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!

In article ,
Bob Bowles wrote:

..... Pity!

Recall that K-Mart -bought- Sears, you are describing the K-Mart
attitude on returns to a "T"

--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 04:05:52 -0800, Bob Bowles wrote:

I have an experienced almost as complicated as yours. It took more than two
years to settled. After that I canceled Sears credit cards and have never bought
anything from them again no matter how cheap or good!

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!

It's been by experience that Sears will screw things up beyond all
recognition and then bend over backward to make it right. War stories?
That would probably make an entertaining book. My uncle (a farmer in
northern Minnesota) had them, my father (who worked for Sears in MN for
some years) had them, and I had them. There was always a feeling of
apprehension and excitement before the appearance of a Sears delivery or
repair person. The event was usually followed by phone calls to friends
and family of the "you'll never believe what Sears did this time" type.

mahalo,
jo4hn

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.

Basic rule in dealing with _any_ mail order--no matter what they say the
order isn't cancelled until two weeks have gone by and UPS hasn't delivered
it.

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!

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

It's been by experience that Sears will screw things up beyond all
recognition and then bend over backward to make it right. War stories?
That would probably make an entertaining book. My uncle (a farmer in
northern Minnesota) had them, my father (who worked for Sears in MN for
some years) had them, and I had them. There was always a feeling of
apprehension and excitement before the appearance of a Sears delivery or
repair person. The event was usually followed by phone calls to friends
and family of the "you'll never believe what Sears did this time" type.

Sears just got nailed again for false advertising, this time in Canada.

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 04:05:52 -0800, Bob Bowles
wrote:

snip of Sears horror story
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!

A pity indeed. Sears has been lysing into a puddle of goo since the
60s. They managed the transition from mail-order to store operations
successfully, but when their store model started to fail they were
utterly lost.

They have been doing stupid things in varying degrees of panic ever
since. One of the most stupid was to utterly destroy their reputation
with their customers. That was longer in coming than some of their
other mistakes, but they have managed it.

In another five years there will be no more Sears (I predict) and for
my money it has taken far too long.

--RC

"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells
'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets
fly with a club.
-- John W. Cambell Jr.

What made me never go back to ours is when they wouldn't open the
screwdriver cabinet and sell me a screwdriver when it was only 30
minutes till closing time.. 5 minutes, I could see.. but 30 minutes?

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 21:00:58 GMT, wrote:

In another five years there will be no more Sears (I predict) and for
my money it has taken far too long.

I won't shed any tears, they deserve it.

In article , mp wrote:

Sears just got nailed again for false advertising, this time in Canada.

If you read the details the case says more about our "consumer
protection" agency than about Sears' advertising practices.

--
"The thing about saying the wrong words is that A, I don't notice it, and B,
sometimes orange water gibbon bucket and plastic." -- Mr. Burrows

HI,

Mail order has always had troubles. In the 60's
a great aunt bought some drapes. She did not like
the color and sent them. Two weeks later a refund
check appears in the mail and the next day an
identical set of drapes arrived. She wrote a
letter explaining things and sent back the
drapes. Two weeks later a second refund check
appears in the mail and the next day an identical
set of drapes arrived. I think she ended up with
4 refund checks and a set of drapes before she
gave up.

Thanks
Roger H

Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony

Sears just got nailed again for false advertising, this time in Canada.

If you read the details the case says more about our "consumer
protection" agency than about Sears' advertising practices.

Sears has, in my experience, often been misleading about their pricing. The
ruling stated that Sears exaggerated the savings on it's tire ads. The ads
suggested a savings of $248, whereas the actual savings were $12. Often
you'll see Craftsman tools listed in sale flyers for 50% off, when in
reality the sale price is usually the normal selling price.

The Canadian Federal Competition Tribunal is coming down hard on retailers
who advertise misleading price comparisons or false bargains, and I applaud
them for it. It's about time.

Tony Hwang wrote:
Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony

LV

Dave in Fairfax
--
Dave Leader
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/
PATINA
http://www.Patinatools.org/

On 2005/1/27 6:13 PM, "Roger Haar" wrote:

Mail order has always had troubles.

Not just mail order. Almost any organization big enough to have separate
departments for different activities has a serious risk of not talking with
itself.

I had a serious of problems with Comcast when I returned the rented cable
modem because I had replaced it with one that I purchased myself. It took
six months, numerous phone calls and several letters to get it straightened
out.

Bob

In article , mp wrote:

The Canadian Federal Competition Tribunal is coming down hard on retailers
who advertise misleading price comparisons or false bargains, and I applaud
them for it. It's about time.

They also assume that consumers are complete idiots.

--
"The thing about saying the wrong words is that A, I don't notice it, and B,
sometimes orange water gibbon bucket and plastic." -- Mr. Burrows

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 19:45:33 -0600, Dave Balderstone
wrote:

In article , mp wrote:

The Canadian Federal Competition Tribunal is coming down hard on retailers
who advertise misleading price comparisons or false bargains, and I applaud
them for it. It's about time.

They also assume that consumers are complete idiots.


I'll assume that their charter or whatever mission statement docs they
use have language about protecting consumers.

at least some of whom *are* complete idiots. hell, from what I see,
probably a lot of them are...

reminds my of my RCWilly VCR experience

got a TV, DVD, and VCR from RCWilly, set it up, didn't use it for 31 days
(don't watch that may videos, got it to record stuff) put in a tape that we
got as a gift, got a blue screen, but had sound, ok, there's something
wrong still had the packaging, took it back, and they wouldn't take it 30
return policy, but they would repair it, ok fair enough, 2 weeks go by,
haven't herd from them, call them, ya it's here come pick it up, bring it
home it works I'm kinda happy, ok two weeks later get a message, your VCR
is ready for pick up, there slow enough, already got it. 2 weeks go by get
another call, your VCR is ready for pick up. what? go there and they had a
VCR, same make and model, with my name on it, and for a split second I
thought cool two for the price of one, but I was honest and told them I
already picked mine up, they where a little confused but oh well, and this
was one department at the local store

Roger Haar wrote:

HI,

Mail order has always had troubles. In the 60's
a great aunt bought some drapes. She did not like
the color and sent them. Two weeks later a refund
check appears in the mail and the next day an
identical set of drapes arrived. She wrote a
letter explaining things and sent back the
drapes. Two weeks later a second refund check
appears in the mail and the next day an identical
set of drapes arrived. I think she ended up with
4 refund checks and a set of drapes before she
gave up.

Thanks
Roger H

I though Sears no longer had their own private Credit Card...?

I did read the original post BUT I honestly forgot what the exact
problem was...(more like problems not problem..I remember it was a
total screw up

My current Sears card is really a Master Charge card...So the
original poster could have disputed the charge by calling Master
Charge NOT Sears... and dumping the entire thing into their hands...

Bob Griffiths

Actually Wachovia banks in NC seem to have great customer service though
their rates suck.


"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news:dUeKd.190287$Xk.66221@pd7tw3no...
Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony

The Canadian Federal Competition Tribunal is coming down hard on
retailers
who advertise misleading price comparisons or false bargains, and I
applaud
them for it. It's about time.

They also assume that consumers are complete idiots.

Some are, but I'd suggest many simply believe that retailers are being
honest with their advertising.

Lee Valley Tools.

'Nuff said.

Mike

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
news:dUeKd.190287$Xk.66221@pd7tw3no...
Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony

As the original poster I reread what was written and I left out some
stuff. I used MC NOT associated with Sears to order. After the
E-mail long trail and their flip-flopping and finally saying they
didn't cancel the order I mailed their cancellation mail back to them
for their edification. That's when they asked if there was anything
else they could do for me. I'd considered dumping it MC lap but
didn't feel it would be fair to them regardless of what is usually
said about disputes. Despite repeated requests for concurrence in
sending the Sears gift card to them I have yet to get any response. I
HOPE if this type of thing comes up again I'll keep a log of what/when
and if it is written up it'll be reread a day after writing to look
for loose ends THEN sent as a post.
Remotely related (at least to me) I had to call in a missing paper
complaint and I asked the gal on the phone to get her manager as I
wanted to speak to him. He got on the phone and I said "Whatever
you're doing for her guidance I hope you can repeat it for all others
as her phone presence and demeanor are outstanding!". Made my day
also.

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 22:29:33 -0500, Bob G.
wrote:


I though Sears no longer had their own private Credit Card...?

I did read the original post BUT I honestly forgot what the exact
problem was...(more like problems not problem..I remember it was a
total screw up

My current Sears card is really a Master Charge card...So the
original poster could have disputed the charge by calling Master
Charge NOT Sears... and dumping the entire thing into their hands...

Bob Griffiths

Modern technology has enabled us to communicate and organize with speed and
efficiency never before possible. People have gotten less competent to
compensate for this.

"Bob Bowles" wrote in message
...
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!

In article , CW
wrote:

Modern technology has enabled us to communicate and organize with speed and
efficiency never before possible. People have gotten less competent to
compensate for this.

I am shameless stealing this, effective immediately.

LOL!

--
"The thing about saying the wrong words is that A, I don't notice it, and B,
sometimes orange water gibbon bucket and plastic." -- Mr. Burrows

Tony Hwang wrote:
Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony


Why do you think what a farmer brings his cows to a bull for is called
"service"?

IMO this whole sloppy service thing we experience in almost every corner
of our lives stems mainly from our own selfish desires to get as much as
possible out of every dollar we spend. That's what got "self service"
started back when I was a kid; Fewer store employees equaled lower costs
and thus lower prices.

We have also narrowed the dichotomy between the "haves" and the "have
nots" (Not that I think that's necessarily a bad thing.) which makes for
a kot fewer store employees willing to give their enthusiastic all for
the peon wages they get paid relative to the incomes of most of the
customers.

I believe the same thing holds true for the "behind the scenes" folks
who often appear to be the ones who screw simple things up the worst.
The economics of trying to beat the competition with lower prices again
results in too few employees for each one to be able to take the time
required to look into every situation thoroughly enough to get it done
right the first time.

The addage "you get what you pay for" still applies, and the few times
in my life I've been able to overcome my basic niggardliness enough to
stay at a Ritz hotel or purchase a gift at Shreve Crump and Lowe, I came
away with the feeling that service still does exist for those able (and
willing) to pay for it. The rest of the time, I shop at Sears and its
brethren and follow Confucious' advice to the effect that "If a screwing
is inevitable, try and lie back and enjoy it."

Just my .02,

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Tony Hwang wrote:

Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony



Why do you think what a farmer brings his cows to a bull for is called
"service"?



Jeff


Cause many farmers used to be ultra conservative, and they
didn't want to use an offensive word which would be any word
that truly describe the act. Course this has nothing to do
with Sears or service.

i found out i had been charged on my sears card a 900 dollar repair
because another customer couldnt find his card and the repair man
called the office to get his number then charged mine .
jo4hn wrote:
It's been by experience that Sears will screw things up beyond all
recognition and then bend over backward to make it right. War
stories?
That would probably make an entertaining book. My uncle (a farmer
in
northern Minnesota) had them, my father (who worked for Sears in MN
for
some years) had them, and I had them. There was always a feeling of
apprehension and excitement before the appearance of a Sears delivery
or
repair person. The event was usually followed by phone calls to
friends
and family of the "you'll never believe what Sears did this time"
type.

mahalo,
jo4hn

i found out i had been charged on my sears card a 900 dollar repair
because another customer couldnt find his card and the repair man
called the office to get his number then charged mine .
jo4hn wrote:
It's been by experience that Sears will screw things up beyond all
recognition and then bend over backward to make it right. War
stories?
That would probably make an entertaining book. My uncle (a farmer
in
northern Minnesota) had them, my father (who worked for Sears in MN
for
some years) had them, and I had them. There was always a feeling of
apprehension and excitement before the appearance of a Sears delivery
or
repair person. The event was usually followed by phone calls to
friends
and family of the "you'll never believe what Sears did this time"
type.

mahalo,
jo4hn

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 03:28:30 GMT, George E. Cawthon
wrote:
Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Tony Hwang wrote:

Hi,
Not only at Sears, common occurence everywhere.
If anyone dares, name a place where there is true customer
service. Every time I am at store, bank or whatever,
feels like I am there to serve them, Sigh!
Tony

Why do you think what a farmer brings his cows to a bull for is called
"service"?


Cause many farmers used to be ultra conservative, and they
didn't want to use an offensive word which would be any word
that truly describe the act. Course this has nothing to do
with Sears or service.

Nowadays, "Service" means a guy from the regional sire pool shows up
with a Dewar flask (Read: "Big honkin Thermos") filled with little
vials of semen.

You can google up various sires online. Service from a Champion bull,
especially a deceased one, can be quite pricy.

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 04:05:52 -0800, Bob Bowles
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Sounds as if you reckon both the right and left hands are doing ghe
same thing anyway! G

Recently ordered some tools on-line from the west coast of the US for

"...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!