Company information:
Sears Optical
Hanford, California
United States
www.sears.com
October 2007 I used my Sears card at Sears Optical to purchase a pair of glasses on a really good sale. I was reminded repeatedly how much I was saving. Ok, great. Now it's almost September 2008 and I still don't have what I asked for almost a year ago. I hope no one has ever gone through this kind of ordeal, because it is ridiculous.
I did get my glasses after about a month, only to find that they didn't contain the transition I asked for. I came back and new lenses were ordered. I was having major surgery in December so I didn't bother to call to ask about them until late January when I had recovered (I had jaw surgery and could not speak well). I have taken countless trips to the store to inquire about my lenses. They have now, after all this time, been ordered about 7 times and each time they come back identical to the previous incorrect pair.
That's not even the bad part. The part that is most frustrating is that the person who works at the store, who I was told works there because she "thinks outside of the box" (OH PUHLEEZE), refuses to acknowledge how much bullshit this is for me. Instead she tries to get me to feel sorry for HER since she can't seem to get my order right. Instead, all I got over and over again was a barrage of excuses. The delivery person stole thousands of dollars of goods and is being incarcerated, the system is down, the system is new, the system is broken, it's a mess back here, I don't know where the other person puts things, the people at the lab messed up again. Then I got guilt trips, such as "I take this to bed with me, " "This whole ordeal keeps me up at night, " etc. I was also told the numerous times that clear lenses came in that each pair cost their business $400 a set. I'll be sure and send an apology for their trouble ;-). However, I was comped a pair of sunglasses (which I don't wear because they aren't prescription). Additionally, I was given a free set of clear lenses (which are of no use to me at all). The lady claimed to have filed a complaint with the CEO of the company because the lab was apparently at fault each time.
Three or four times ago that I went to check, I went with my mom because were having lunch together. It has become a running joke (which is not really that funny) that every time I go there or call I will never get what I want. So once again when the lenses weren't in, or suddenly disappeared from the system (the orders), or were just shipped, or were on their way, or were lost somewhere, I forget, it's all a blur now, the lady there says "wow you've been so patient, " and I said "Yeah, to your face." And my mom told me later that the woman said to another person nearby that that was not very nice of me to say that. OH, SORRY FOR NOT BEING NICE. I think upset sort of comes with the territory. I've spent more money in gas to pick up my non-existent lenses in the last year than I had on the glasses themselves. So much for a flipping sale.
Oh I also much mention that the last time I went in, the lady who works there lost her husband a few weeks ago. So when I went to ask for my glasses she said she had been out for weeks because her husband died and she hasn't had time to look for them. I'm not saying that's a lie... what I am saying is that isn't my problem nor is any of the other reasons why I haven't received what I ordered. I asked for a full refund at one point and she said ok hand over the glasses, and I said why you're just going to throw them away, and they said well you can't have the glasses and the refund. If it were me working there, I'd give the customer whatever they reasonably asked for to save them from losing more business down the road.
I have told everyone I know not to go there, and made sure to make a stink when I do go so the people in the store might be warned about the bullshit they may possibly end up enduring like I did. I filed a complaint with the better business bureau (which I had never done before, in case you think I'm an avid whiner). Sears never responded so my complaint file was closed, and I received a notice that consumers would be advised to be cautious with them in their dealings. Hopefully someone benefits from this mess. I sure haven't.
