"...Sears..." There was your mistake right there.

Bob Bowles wrote:

Recently ordered some tools on-line from the west coast of the US for
delivery to our son on the east coast. Shortly thereafter received
E-mail that the credit card number wasn't accepted and the order was
cancelled by Sears. Next day received mail that a tool set wasn't in
stock and wouldn't be delivered. First ? mark with more to follow.

I went to the Lowes site and placed an order. Shortly after that our
son reported a tool delivery from Sears. I went to their site and
requested authorization for him to return the tools and for them to a
credit to our credit card account. They said a credit could be issued
for the tool cost but not for shipping. Shipping credit would only be
allowed for an error in shipping. They wouldn't accept that the
shipping after order cancellation by them was their error.

Things went downhill from there including several E-mails from them
asserting they didn't cancel the order so I sent a copy of THEIR mail
cancelling the order to them. They then asked what else they could do
the help. Help?

Our son finally waited in line at the store for an hour to return the
stuff and they refused to issue a credit to our account as he didn't
have out Mastercard account number so they issued a Gift Card to him.
Why they couldn't refer to THEIR records using the tool set number and
common name to back into the debit to our account escapes me!

I've notified Mastercard of the fiasco enclosing E-mails while
protesting the Sears charges including shipping but haven't received
confirmation of concurrence. Have asked them twice for concurrence
that they'll accept the Sears gift card on account and if they would
settle the shipping charges with Sears. No answers, yet.

I have NO INTENT of using the Sears gift card and would feel less that
honest offering it to anyone I respect. Guess if there is any type of
up side to this saga is all of the names in their E-mails appeared to
be domestic although not one of the names was repeated!

Someone observed a couple of years ago it would take a certain type of
talent and attitude to destroy what Sears spent YEARS building as a
positive reputation and apparently it resided in the front office of
Sears. Pity!