Sears Roebuck ripoff unethical unresponsive misleading Lafayette Louisiana
I purchased a chain saw and a sharpener for the chain. After using the saw 3 times, I wanted to sharpen the chain.
Each chain should be sharpened at specific angles which are normally found in the Owners Manual. My manual did not mention sharpening the chain at all.
First, I called the Toll-Free number for Sears Parts. The agent referred me to the local Sears Parts Store in Scott, La.
The agent in Scott said Sears does not sharpen the chains any longer. They just replace them. I said I just wanted the correct angles, so I can sharpen it myself. She replied that no one at Sears could give me that information.
I then emailed the national Sears Customer Service, explained the situation, and asked for help. No one ever replied.
The local Better Business Bureau noted on its site that all complaints against Sears were successfully resolved.
I then filed a complaint against Sears with BBB, but Sears did not respond to BBB either. The BBB quickly changed the rating of Sears to unsatisfactory.
Finally, I mailed a copy of everything, including my complaint to BBB and BBB's report, to Sears National Customer Relations, 3333 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179. I'll post a follow-up if anyone responds.
Who would buy a lawnmower if the blade had to be replaced whenever it was dull as opposed to being sharpened? Who would buy a tire that had to be replaced every time it had a flat?
etc., etc., etc.
Why does Sears sell sharpeners for chain saws if the chains are to be replaced rather than sharpened? If Sears insists on such an unjustified policy, why doesn't it notify the customers up front with a sign next to the saws or sharpeners?
Oh, wait! A burst of understanding just struck me. Yes, I see! This is a way to make money from unsuspecting suckers. Did they think of selling houses that need to be replaced rather than painted? It won't be long.
George
Lafayette, Louisiana
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
TERRI
MODESTO,California,
U.S.A.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, January 18, 2005
I HAVE WORKED IN THE LAWN AND GARDEN DEPARTMENT FOR OVER 22 YEARS. AT ANY TIME I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW TO SHARPEN YOU CHAIN SAW CHAIN, THE ANGLE, THE THINGS YOU DO NOT WANT TO DO WHEN SHARPENING YOUR CHAIN.
BUT SINCE SEARS WANTS TO SAVE A COUPLE OF DOLLARS THEY ARE FINDING REASONS (THAT THE UNEMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT FIND ARE UNREASONABLE REASONS TO FIRE) TO GET RID OF US "OLD TIMERS" AND REPLACING US WITH 2 SIMPLE PART TIMERS--SOME FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND CAN'T SPELL CHAIN SAW--SO YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR...STUPID ANSWERS FROM STUPID ASSOCIATES.
...BY THE WAY I AM TAKING ALL ME KNOWLEDGE TO HOME DEPOT, MAKE MINIMUM WAGE (I CAN AFFORD THIS) JUST SO I CAN SELL THEIR PRODUCT AND TAKE AWAY ANY AND ALL SALES FROM SEARS AND BURY THEM WITH ALL THE KNOWLEDGE THEY GAVE ME TO USE AGAINST THEM...SEARS SUCKS...THEY ONLY WAY TO GET BACK TO THEM...IS TO STOP SHOPPING THEM!!!! FOREVER!!!!
THE IDIOTS YOU SPOKE WITH THE FIRST TIME THAT SAID SEARS REPLACES THE CHAIN WHEN WORN IS ONLY UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY....
AND IF THIS IS CORRECT WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE THE CHAIN BACK INTO THE STORE AND DEMAND THEM TO REPLACE THE CHAIN -
SINCE THAT IS WHAT THE 800 # TOLD YOU..? IF YOU SCREAM FOR THE STORE MANAGER AND ASK THE NAME OF THEIR DISTRICT MANAGER AND REQUEST THE 800# FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE (AKA: GOLDEN OPPROTUNITIES)...THEY'LL EXCHANGE THE CHAIN JUST TO SHUT YOU UP...THEY DON'T WANT TO FIGHT OVER A $20.00 PART!!!TRUST ME!
George
Lafayette,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Unrespopnsive Sears...responds.
#6Author of original report
Wed, December 01, 2004
I just received a call from a representative of whatever department is in charge of chainsaws. He said sellers are often not including the angle to file chains in the Owners Manual, because many owners do not file their chains or they take them in to be sharpened.
He said he would send me a book on filing chain saws that includes the correct angle of just about any chain including mine.
It occurs to me that maybe he has the cause and effect reversed. I suspect that people go to have chains sharpened or just don't sharpen them, because the information is not included. Remember, my local Sears store said it just replaces chains rather than sharpening them.
At any rate, I appreciate the help...assuming the information arrives...but, under no circumstances, should it be this difficult to obtain that information.
George
Lafayette,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Unresponsive Sears
#6Author of original report
Sat, November 27, 2004
Sears Customer Service called me from the Coporate Office On Nov 18 saying Sears was still researching the correct angle to file the saw and would contact me again with more information.
Sears Customer Service called me today, Nov 27, and said they had notified the department in charge of chain saws but have had no response. He asked me twice if I was going to file suit against Sears in conjuction with BBB. I replied I do not intend to file suit. He suggested I eyeball the angle on the chain and file it using the approximate angle. I replied that is what I'm doing, but I would like the exact angle for best results. I did not tell him that if he googled Sears Sucks he would find many, many references, and the one one top of the list is mine that I started after being shafted.
George
Lafayette,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Unresponsive Sears in Lafayette, LA
#6Author of original report
Mon, November 08, 2004
I received a letter from Sears stating they had tried to contact me via phone but were not successful and gave me a case number,892893, to call. I called, and after 2-3 minutes on hold a woman answered. I gave her the case number, and she went to look up the information. She came back with part of the problem and the rest was messed up, so I went over the situation. She asked me to hold while she went to look up something. Within 30 seconds the hold music came on with the recording I orginally had while waiting, "Please ontinue to hold, we will be with you...".
After about 3-4 minutes a man came on who was taking calls and had no idea that I was on hold waiting for the woman to come back. He said something must be wrong with the phone system. Anyhow, I explained the problem to him, but he had some sort of answer for everything I pointed out. Here are some specific examples: I told him Sears was just replacing chains rather than sharpening them, and who would do that with a lawn-mower blade.
He said we are talking about chain saws rather than lawn mowers. I replied the principle is the same. He mentioned 3-4 dates and times that Sears tried to call me. I said we have Caller ID and an answering machine which are operational except when the phone is off the hook between 2 and 4 PM his time EST. He said if the phone was off the hook, then Sears couldn't reach me. I replied that the times he gave me of the attempted calls were not all during those times. And so on.
The bottom line is that he promised to contact the saw's manufacture and find the correct angles for me. I will update again when I hear from him.
Cory
San Antonio,Texas,
U.S.A.
Ask Someone Who Knows
#6Consumer Suggestion
Fri, October 08, 2004
Hate sears. This is just one example of the new sears corporate mentality. If you have an independant shop around, they could probably tell you what angle to use. I like the part about no sharpen info in the owner's manual. What a new and novel idea, sharpening the chain, instead og buying a new one. I wonder how many suckers buy a new chain every time, same goes for the lawn mower blade.