- Report: #427121
Complaint Review: Sears Outlet Stores - Minneapolis Minnesota
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Sears Outlet Stores
www.searsoutlet.com Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.
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Sears Outlet Stores When is 30 - 40% off really only 20% off? Minneapolis Minnesota Nationwide
...when you read the fine print.
I was excited to read in the Sears Outlet Stores ad (February 19th thru March 4, 2009) that lawn tractors are on sale. "ALL LAWN TRACTORS 30 - 40% OFF*". I went to the website to see which models were available near Minneapolis. Only two models were available and neither of them were "30 - 40% OFF".
46 in. Lawn Tractor
Reg Price: $1,649.99
$1,319.93
46-in-Lawn-Tractor
Sears item # 28813
Mfr. model # 28813
Brand: Craftsman
This impressive tractor features a 46 in. Precision Cut Plus deck and 20 hp Briggs & Stratton Intek Plus engine with manual
20 hp 46 in. Deck, DLS 3500 Lawn Tractor
Reg Price: $1,749.99
$1,399.93
20-hp-46-in-Deck-DLS-3500-Lawn-Tractor
Sears item # 28714
Mfr. model # 28714
Brand: Craftsman
Powered by a Briggs & Stratton 20 hp Intek Plus engine (includes oil filter) with overhead valves for cooler running and longer life.
Now when I sharpen up my pencil, it appears both of these tractors are 20% off. How can that be, when the advertisement so clearly reads "ALL LAWN TRACTORS 30 - 40% OFF*"?
Wait, what's that asterisk for? Let me see...nothing on that page...nothing on the page before it...oh there it is - three pages earlier I see where the explanation is for the asterisk. Wow! Let me get my glasses out for this small print. "*Savings off regular retail price." Okay, so what's regular retail price? Kind of hard to figure that one out since the Sears retail stores no longer carry either of these tractors. So how do they figure retail price when they aren't available for retail sale?
Here's the kicker for me though. On the front page I find small print that reads, "Merchandise and discounts vary by store.". What? What do you mean that discounts may vary by store? How in the world can they say ALL LAWN TRACTORS are 30 - 40% off then? If the discounts vary by store, does that mean that in reality they could run an ad stating, "ALL LAWN TRACTORS 99% OFF*"? Why not, since discounts vary by store and all? How about "ALL MERCHANDISE 200% OFF*"? That would really get people into their stores since Sears would be paying them to take your merchandise, right? Imagine their disappointment however, when they discover that discounts vary by store, and gosh darn it - their store's discount varied quite a bit.
Horribly misleading Sears!
Tafkap777
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
U.S.A.
I was excited to read in the Sears Outlet Stores ad (February 19th thru March 4, 2009) that lawn tractors are on sale. "ALL LAWN TRACTORS 30 - 40% OFF*". I went to the website to see which models were available near Minneapolis. Only two models were available and neither of them were "30 - 40% OFF".
46 in. Lawn Tractor
Reg Price: $1,649.99
$1,319.93
46-in-Lawn-Tractor
Sears item # 28813
Mfr. model # 28813
Brand: Craftsman
This impressive tractor features a 46 in. Precision Cut Plus deck and 20 hp Briggs & Stratton Intek Plus engine with manual
20 hp 46 in. Deck, DLS 3500 Lawn Tractor
Reg Price: $1,749.99
$1,399.93
20-hp-46-in-Deck-DLS-3500-Lawn-Tractor
Sears item # 28714
Mfr. model # 28714
Brand: Craftsman
Powered by a Briggs & Stratton 20 hp Intek Plus engine (includes oil filter) with overhead valves for cooler running and longer life.
Now when I sharpen up my pencil, it appears both of these tractors are 20% off. How can that be, when the advertisement so clearly reads "ALL LAWN TRACTORS 30 - 40% OFF*"?
Wait, what's that asterisk for? Let me see...nothing on that page...nothing on the page before it...oh there it is - three pages earlier I see where the explanation is for the asterisk. Wow! Let me get my glasses out for this small print. "*Savings off regular retail price." Okay, so what's regular retail price? Kind of hard to figure that one out since the Sears retail stores no longer carry either of these tractors. So how do they figure retail price when they aren't available for retail sale?
Here's the kicker for me though. On the front page I find small print that reads, "Merchandise and discounts vary by store.". What? What do you mean that discounts may vary by store? How in the world can they say ALL LAWN TRACTORS are 30 - 40% off then? If the discounts vary by store, does that mean that in reality they could run an ad stating, "ALL LAWN TRACTORS 99% OFF*"? Why not, since discounts vary by store and all? How about "ALL MERCHANDISE 200% OFF*"? That would really get people into their stores since Sears would be paying them to take your merchandise, right? Imagine their disappointment however, when they discover that discounts vary by store, and gosh darn it - their store's discount varied quite a bit.
Horribly misleading Sears!
Tafkap777
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
The Consumerist
Tempe,Arizona,
U.S.A.
The website isn't accurate
#2UPDATE Employee
Mon, February 23, 2009
The way the price online is generated is directly from the sticker tags on each merchandise this yellow tag at the store ALWAYS starts 20% off when it enters inventory and then drops 5-10% every 30 days if the item isn't sold, When there is a sale on an item a red sticker is put on it with the price + the discount This wouldn't show up online since its done manually with stickers and calculators at the store by the employees. The reason they do this is it's time consuming to go in and modify the price on the yellow tags with bar code on 1000+ items at each store and then remove them after the sale is off. Sears tech is just OLD and outdated. The outlet website debuted just early this year and has A LOT of kinks and work to be done. I recommend you call the store on the price of the tractor, Since it will be less than what is online Also the MSRP is listed online you have it posted in your own report as REGULAR Price. Your 46" Lawn Tractor would be exactly 1154.93 @ 30% off Your 20HP 46" Lawn Tractor would be exactly 1224.93 @30% off Now remember that inventory is marked individually (a sale is a blanket item on most) however since it's done individually you may see a tractor there for more than 40% off if its sat there for a very long time. Discounts do vary by store to store, for the most beat up stuff that is rotting in inventory the manager will put a blue Managers Special on that which it's going to be roughly 60-80% off regular retail price if that doesn't sell for 30 days at that price the merchandise gets sold for scrap. Now GO BUY Your tractor and don't forget your 30$ off coupon :)
