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Sears review: I will never buy anything from sears 32

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12:00 am EDT
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I called Sears about windows, they sent a guy out and I ask him how much for 17 widows to be replaced. The price was for double ply was about $15,000. He stated for a little more I could get the 3 ply Weather-beater with a film in it. This was about $1000.00 per window. I told him I was worried about acts of God, Vandalism, or other stuff like transferable issues should I sell the house. He stated Sear’s windows are guaranteed for life on the premium windows and will transfer to new owners with out a problem. I stated to him, you mean if someone breaks the window trying to get in, Sear’s will replace it free? He said yes, Acts of God were also included. I decided to go with the premium 3 ply windows with Film. I would get the 9 now and more later.

I just happen to mention this to someone who told me I should check the paper work because Sear’s people are not honest. I did and nothing I had mentioned anything about Warranty or Guarantee of the windows from vandalism, Acts of God etc. To my surprise I had nothing that showed anything accept the yellow copy showing the following;

(Residential Limited Warranty – AUTHORIZED SERVICES WARRENTY: In Addition to any warranty extended to you on the product(s)used, should the workmanship (or application)of this service prove faulty within one year (WB Limited), two years (WB Plus), three years (WB Max, WB Max Security, WB Stormbeater), the Contractor will, upon notice from you, cause such faults to be corrected by repair at no additional cost to you. Service under this warranty is available by calling Sears Home Improvement Products at 1.800.222.5030, option 4. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.)

I called the warranty dept. and I was bounced around from one person to another having to leave messages and wait for call backs. At some point I after about 2-3 days, I got through and spoke with someone in their installation dept in Irving Texas. He stated to me that there was no such thing as a warranty on windows that covered anything like acts of God, Vandalism etc. He went on to say that anyone stating such should be reported. I ask him for a copy for this warranty and he stated that you will get that as soon as the job has been done. He stated that this warranty comes from Sears and that he could not get it for me and that is not how it’s handled. I ask, I thought I was talking to Sears and that you were the Window Installations manager? He said I am but, I can’t get this for you unless you have the job done first. I called Mr. Smith the rep but, he was on vacation for the forth of July holiday, I left voice mail asking for a call back ASAP concerning this warranty. In the mean time I looked over the contract, I noticed the 3 day cancellation limit so; I canceled the order because I only went with the more expensive windows because of the life time warranty part. I wrote the following letter to sears and faxed it many times to make sure I was not stuck in what seemed to be a deceptive ordeal.

July 1, 2006

Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.

P. O. Box 522290

Longwood, FL [protected]

Phone – [protected] – Option 1 – Ext. 5466

FAX – [protected] FAX – [protected]

RE: Contract No. 5816875

To Whom It May Concern.

This letter is to terminate the above mentioned Contract for Products and Services for Installation of Windows. We are terminating this contract for the following reason:

I contacted Sears concerning some installation of windows; I was told they could have a sales person out at 2PM the next day, a representative did show up to meet us at noon. He did show us some windows and I did mention to him a couple of things that were of interest to me. One was a window that was hard to break in to; he mentioned that Sears had a window that was a 3 ply type that he felt would be a good product for that, I was very satisfied with what he showed me. Second thing was warranty and guarantee; I mentioned that I was concerned about the life of the product, and other things that could affect the life of the product, such as vandalism.

Concerning the vandalism, I asked Mr. Smith is it true that if somebody comes and tries to break in the house, smashing half way through one of these windows, Sears will honor a guarantee or warranty to fix or replace the window. Mr. Smith did tell me that the windows are guaranteed for life; if someone vandalizes them Sears will come out and fix them for no charge. I looked over the paperwork but I didn’t see any breakdown on this type of warranty. I looked on line and I also made some calls on one of Sears 800 numbers nobody could tell me anything.

I than began to research windows installed by Sears and pulled up several other customers who had purchased windows on a premium level because they understood they were receiving a lifetime warranty because the sales rep had told them so. They stated that they never received the actual guarantee/warranty until the work was done and that this coverage did not include things like vandalism but was limited to the installation and workmanship of the sub-contractor person or company who was in fact doing the job.

I did call Mr. Smith and left him a voice mail concerning a copy of the warranty/ guarantee, however he his on vacation at present. Because I do not have this information clearly stated where I can see it and clearly stated before my eyes, and do to the fact that the new contract we did reset up stated that I only have 3 days to cancel, I must cancel this contract at this time. If there is a misunderstanding concerning some of the things I have mentioned here, I am open to discuss it further when Mr. Smith gets back from his vacation. Until then, please cancel this contract and all dealings concerning any money transactions. At this time, I do not want the product, we do not fully understand in writing what exactly I am getting concerning the guarantee and warranty. I am enclosing with this letter a copy of the final revised contract.

Please call me ASAP with a confirmation that this transaction has been cancelled.

SAM

Statement continued;

I researched the Internet looking for other Window stories about Sears and I found many complaints from Google, www.complaints.com , www.my3cents.com , www.planetfeedback.com and others.

I also noticed a link that took me to career builder and showed me an add that Sears cureently has running. They are looking for sub-contractors with a year or less employment to install Sear’s products’

http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobseeker/jobs/jobdetails.aspx?ipath=
ilkg&job_did=j8a27d5vjrx9r9zdh54&dv=dv&jrdid...

Subcontractor Installation Professionals

See all jobs at this company Save this Job | Email this job | Printer-Friendly Version

Company: Sears Home Improvement Products

Location: US-LA-New Orleans

Base Pay: N/A

Other Pay: High Earning potential

Employee Type: Contractor

Industry: Construction

Consumer Products

HVAC

Manages Others: no

Job Type: Construction

Skilled Labor - Trades

Req'd Education: None

Req'd Experience: Less Than 1 Year

Req'd Travel: Negligible

Relocation Covered: No

Contact: Not Available Phone: Not Available

Email: Send Email Now Fax: Not Available

Ref ID: Copy of hs 5453

DESCRIPTION

Immediate Openings!

Sears Home Improvement Products has immediate openings for Sub –contractors in our Cabinet Refacing, Kitchen Remodeling, HVAC, Siding, Windows, and Doors installation business. We offer:

• High Earning Potential

• Trip fees

• Special Announced Bonuses

• Installer Referral Bonuses

• Job Referral Bonuses

• Payment upon completion of project (not once a week like the industry standard).

Act Today! Click on Apply Online immediately to ensure an immediate start.

REQUIREMENTS

Requirements: Must have liability insurance, vehicle insurance, valid driver’s license, and tools of the trade. Must have own vehicle.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CareerBuilder Related Terms: remodeling, framing, construction, carpentry

I did finally speak someone by the name of Robert O’Haver Special Projects Representative 1.800.222.5030 Ext. 5445. He called me to ask why I had canceled and at some point while speaking to him, the letter I sent was found. He stated that he was told for 7 years that the premium windows offered were with a life time replacement against Acts Of God, Vandalism etc. It’s now July 13th and I just now got the warrenty which states about the same stuff as the contract I signed. Read it for yourself. Here is the email I was sent from Rober O’Haver.

I am not sure I would ever trust or buy anything from Sear’s at this point. I may update further on this matter later.

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32 comments
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onthelasgallinas
, US
Jun 10, 2016 11:44 am EDT

When Sears was talking me into purchasing their windows, they forgot, and I didn't ask if you could install any different color window, except white. To make a long story short, It is now time to paint my house, so I called sears about the types of paint that I would need to paint vinyl windows, since they installed white. I was told that if I painted my windows, the lifetime warranty would be void. So for the life of this house, I'm stuck with white windows.

Cary

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Disappointed in Sears
Albuquerque, US
Jan 21, 2015 12:14 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I contacted Sears recently to follow-up on some windows that my parents purchased 18 years ago. The windows were literally falling out of the cases. I have excellent documentation on this purchase from my parents yet Sears still hasn't complied with the replacement of the windows. They have done everything they can do to try and get out of their obligations even though I have provided the proof of warranty. They were hoping the house had been sold since the warranty is non-transferrable. They finally sent out a technician who agreed all the windows needed to be replaced. He measured the windows and told me they would be ordered immediate and installed as soon as possible. I have followed up several times, to no avail. I was finally told today (Jan. 21, 2015) that there is no record in their system of the windows being ordered. I've been communicating with Sears since Dec. 12, 2014, in this matter and all they have done is try and stall me. I'm now forced to get an attorney involved. This is extremely disappointing as one would think the Sears brand and name is one that you could count on. I will never do business with them and urge others to keep any and all documentation you have. Even then, it may not be enough as they place the burden of proof on the customer! What a sham!

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gizfen
Winthrop, US
Nov 06, 2014 2:17 pm EST

Never buy windows from Sears. My "Lifetime" warranty is not even 10 years old and they say they will only cover 50% of the cost to replace manufacturers defects. The seal has gone on 14 windows and they are telling me that I have to contract another company to make the repairs. I will be responsible for all parts and labor and they will cover 50% of the glass. really?

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kamala777
Crystal, US
Jul 19, 2014 5:06 pm EDT

I had read the complaints against Sears windows BEFORE I contracted to install windows, hoping that all the complaints that I read were isolated cases because I have been purchasing appliances, furnace, auto service, electronics, etc. from Sears for over 35 yrs. I, cautiously, only had 5 windows installed, to see how it went before I installed more on my 29 window house, covering by saying that was all that I could afford right now. They were installed 2 wks ago. Four days ago, the city inspector came to inspect the work & could not approve it, due to the windows only being caulked where it could be seen. No caulk on some sides & bottoms. The wrap on one window frame is not flush with the side of the house & I can stick my fingers and half of my hand between the window frame & the house. Some wrap ends stick up & away from other frames & nail dents. And, this is Minnesota! The window installers broke my motion detector light & I had to purchase a new one & now, have to hire electrician to hard-wire this new one. I had to pick up broken glass, putty, box cutter type razor blades that my dogs could have cut their feet on, outside. Also, I picked up glass & a blade from inside. I had to climb a ladder to remove factory stickers & wipe hand prints. One screen does not slide properly. Sears told me that it will take about 1 hour per window for installation. It took the installers 9 hours to install 5 windows, due to several very long breaks where they kept leaving to go somewhere. Once Sears cashed my check, I can no longer get responses to my several phone messages about the failed inspection, damaged property, etc. I could not get a response from the salesman about a hard copy of my contract which was filled out, electronically at my house. I finally traced down someone else at Sears to mail me one. I guess they did not believe me when I said that I intended to install 5 plus more windows by this Fall. Obviously, don't care about repeat business or bad publicity. I will continue to call Sears about the failed inspection. This failed inspection is preventing me from receiving a home incentive rebate, so the monetary losses amount to more than the money that I paid for sloppy workmanship. If I don't get a response from Sears, I will escalate the matter within Sears, then the City Inspectors, again and to the housing resource center sponsoring this incentive program, then to BBB, Attorney General and contact my friend who is a reporter for Fox 9 News. I had intended to attach photos of the bad work. Maybe, I will do that next time I come to this site, it Sears continues to ignore my calls.

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D Posey
Burns Flat, US
May 26, 2014 10:48 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We purchased windows from Sears several years ago. We were told there would NEVER be any cost to us for any type of problems with the windows. Well, when I called customer service, I was told there would be a $100.00 fee just to come look at windows to see the problem. Then there would be an additional $100.00 minimum when they came back to fix the window. These sears windows are of the worst quality (thank goodness we only purchased 5 to see if we would be satisfied) Approx. one year later they were "leaking" air and now several years later they are hard to open, draft from wind is constant. We did purchase the rest of our windows from a company called Windows USA, they have come out at no charge and replaced a patio door and checked on all their windows to make sure we were happy. I must say that was refreshing in this day and age. So in short, NEVER WASTE YOUR MONEY ON SEARS PRODUCTS! They will never keep their word. It is no wonder this company is having problems, maybe it they treated their customers right, they might have stood a chance with the competition.

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fatblue
, US
Nov 13, 2011 1:16 am EST

I called Sears from an ad that states $269 each installed*, after the sales person was at my house (he practically brought the whole show room) for THREE hours, his bill came up to 3, 500 for 3 windows. He did have small discounts to "WOW" me, but I think this ad is a fraud. He kept telling me I don't want the windows they offer in the ad and that the werent even up to code for my area. The ad came to my home address, soooo. Anyway, watch out for those salespeople, they will lie and lead you to believe you need the MOST EXPENSIVE windows they offer.

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debls
Westerly, US
Sep 10, 2011 7:12 pm EDT

We had Sears install replacement windows in our home about 10 years ago. Besides the trouble we had with our bay window upon installation (it was not braced and had water coming in. It took many weeks to have someone come and fix it after the 1st installer was fired) we have had nothing but problems with the locks breaking and window actually dropping and leaving large gaps at the top! We just had a local contractor come and replace all the windows with construction windows and he could not believe the lousy job Sears did. They didn't even bother to insulate around the windows. They just covered the gaps with duct tape! I will never have Sears do any work for me again!

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beckyb
Williston, US
Sep 17, 2010 8:22 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

To the lady with the window complaint. Did you actually ever buy the windows or have them installed? Have you had any problems with the windows if you did buy them? It sounds to me like maybe you got a bad salesman, but that could happen no matter where you buy something. I've bought alot of products from Sears over my lifetime and never had a problem. In today's world you can meet a bad salesman anywhere. Don't let that stand in your way of a good quality product at a good price from a company that's been in business for 134 years. They are obviously doing alot right or they would of closed a long time ago. I trust sears and I'll continue to buy from them. I feel bad for you that you can't see how things really are. For what it's worth, I have sears windows and have enjoyed them for the past 10 years. I did have a glass break from a baseball and Sears replaced it without any question. Ps they don't even sell 3 ply( no such thing as ply in windows). They only sell Double Payne windows. Hope this is helpful to everyone else.

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la gringa
West Haven, US
Aug 18, 2010 12:18 pm EDT

I had windows installed from sears last year, but only upstairs because I could not afford the whole house . I am still paying for them! The quality of the windows are wonderful and my heating bill has gone down enormously. My complaint is with the office staff who were extremely rude and obnoxious especially when something went wrong. My other complaint is the installer who did a piss poor job and I now have to replace molding/ trim around the windows. They were messy and did not do a stellar job as promised. I am now looking to replace more window and I am looking to buy similar windows an install them myself unless I can just buy the windows from sears and install them myself.

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sugarmagnolia686
Netcong, US
Jul 18, 2010 4:53 pm EDT

All I have to say to everyone is that it is the consumer's responsibility to read before you sign. And when you get that warranty, READ IT! Whatever was said during the sales pitch is not binding, unless the salesperson wrote it on the contract! Acts of God are rarely covered under any warranty, and your warranty and contract will clearly state that. When you call the service department, they can only honor what is said on the contract and warranty. If they listened to eervy customer that called in and said "oh well the salesman told me everything would be covered forever", Sears would be out of business. It's not their job to make judgements on what was said during the time of the sale and to try to figure out if the customer is telling the truth...so many people just try to get too many things for free nowadays. Sears does absolutley stand behind their products! If they find that something was installed incorrectly 10 years ago, they will fix it! If a storm blows your siding off, it's not warrantied! Use common sense people...that's what your insurance company is for!

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JerryInNoHo
North Hollywood, US
Apr 12, 2010 3:39 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I contracted with Sears Home Improvement for and estimate for replacement windows on my home. After a great sales pitch and offer of a discount and financing with ZERO% interest for 12 months, I signed the contract. When I received my last statement I was charged 14.4% interest on this loan. This is not fair, I would not have contracted with Sears, but would have used another means (home equity) to have this work done. I have been cheated.

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mariann
lemay, US
Nov 02, 2009 11:23 am EST

i was ripped off by sears too i bought 11 windows in 2002 there is no guarantee i thought there was the windows leaked air they wouldnt lock when a repairman came out he said to lock windows i need to hold up the top window while pulling down bottom then lock it the window became cloudy they came out charged $125 to put new window in they said it had leaked out the gas that was to keep out air i asked if they were guaranteed he said no this was the same window the lock happened in 2003 the leak in 2004 same window now it is 2009 i called about the screens on windows they are rusting down my sidding they said they are not guaranteed and would charge me $100 to look but they would not replace siding their windows ruined sears may have been an honest company 100 years ago but not now i would warn anyone dont buy sears

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jeffhansen
Redo, US
Oct 25, 2009 11:36 pm EDT

You are mistaken Sears has been in business for a 120 years and it is not by treating clients wrong. For instance if you break a window from the inside the warranty does cover your mistake and the list goes on and on. Other warranties yeah definitely but Sears is the best!

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perplexedandlaughing
, US
Oct 24, 2009 10:50 am EDT

You are a ### to think that ANY retail product has a warranty against vandalism or any damage not otherwise related to material defects or craftsmanship. That's what homeowner's insurance is for! EXAMPLE: If I buy a car and someone crashes into me, the car dealership is not responsible to fix the damage or replace the car and/or parts. The insurance company of the person who hit my care is responsible or my insurance covers it in the event that the person lacks coverage or is under-insured. Come, use your brain and apply some consumer common sense!

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Another satisfied Sears customer
Houston, US
Sep 06, 2009 1:12 pm EDT

I do believe the person who said most if not all of these complaints are from Sears competitors, after all Sears installs more windows than any other company out there. The majority of customers generally don't write in to brag about how happy they are with Sears, they just pass the word on to their neighbors or friends, where Sears gets a lot of their business from, referrals. So all of these people on this board complaining about Sears, take heed and look at your own company and improve upon that, then you might not need to make up stories about Sears

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BRBRBRBR
Ocean Springs, US
Jul 14, 2009 1:12 pm EDT

Contactors for Sears is killing them. They do poor workmanship and if you aren't there looking over their shoulder they will installed/repair a product half way. What ever happened to the full time service tect.

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searsowner
Hollywood, US
Jul 13, 2009 11:48 am EDT

I guess everyone just didnt take time to look at what they were getting into...

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jeff hansen
lewi, US
Jun 28, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

The funny thing in common with all these comments is that half the people posting the complaints are likely independent contractors slamming the good name of Sears! Sears is the biggest home improvement company in the United States and I do work for Sears in Ship, "Sears Home Improvement"as a home consultant as well I am Christian.

My Grandfather bought his home from Sears by laying it away and making payments and then Sears came and built it on his land! When I went through the material training phase, the products Sears offered were compared to and tested in front of me against other popular brands and generic brands to, (from Vinyl siding to granite, cabinetry etc.) Bye far Sears products are superior and last longer and there is lifetime warranties available!

Acts of God like a tree smashing in a window come on that is an insurance issue! What's happening here is that there are all these so called contractors or illegal bandits possibly with out licenses, insurance etc and they are buying the cheapest materials and trying to create value they will make you think you are saving money but are you?.

Lets talk about granite I bet the guy that bought the granite for $2, 500 has to seal his granite every year or does not know he has to and there is bacteria thriving on its surface because the coatings used to do it the best way that lasts 15 years are proprietary and joeschmo does not have access to it or if he paid for it would have to charge more than Sears. By using these companies or crooks you are cheating yourself, the public and supporting the under cutting and the loss of jobs in the U.S.

The honest and ethical companies that do pay for SSI, insurance and taxes and do perform checks to make sure the employee has a right to work in this country have to continually contend with anyone being able to say anything and there really is no recourse. So when fly by night Juan at Amigo contractors tells you that the vinyl products from China with clays and fillers that will start to fade as the clay make its way to the outside of the product within five years is just as good as virgin vinyl that last a life time without fading you be sure to run him out of town for trying to cheat you!

Why shop at Sears? because they have the best product at great prices, pay taxes that defray the cost of putting your children through school etc. Again as your father probably told you, you get what you pay for some people like buying from Big Lots = cheap contractor compared to Sears =value and whom has great quality products and yes they do honor there warranties! it is a night or day comparison.

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Katherine
, US
Apr 22, 2009 1:40 pm EDT

Fortunately I knew better than to believe all the lies the salesman told me when he came out and the $32, 000 price he gave me to reface my kitchen cabinets and install granite countertops. The hard sale's tactics he used were unreal. He kept telling me NO one else does this... and NO one else offers a lifetime guarantee. Well I now have all new custom made cabinets, granite AND all new appliances, including a warming oven, light fixtures, we... everything is new except my floors which i wanted to keep... for less than he quoted me for just a face lift. I reminder that you should always do a little research before starting a project and get several quotes. One example... he quoted me 10, 4oo for the granite counter tops. I got my granite locally from a company that has been in business for 48 years... was able to choose my own slabs to be installed... and it cost me $2800 TOTAL... and I have a lifetime guarantee (you know... the one that he kept telling me only Sears offers). He kept making up things as he went along thinking, I am sure, "What does a woman know". It was funny to see the look on his face near the end of his very hard sales pitch when I told him I was an Engineer and knew that he had not been honest with me. I know you do not have to rewire your kitchen to reface your cabinets. The lies went on and on. It was almost entertaining.

Beware of sales people who will have nothing to do with the installation or service after the sale. The have no motivation to be honest. No offense intended to all the honest salespeople out there. I know the dishonest ones make your job even harder.

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searsblows
Utica, US
Apr 19, 2009 1:30 am EDT

yea after i heard about sears doing home improvements I started hearing all this bad stuff about them. I just posted on http://homeimprovement.forumotion.net but i havent gotten a response yet. they quoted me more than they quoted you! and they wouldnt come down on the price at all.

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Chris
Cedar Rapids, US
Feb 15, 2009 8:52 pm EST

SatisfiedSearsCustomer:

If you are satisfied, then why are you looking at complaint boards? I like your statement "you get what you pay for". It should read you don't get what you paid for. Buying items in the store is just fine, but buying anything from the home improvement side would be a joke. The only reason I stumbled upon this site was seeking info on Simonton windows (which I would not be buying from Sears). But on a side note, I did once get the opportunity to seek a quote from the home improvement side. We were in the middle of buying a house in which we had yet to close. The home had the original heat/ac from '65. I called Sears as I needed estimates for the rehab program that we were taking advantage of. The guy drove all the way to the house and reviewed the property. When we sat down he asked how soon we would be doing the work and I informed him that we had a couple of weeks until closing and then a couple of months away we would be ready for the install. He immediately stopped sales pitch as we did not "legally" own the house yet. Before he was finished getting packed up I asked what his rough estimate was for the new hvac. He told me we would be in the range of 8, 000. I told him that was great price as I laughed him right out the door. His estimate for an entry level carrier was almost 3k higher than my highest quote for a high end Lennox, Amana and York. So needless to say folks, if you plan on wasting a great deal of time and money be sure to give Sears home improvement a call. If you want to save money and get a better quality product, shop around and talk with friends and family to see what they have installed into their homes.

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SatisifiedSearsCustomer
Camarillo, US
Feb 12, 2009 8:34 am EST

Y'all are crazy. If you look at how many SATISFIED Customers an organization of this magnitude has, this may save you some time of sitting on this computer doing nothing but complaining.

Nothing is FREE in life.

You get what you pay for.

:: shaking head ::

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JMP
Ormond Beach, US
Jan 27, 2009 12:46 pm EST

I am really not surprised about what is being said. I was ripped off by a license contractor on many issues and it was not Sears. I ended up with restitution (big deal) with the courts. I am getting a $120.00 for the next 8 years from the Florida State Corrections Department. I decided never to hire a contractor unless they were backed up by a major corporation and ask questions that protect me.

This is when I made a call to Sears for my new windows. It was the best call I ever made. The salesperson that came out was on time and even called the day before to confirm.

He was very helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. He worked with my budget and concerns in writing at the time of proposal. This made me feel very comfortable as I explained what happen to me stated in above paragraph.

I decided to hire him on the spot to his surprise. I had many questions still on the table with him before signing. He was honest on what he could not answer and got on the phone with his office or corporate and found the answers I was asking for.

I bought the best windows they had to offer once the questions were completed. I live on a peninsula between the Intercostals and Ocean. It was important to buy the right windows for my area. Vinyl, argon gas with the highest energy rating windows can come with. I live in a Florida Ranch Style Home so he even helped me pick the best look that ended me saving money which is the side to side sliders.

In Florida you have a three day right of rescission in case you want to break a contract you have signed. This made me feel more comfortable because I did not know that. The salesperson advised me of this. He gave me information on a separate form on how to file with the State Florida if any work that I was not satisfied with would protect me from Sears if I was not satisfied or not complete as stated in the contract. He pored information on to me and blew me away with everything he did at the time of sale.

This salesperson spent hours at my house just to have me satisfied and comfortable after he left. He even called the next day to see if I had more questions after thoroughly reading the contract. After the three days he called to let me know the purchase order is going in and to expect a 6-8 week time frame to install.

During the waiting time he called to give me an update that no delays were foreseen.

In about two weeks later he called to say they came in earlier than expected and scheduled the install date with remindful instructions on what I had to do to prepare.

The installers came on time and spent a full day installing. They even came back the next day because he did not rush and had to install two more windows.

The City came out to inspect the windows and found a problem with just one of the bathroom windows stating it was missing a couple of screws so I did not pass inspection.

I called the salesperson that had the installer call me back within 30 minutes to schedule coming back to my house the next day. Puzzled the installer went right to the problem window and laughed saying the inspector was wrong as he counter sunk the screws so good you could not find them. The inspector from the city came out and admitted he was wrong and stated he was impressed with the job they did. He even stated he has never had a problem with Sears when it comes to passing windows Sears installs.

I have received several follow up calls from my salesperson since the job was completed just to see if all was good. Of course there have not been any problems and the windows and honestly I did not think there would be.

Please read the contract and ask questions when you are dealing with any salesperson. Sears or not. If anything sounds too good to be true get on the phone with them while they are trying to get answers to your questions. A flag should have been raised on any warranty such as vandalism, acts of god, etc… Remember that homeowners insurance supersedes most warranties that go into your home. I don’t know of any product warranty that would cover anything except manufactures defects and installation. Of course there are exceptions when it comes to buying extra protection plans, etc…

Always ask the following and you should be in good hands with anybody you deal with. I am in Furniture Sales by the way and never get offended when someone calls me out or ask me a question. If I don’t have an answer I get it.

Things to ask:

• How long have you been with the company?
• Referals from past clients/customers. If they can not provide that information they are new or have something to hide.
• If you say this is under warranty what does the warranty “EXCLUDE”!?
• Who do I contact if something happens to you, get a name and phone number on the spot before signing. Call that person if you really feel the need.
• Ask for a better deal and have it in writing on the contract you sign. Remember any changes on a contract have to be initialed by both parities.
• Check your states guidelines on contracts and contractors (including subcontracting).
• Ask for the most experience installers. Even if you have to wait, it will be worth it in the end. They rotate installers to give a fare share. You can go out of that rotation!
• If you feel something is said like “if someone breaks your window we will cover it”, humm, how can you do that? Things like this will protect you.

In sales both the salesperson and the customer have to be partners. Equal in respect and trust. I always, yes even in furniture, give my customers my home and cell phone number. If they don’t, why? If my company can’t handle it then most of the time I can by making some calls to persons at corporate that are “untouchable” by a customer.

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rev.c
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Sep 14, 2008 4:36 pm EDT

To all it is the they operate. But you have no money so you can't pay for real tradesmen.So you pay $1000.00 for a $500.00 window/13000 for cheap cabinets. Then you cry.How stupid can you be?

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Tulsaboyw
Tulsa, US
Aug 14, 2008 6:41 pm EDT

I totally disagree with above comments about the retail store part of it (at least pre-repair).

The best service I ever got is on electronics at the stores I went to.
But then I rarely go back to Sears for repairs and rarely buy service agreements.

From what I remember when I worked 2 years ago for '6 months' as a temp (was desperate after layoff), there are good parts of
Sears, but its often the local retail itself, and not corporate.

REALITY IS; Sears is nowhere near the good company it was as recently as 15 years ago.

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Tulsaboyw
Tulsa, US
Aug 14, 2008 6:37 pm EDT

I agree about the Sears Home Improvement part of Sears...I actually consider that part to be more of a criminal enterprise that an business.

However the retail part (old style sears) is fine for me.
Note; ive been a insider as a wharehouse dataentry clerk and have seen how sears is internally...they are not that great a company anymore (last 20-40 years).

On the home improvement, years ago I inquired knowing that they were the highest price, but wanted to have a highend baseline to compare too.
What I didnt relize is that they tend to estimate and price everything from 5-10 times what anyone else would do.

Instead of doing Sears Kitchen makeover for $16000 I had it done for $5k using litterally the same quality of cabinets and work that Sears would have charged for $16k+.

Now my biggest problem with them is they continue to call me almost daily for the last 8+ months.

POint to be made, l I can easily ignore the call and already have the sears ph # as a 'dont answer' on my phonelist in my cell.
But I take care of several family members who need instant access to me and I already know of 3 times where they were calling me and left vm.

In my case my need instantly respond is so important that I will file criminal charges for wrongful death against Sears if they continue to call and it happens to interfere with
my communication needs.

I have asked them 6 times to quit callling me. Oh there are occasions where i forget to chk the phone to see if i can 'ignore the call' anyway.

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lorain, US
Jul 03, 2008 7:20 pm EDT

I had similar experiences from sears home improvement (1-800-4-my-home)
Their customer service is the worst I have ever had, I too will never buy anything from them again.
You should not buy any appliances from Sears stores either because when something goes wrong you are stuck with sears home improvement which do not care about customer satisfaction and will just let you wait and wait to get service.
NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM SEARS, EVER

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Joe
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Jun 11, 2008 3:41 pm EDT

Jessy, you do not understand, re-take business in high school. It's not the installers its the sears contractors, that take money from these people and rip them off. The installers have nothing to do with it. If your dad is a installer thats fine, but if he is a contractor he is a [censored].

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jessy
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Mar 31, 2008 9:51 am EDT

Up here in Ohio Sears is a good place. My dad works for sears and he is a very nice guy. He helps the customers as much as he can and he is HONEST, I don't want anyone to destroy the good word of sears or their workers. I have also been on the job site with my father. He goes beyond the duty, just to make the customer happy. He goes and buys new tools if they are needed for the job, out of his own pocket! My dad was the installer of the year in more than just Ohio, he would go to different states to fix the jobs the other ones messed up. Just because there are bad people that work there doesn't mean all of them are. I'm sure at your workplace there are people that slack of and don't really care, but there are also the ones who do. I think you should just grow up out of complaining and just take action. This is all high school, I should know because I'm in it right now.

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Karen Dant
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Jan 11, 2008 4:54 pm EST

August 20, 2007

To Whom It May Concern:

I am returning this survey to you unanswered. I hope you will send it back when this job is complete.

This kitchen project was started on 7/13/07. The salesman assured us it would be done in two weeks. The day the job started, the installer informed us that we were missing 3 “filler” section for our upper cabinets. We have still not heard a word about the status of those “fillers”. It looks to me that these “fillers” must not have been ordered with the cabinets or they would have been made with the cabinets. This was known six weeks ago, yet no one has mentioned them again. I wonder if they have been ordered.

Also, when discussing what we wanted to do with the salesman at the time of the sale, we discussed adding some recessed ceiling lights and counter top lighting. His comment was “the electrician will be glad to install whatever you have here for him to install.” When the electrician came on 7/14/07 to move the outlet for the microwave, he informed us that he was only to install the counter top lighting. He said he would get back to us on a price for the ceiling lights by the end of the day. We have never heard from him again.

We still do not have knobs on our cabinets. We haven’t been too concerned about that, as we figured the installer was waiting on those filler pieces and would get it all done in one trip.

I will take this opportunity to praise Tony and Jesse the cabinet installers. They have been on the money and have done a very professional job. The “Counter top Concepts” people were just as professional, they have done a beautiful job with what they have done and I would gladly have any of those to do any job in my home.

I will say this in closing; the salesman told us that our 12 months pay off period would begin when we signed off that we were completely satisfied with this project. We were asked to sign a form that we were satisfied with the job so far, but listed the items not completed yet. Now we get a bill for my first payment due 8/31/07. I have heard nothing about the status of my project in four weeks. It is now the sixth week on this two week job and no one even checks in to give us any information except the folks wanting their money for a job that is not finished. I feel we have been much more than just patient but we really believed the sales pitch that Sears would be better than the others. It turns out that maybe they were just a little cheaper on the price.

Thank you,

Neil & Karen Dant
2156 John Hart Circle
Orange Park, FL 32073
904.272.6946

January 11, 2008

UPDATE:

As of today, with many calls having been made to many people . . . none of which ever answered our calls. . .the only person we were able to communicate with was the salesman. He is the only one who ever took action in trying to help us. As of the day before Thanksgiving we now have knobs and our 3 “filler” pieces in place. We were informed today that after 6 months of discussing “under counter” lights that is was not written in the project. As you can see from the letter above it was understood that we were suppose to have “under counter” lighting. We are also getting charged an unknown amount of dollars for a soffit “build out” that was canceled. We have never seen and itemized list of the project costs. We take responsibility for not having enough prior experience in dealing with contractual agreements. Everything that was discussed the night with the salesman we thought was included in the contract. He told us that whatever was here regarding lights, the electrician would be glad to install.

To sum everything up, at the time this project was put in place, we were also planning to remodel two bathrooms. If we had been pleased with the service we received from Sears, we would probably use them again for the bathrooms. We don’t foresee that happening now. The way we feel at this time, there will definitely be no more Sears’s home improvement projects in our future because when we list our complaint on line we see thousands of others just like ours. It completely destroys our confidence in Sears whom we have done business with for the last 35 years. We thought dealing with Sears would be better because of their reputation and our experience with them as a retail store. We don’t find the same commitment to the customer in their home improvement group. We say this merely because as of today we have never had anyone to return any phone calls, letters or on line complaints. We have always had to make the next move. As of this point, we still have to pay for a project that they considered completed in July. Thank you for reading this if you did. We really do not expect any kind of an acknowledgement as that seems to be the way Sears seems to work. This will be our last communication that we will initiate. Thank you.

Neil & Karen Dant
2156 John Hart Circle
Orange Park, FL 32073
[protected]

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mr jones
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May 15, 2007 4:15 pm EDT

I worked for sears for a while and all they chased was the mighty dollar no concern for the customer. Since all sales people there are 100%commission. They promise you the world and you will never see them. They hide behind the money back guaranty but in my time there i saw many complaints and no one got there money back!

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Bobby Ortnov
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Mar 22, 2007 8:17 am EDT

I know man, I have the same problems with sears. Its bull [censored]!