damage. They said no and left. The refrigerator and microwave were delivered with significant dents. The microwave is very noisy, so the damage may be more than cosmetic. I used the oven twice before the ceramic was bubbling up around the heating element.

I received the items on Saturday, April 28. First thing Monday, April 30, the first business day, I tried calling the store manager. I was promised a return call by Tuesday afternoon. Nothing. I called the complaint desk. I got hung up on. I called back. They sent an email to the store manager. I had to wait 48 hours for the next step. No call. In three days I called the complaint desk again. They emailed the district manager. I had to wait 72 hours for a reply. No call.

I called the Sears Holding Company corporate offices.I got hung up on (found out later it was because they thought I had mentioned the "L" word - lawyer. A Sears associate told me their policy is to hang up if someone mentions an attorney). I called back. They took a report. Nothing. I mailed them a six page letter detailing all of the supervisors and managers who don't return phone calls.

I called the complaint center. The associate said the district manager was an okay guy and was going to give him a "heads up" that I wasn't going to drop this. The district manager called and listened to the whole story.

I was out $380.00 while the contractor waited. (The Sears associate had said wait). The District Manager said he would "split the difference with me". The floor manager had offered monetary compensation. Nothing. The "Gatekeeper" I spoke with on Monday 30 said offering that compensation is SOP. Nothing. I paid full price for damaged appliances. I even purchased the extended warranties on all three.

The District Manager called me back and offered me $500. I told him to arrange to come get the items.

I emailed the district manager documentation where I could purchase the exact appliances, with less damage for between 30-40% discount. I again mentioned that monetary compensation had been offered by the floor manager and the $380.00 I had to pay the contractor to sit and wait. That email was sent exactly one week ago today. I have had no response from the District Manager.

I have spoken to "One Source" some inter-departmental entity. No help. One department doesn't know what the other is doing. One Source can't get my account number from customer service. I don't have the number - they pulled it up at the store. Customer service can't even give me my account number. My head's swimming with all these departments that don't interact.

The accounts/dispute resolution 1-800 number sent me full circle back to One Source. The phone representative asked me "Why I took so long to call - I've had my appliances almost a month". Look up "frustration" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of a Sears store.

Today is May 25. I bought the appliances April 25. They were delivered - late and damaged - April 28. I have been trying to get a resolution since April 30. I only waited that long because that was Monday, the first business day. And she asks me why I took so long to call?! She also told me it was my fault things didn't get resolved because I called the store instead of her department in a timely manner! My fault!

I just got off the phone with "One Source" again. As of this moment, I don't know when they will pick up these appliances. They will not give me full credit for my extended warranties - I have to pay for the month I've had the warranty. Buyer beware - did you know the extended warranties run concurrently with the manufacturer's warranty? I didn't. I have to pay to have the microwave uninstalled or they won't pick it up. They may make me pay a 15% restocking fee.

I am still out the $380.00 for the contractor's time, which I wouldn't be harping on except the district manager said he'd "split the difference." I still haven't heard any more about the monetary compensation for my inconvience. I wouldn't be harping on that except I didn't ask for it, it was offered voluntarily and the store manager's receptionist said that it was SOP to offer that.

I have probably spoken with 15 people in Sears employee. That includes at least three supervisors and three managers. Only one person returned a call. To date I have no resolution.

I have come up with interesting fun facts along the way. And I have the names of the employess who passed the information along, but I'm not going to use them. If you say "lawyer" or "attorney" Sears employees are directed to hang up on you. Even though Sears will "monitor or record" calls, if you try to record them they will hang up on you.(Some states allow you to record calls without notifiying the other party).

I spoke with one of several sales people from Sears Barton Creek who have left because of bad management. They work on commision and they often lose large sells like mine because management and delivery are sub-standard. The management at the Barton Creek store is under scrutiny because of this sort of customer treatment. The service people are often on their cell phones conducting personal business while in a home to do repairs.

I have found four other people, just in general conversation, who have experienced the same sub-standard treatment after a purchase. Two other employees I spoke with on the phone have also said Barton Creek has an ongoing problem with customer service. I would have spent more than $950.00 more than I had to if I had accepted these appliances.

As it is, it will have cost me at least $600.00 to get rid of these appliances and install new onew. I feel like it cost me $600.00 just to walk into a Sears store and I'll never do it again.

Donna
Manchaca, Texas
U.S.A.

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