Sears-Delivered Defective Washer

The details of this sale have been sent to Sears corporat office via e-mail & regular mail to 4 different corporate pres/vps in the company, along the with the BBB and attorney general.

Details of the Sale

On Monday July 28th, 2008, I went to my local Sears store(Antioch Shopping Center-Kansas City, MO) to purchase a new washing machine as my old washer had broken down over the previous weekend. I was assisted by a very courteous sales associate by the name of Pam. I purchased a Kenmore washing machine, model # 28532 and also purchased a Kenmore dryer, model #68522. Pam informed me of a rebate on delivery and haul away of old washer and dryer and also a 15% discount on both items, also by rebate. Delivery was scheduled for Thursday, July 31st, 2008. I paid for this merchandise with a personal check for $980.73. Please keep in mind I only had these items delivered because I would be receiving a rebate. I had the means and ability to pick these items up myself.

Delivery showed up on Thursday, July 31st, 2008. They arrived within the expected time frame. Delivery immediately hauled out my old washing machine. I had already disposed of my dryer as it was still in working order. The delivery driver brought in my new dryer and installed it and also tested it to make sure it ran correctly. (Please note that when we disconnected the dryer later that same evening, we discovered that the dryer power cord had not been installed correctly.) Delivery then brought in the washing machine, hooked it up and tested it. Washer would not fill with water. The delivery person told me this was the 3rd time he had delivered this particular model of washer and once hooked up would not operate correctly. Delivery immediately called �someone� to let them know the washing machine was defective. They then disconnected the new washing machine and put it back on the truck. They informed me someone from delivery would be calling me back to schedule another delivery, then they promptly left.

When your delivery center called me back, they informed me they would be delivering a new washing machine on August 21st, 2008. First of all, that is unacceptable. 3 WEEKS! I was informed they were out of stock on this particular washing machine. (This washing machine was in an ad!) I told them I wanted whatever was similar value or a better machine if they could not get it to me sooner. NO HELP! I asked to speak with a supervisor. I believe his name was Tony. He told me he was the delivery specialist and I would have to speak with him and that there was no one else that could help me.

At this point, I felt that I should contact the salesperson who sold me the merchandise. Pam was off that day, so I asked to speak with the appliance manager, Grant. Grant said that the washer I purchased was their most popular seller and that there was no way delivery could not get me this model sooner. He told me he would contact delivery and would call me back.

When Grant called me back, he told me he had a sister model at the store, in the box. At the same time as I was on the phone with Grant, delivery called back and left a message saying.

. they could deliver the washer on Thurs. August 7th, 2008. I told Grant when I was on the phone with him that I would gladly take the washer from the store and asked that he call delivery for me and set up delivery immediately. He told me I had to call delivery myself (WHY?) and set it up. If someone goes into your store and makes a purchase, why should the customer be responsible for arranging delivery. I then told Grant that I would come to the store and pick-up the washing machine. He told me I would have to purchase the washing machine at the store and then cancel with delivery and wait for Sears to refund my money in 10 to 14 days. Why would I pay for something again? He said this is company policy and that I purchased my merchandise from delivery. If I walk into a store and write a check, I purchased it from the store. I don�t care where it comes from. It says SEARS outside. It says SEARS on the delivery truck and it says SEARS on the delivery personnel�s uniforms. I purchased this washer from SEARS. As a consumer, it is not my responsibility to have knowledge of the inner workings of your company.

After speaking with delivery, I was told the earliest delivery date was August 7th again. I told them this was unacceptable. I expected delivery today and was delivered merchandise that did not work. I feel that if you deliver defective merchandise to a customer, then your company needs to IMMEDIATELY rectify the situation and get the customer merchandise that works. If I had known I was going have to wait that long for a washing machine I would have gone elsewhere to purchase it.

At this point, I contacted your corporate phone number for customer relations. They took my complaint, but then ended up connecting me with the store manager (Robert) of the Antioch location where I originally made my purchase. �Robert� needs to be terminated as he has absolutely no people skills whatsoever. Let�s just say he was unhelpful as well. He refused to help me. He told me the exact same thing Grant did. I would have to contact delivery. If I wanted to pick the washer up at the store I would have to pay for another one and wait for a refund. I was treated like it was my problem that SEARS delivered me a defective washing machine. Needless to say, at this point I was incredibly frustrated and MAD! I informed �Robert� that if I could not get my washing machine immediately, then I wanted my money back. He told me I would still have to pay for delivery and would have to pay a 15% restocking fee on the dryer. WHAT? He said I took the dryer out of the box. I informed him that I did not take the dryer out of the box, delivery did. Why should I have to pay a restocking fee? I ended the conversation with �I better have that machine on the 7th, one that works!�

Again, I called your customer relations phone number and filed yet another complaint. NO one from your company has bothered to call me back. NO one from your company has ever apologized.

My boyfriend called the Better Business Bureau of Kansas City and told them the situation. They told us to go to the store where we made the purchase and reiterate the fact that we were delivered defective merchandise. Well, �Robert� was no better in person than he was on the phone. He refused to help us, he refused to provide me with a working washing machine. AGAIN he treated me as if this was my problem. We were told to leave your establishment. �Robert� never even asked to look at my receipt.

I called delivery when I got to the parking lot. I asked them what my delivery date was on another washing machine-they told me August 21st. (How did it get back to that date again????) I told them the situation. I told them I was at the store with a truck to take home my washing machine. I told them �Robert� refused to help us. Delivery called the store�Keep in mind I was on hold this entire time. The girl that helped me was very sympathetic, but apparently �Robert� hung up on her as well. She ultimately told me it was up to the store to let me have it. She could not make them let me take the washing machine, even though she felt it was the right thing to do. I informed her that I had no recourse but to stop payment on my check and request that the dryer that was left in my home be picked up as it was of absolutely no use to me without a washer. Pick-up was arranged for Aug. 7th. (As I write this letter, the dryer is no longer in my possession.)

I called my bank and was told the check had not yet been processed and promptly stopped payment. This cost me $27.50. I then went to LOWE�S and purchased a washer and dryer, took it home that evening and have been doing laundry ever since.

In the last week, I have told every person that I know and do business with what happened with my recent experience with SEARS. Everyone has been shocked by my story and very concerned with the sub-par level of customer service your company provided.

This whole experience wasted 12 hours out of my day, has been extremely stressful, causing unnecessary worry and headaches. I am now out $27.50 fee for the stop-payment on the check. And I am sure your company is going to try and charge me with a delivery fee and a 15% restocking fee. I feel this is unwarranted given the situation.

Let me also tell you that I was a department manager in a major department store for more than 7 years. It was grilled into my head that the customer is always right. Never let a customer leave your store MAD! If your store manager had let me take the washing machine from the store that day, I would have been a satisfied customer. Instead, �Robert� asked me to leave your store a very ANGRY AND UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER. I hope this is not the way you want the personnel in your company to treat customers.

As of today, I have received a refund in the form of a check for the washing machine (this came from the store I purchased it from, even though this idiot store manager told me I purchased it from delivery), a $50 gift card and now a collection letter from Cytergy due to my stop-payment on the check, for the entire amount of the check-funny how I have gotten sent to collections and I don't have the merchandise!? I am still awaiting refund on the dryer and I will update this post once it has been received to see if they do indeed take the 15% restocking fee. I already am assuming they will not be refunding me the delivery charge. I cannot even begin to fight the collection agency until I get the refund on the dryer. Sears is stupid in even sending me refunds on this if I stopped payment on my check.....but, then again, we are all complaining about Sears!