On Tuesday, April 2, 2013 6:38:49 AM UTC-7, Stormin Mormon wrote:

My parents 35 year old Hardwick microwave finally quit. They did some
research, and then went to Kmart, and bought one. Kmart is now part of the
Sears family. Under a hundred dollars later, Mom and Dad came home with a
new one.

About a week later, the unit is running, but not heating. The manual says
either return to the store for exchange, or take to a Sears authorized
repair center. Well, there is such a center near where they live, so the
microwave gets put back in the box, and carried out to the car.

Some days and a couple phone calls later, we learn that the microwave was
shipped from Rochester NY to Pittsburgh PA the repair center. It was shipped
back, because that center doesn't do microwaves. And then off to some other
center.

A robocall comes in, the unit is ready to pick up. Dad drives to the repair
center and finds out it's not there. Got sent some where else.

Finally the unit comes back, still broken. New instructions are to take it
to the store of purchase, and exchange it.

Two weeks or more later, and they still don't have a microwave. Back to
heating food and coffee on the stove, and planning meals that can reheat in
pans.

I'm not all impressed with Kmart / Sears customer service.

Sears executive offices Blue Ribbon center:

1-888-266-4043
or 1-800-995-2139

One of those numbers is answered only by a machine that asks you
to give an extension number. Hit any 2 digits.

Because of what my father told me about his experiences with Sears
repair service, when I bought a new washer a few years ago and
it had a chipped tub, I exchanged it rather than have Sears fix it, and
when its replacement made funny noises, I exchanged that one, too.

At least Sears still has a parts & service division, unlike crowd favorites
Target and Walmart.

BTW if you ever have to repair a microwave out of warranty (expensive
one, like an overhead or microwave-convection), electronics parts
supplies, like MCM, can be a lot cheaper than appliance parts houses.