Sears is losing it

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:21 am

Boy, Sears just isn't what it used to be.

We had new carpet installed the other day and I figured it was time to retire our 20 year old Hoover and get someting new. I did a little researh and it appeared that the Sears Kenmore Elite was rated a top buy with Consumer Reports. I checked my local Sears stock and they did have one at the store. This is where it starts to get a little rediculous.

The vacuum was showing an "online" price of $250 and I was ready to buy. Then when I clicked on the check box "Pickup at Store" the price climbed by $100, yikes! Something has got to be wrong. My first attempt to find out what was going on was a futile nightmare. I was connected with a call center in Bangalore and all they could do was chant the company line that this was an "online" special price. So then I asked them why I was able to use the "online" price last month when I purchased a Die Hard battery and was able to drive right over and have them install it? Bangalore was going nowhere. You wouldn't believe how resistant the girl on the phone was when I asked her where she was located. I asked about 10 different ways before she would tell me. It got to the point where I ask her "When you get up in the morning and drive yourself to work, what city do you park your car in?" It had nothing to do with me objecting that the call center was in Bangalore, it was just that I was pretty sure she wasn't going to put me on hold why she called my local store and try to resolve the misunderstanding.

I finally called the store and spoke to a VERY helpful employee. He was understanding and somewhat sympathetic to my dilemma. He checked the price and the "in-store" price was showing $100 more than the "online" price. He checked with his manager and although he was told the same thing about this being the way they operate, he asked for my number and said he would approach the store manager. Lo and behold he called me back and said they would match the online price.

After speaking to several people during this ordeal, it seems that Sears operates 2 completely different ways. They have their online presence and their brick and mortar stores. Neither has anything to do with the other. From what I hear, they are really just trying to enter the online market and close down all the stores.

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 6:05 am

Wow a Sears, haven't been to my local museum of retail giants in a while. Sears is pretty trash, only thing I plan to use them for is some replacement parts of a 1980s table saw I'm putting back together.

Kinda given up on retail places in general, except for Home Depot, they never stock what I want.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 9:55 am

The funniest (frustrating) part of this whole ordeal was the call center (online chat) girl giving me all the push-back as to where she was located. When I would ask "Where are you located?" she first told me that Sears was headquartered in Chicago. I then asked "is that where you personally are located", she then repeated the same answer. It started to boil down to an argument and she told me it is policy not to give out personal information. That's when I just kept asking her over and over. I said "what's so personal about telling me what CITY you're located in". It was really funny how she would try and give me some sort of customer service "speak" and I would continue to call her on it.

Really, where's the harm in telling me where you're located?

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:09 pm

I'm wondering how they stayed open this long? They got rid of electronics in my local store. I wouldn't use their clothes to start a fire. So many shelves are empty and they are running skeleton crews. It's all over but the crying.

fastchevy · Post by **fastchevy** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:17 pm

The last OKC store just closed last week or so. I only went there for their tools for the most part...the Craftsman brand was good and always had a lifetime warranty. Someone picked up the Craftsman brand and I'd be curious about the quality and warranty now.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Thu Aug 02, 2018 9:33 pm

The local Lowe's are starting to advertise that they are the new home for Craftsman. I've seen some tool sets but nothing as much as you would see in a Sears tool department. Lowe's already seems to have a house brand "Kobalt". I wonder how that's going to go over with them when Craftsman start taking up more shelf space?

cybotron r_9 · Post by **cybotron r_9** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 5:48 pm

fastchevy wrote:The last OKC store just closed last week or so. I only went there for their tools for the most part...the Craftsman brand was good and always had a lifetime warranty. Someone picked up the Craftsman brand and I'd be curious about the quality and warranty now.

They were acquired by Stanley Black & Decker... http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com/ou ... our-brands

cybotron r_9 · Post by **cybotron r_9** » Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:20 am

Im in Lowes now, warranty still the same

For warranty on tools not bought at Lowes go here
https://www.craftsman.com/customer-care ... nformation

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Sat Aug 04, 2018 10:41 am

Easto wrote:Really, where's the harm in telling me where you're located?

Some crazy guy getting angry and driving a van with a bomb through a building.

Im surprised when any call center worker tells me where they are.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:01 am

Easto wrote: Really, where's the harm in telling me where you're located?

Corporate doesn't want customers to know that they are outsourcing cheap labor to other countries costing American's jobs. Think about how many articles and posts you have seen about India's call centers and such for tech support, customer service, Yardy's home phone number, ...the list goes on.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:45 am

YARDofSTUF wrote:Some crazy guy getting angry and driving a van with a bomb through a building.

I've never owned a van

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:56 pm

Sad to see the classic old giants closing up and disappearing.

Leatherneck · Post by **Leatherneck** » Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:30 am

Our Sears has gone from a HUGE 3 story stand alone mega store to selling mattresses, crappy tools and "AS seen on TV" junk. Sucks to see their demise.

I did find an air compressor I wanted online, went to the store and same story, much higher price. I showed the guy the compressor on my phone and he said he'd match it without flinching. There is always a way, just have to get someone with balls or who gives a crap.