OT Rant: Sears Parts/Service
 

Folks -

Okay, I don't know if Kmart bought Sears or it was the other way around, but
I'll use the following example as "Exhibit A" as to why Sears had been
having trouble and "Exhibit B" as to why I've made a vow to NEVER do any
business with Sears again.

Exhibit A - I purchased a new washer and dryer unit for a rental to replace
old units. I had to pay almost $100 additional to convert the dryer to
propane from NG, using a sears installer/contractor. The total bill ran
almost $1,000 by the time it was all said and done. The dryer failed the
first time it was used - no heat. The problem was the ignitor had failed.
The local Sears store said it wasn't warranty, it was the contractor - the
contractor said he never touched the internals of the dryer, and that it was
Sears...rrrrr.... Anyway, after raising hell sears said they'd fix it but
that parts were backordered and it would be nearly a month. I told them
that was unacceptable as the unit never worked at all and that I wanted a
replacement ASAP as I have disabled people living in the units and hauling
clothes to a laundromat isn't a very attractive option. They said they'd
swap it out, but I'd have to pay to convert an new dryer to propane and pay
for an additional installation, or I could wait. I kept my temper and asked
if they felt this was a "fair deal" and the local store owner said he didn't
really care, it was sears service at fault and there wasn't anything he
could do. So, it took FIVE WEEKS to get the dryer back on line - no refund,
no apology... I wrote a detailed letter to sears customer service almost SIX
weeks ago - NO response.

Exhibit B - I have a Sears Push Reel mower and want a spare set of blades -
it's about 2 years old. I found the same mower on their website, but using
their model number for parts doesn't work. I called the parts line for
customer service and asked why the sears model number didn't work for
ordering parts and they said it had to be the model number off of the tag on
the mower. I told them that the tag was put in a poor location and the
information was illegible. They told me that they couldn't help me and that
there was NO way to get a model number from what I saw online, tho' I *knew*
it was the same damn machine. I remarked that between the placement of the
sticker and not having their stock numbers link to model numbers was, um,
poorly done they said that I should probably just buy a new mower. No deal.
Okay, maybe I should have written down the model number somewhere and all
that, but the above situations don't seem like they are terribly far removed
from a normal situation.

I have purchased several thousands of dollars worth of tools, appliances,
mowers, rototillers and the like from Sears over the years, and had
considered myself a loyal customer. Key word: HAD.....

I used to sell advertising and do marketing for a living and this sort of
thing just drives me NUTS! Why would a business spend as much $$$ as they
do on advertising and trying to get customers only to then take every step
necessary to **** them off? Never another dime from me for Sears... Never!
Contrast this with outfits like LV, MCLS, Enco and the like.....

Lawdy!

John

To make this short I had a similar problem when I bought a scroll saw &
the blade clamp broke the first time it was used....(make that the first
time it was turned on, never got to use it) Went back to the store &
they said that I would have to order the part(s) on-line & that they
would not do it for me.

I went home, boxed it all up, brought it back for a full refund & bought
a Delta.

JJS



John Moorhead wrote:
Folks -

Okay, I don't know if Kmart bought Sears or it was the other way around, but
I'll use the following example as "Exhibit A" as to why Sears had been
having trouble and "Exhibit B" as to why I've made a vow to NEVER do any
business with Sears again.

Exhibit A - ...

Exhibit B - ...

Similar story, on a much smaller scale - bought a set of Craftsman
quick-change drill bits, and the 1/8" bit twisted right out of its base
while I was drilling shallow holes in soft pine, one of the first times
I used the bit. Craftsman has the best warranty around, right? So I
took it back to the store, and they said drill bits weren't covered, or
else people would bring them back every time they get dull, etc. To
make a long story slightly shorter, it took several letters and phone
calls to Craftsman headquarters, them calling the local store, and then
the local store manager reluctantly gave me a new bit. I know, too
much hassle for a $2 drill bit, but I was hoping to find out how much
they care about their customers and backing up their warranty, etc. I
did indeed find that out, and even though they eventually replaced the
bit, I now shop catalogs or even the borg before I go back to Sears.
Never had any hassles in my limited experiences with HD tool/drill bit
warranties.
(No affiliations with any of these companies, etc...)

Too bad. The quality of Sears power and floor tools has slipped a lot
during the past 15-25 years but they have been pretty good about providing
parts and service for even their very old equipment. Apparently that is
changing too.

Oh well - lots of other sources.

RonB

John Moorhead wrote:

snip long tale of woe wrt Sears and service/support...

A. (Disappointing installation of washer/dryer)...

I'd have told 'em to come get 'em and get refund and go somewhere else..

B. (Couldn't find correct replacement mower blade online)

Spounds like pretty klunky system, granted, but all it should take for a
mower blade is length and hole size and whether normal cut, mulching, or
high lift for bagging. Any local service shop should suffice.

Duane Bozarth wrote:
John Moorhead wrote:

snip long tale of woe wrt Sears and service/support...

A. (Disappointing installation of washer/dryer)...

I'd have told 'em to come get 'em and get refund and go somewhere else..

B. (Couldn't find correct replacement mower blade online)

Spounds like pretty klunky system, granted, but all it should take for a
mower blade is length and hole size and whether normal cut, mulching, or
high lift for bagging. Any local service shop should suffice.

Not sure they make a mulching or high lift blade for reel mowers.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Be nice to your kids. They'll choose
your nursing home.





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Gerald Ross wrote:

....
Not sure they make a mulching or high lift blade for reel mowers.

No, don't reckon they do...:)

I read over that entirely... :(

REEL mower, REEL mower.

"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...

Spounds like pretty klunky system, granted, but all it should take for a
mower blade is length and hole size and whether normal cut, mulching, or
high lift for bagging. Any local service shop should suffice.

It's too bad what has happened to Sears service. I used to work in the
teleparts center before they moved the entire warranty system online. My job
was to do what ever it took to get the right parts out to folks. They had
the boiler room where a customer called in and as long as they had the Sears
model number and a vague idea of what they needed generally the call was
done in 5 minutes or less.. I worked on the crew that figured out what the
front room couldn't get. Parts like that reel were generally transferred to
us live and we would figure it out. We weren't payed too much but the work
was really satisfying. Hell that ignitor, we'd have radio'd a truck out
before you got off the phone. Our customer satisfaction ratings were above
95%. That was 20 years ago now everything is online and to talk to someone
that has experience with real customer service skills are gone. To think
that they are outsourcing service now is so outside of the standards we
worked under it is unimaginable that it's the same company. When I left the
phone service center was moved down to Tucson where the cheap help could be
found. I can't imagine being the guy in Buffalo calling in for an obscure
snow blower part and talking to someone using "English as a second language"
and having any confidence in getting right the first time..


Knothead

Bought a Big window unit from Sears, they were supposed to email me when it
came in. I never received the email, and found out by checking their site.
Picked it up on the 15th of June and my help went in the hospital while I
was picking it up. Opened and went to install it, weekend before last and
found out it was missing parts, after two trys getting customer service,
they said I'd have the parts on July 5th. July 5th came and the only thing
they sent me was the parts list. No installtion instructions and if you
use the wrong screw, you put it through the compressor, still no reply from
customer no service. Big model is only intermitantly carried in stores, so
no real return policy.