Sears
reviews and complaints

We have a maintenance agreement that covers annual servicing for the central air conditioner we purchased from Sears. This was included in the purchase price. Beginning with the first year and subsequent years this service has been a disaster. We call every spring to set up an appointment and EVERY time no-one shows for the first appointment we schedule. We of course have to take time off from work and be available from 8Am - 5PM! When we call(they've never called us) to ask why no-one shows we have gotten a variety of answers i.e. there were no available techs, someone (but they never know who or when) cancelled the appointment etc. They take no responsibility for this. This year we even saved the voice message of them confirming the appointment for today that we received yesterday and again they claim someone cancelled the appointment. The supervisors are of no help. Sears is always more than eager to market these service plans but then do everything to prevent you from using them. Would like to know if this is a common problem.

I have so many bad things to say about sears home service that I can't even write it all. Too many repair appointments with service technicians not showing up after I was home an entire day. Too many negative experiences with their call center. I will never use them again. Just researched other technicians in my area and wish i'd done it sooner! Before I purchased a new refrigerator after my 7 year old fridge gave me too many headaches. Now it's my washer and dryer. Ugh...

First I will start with never order anything major from sears online. My grandmother which is disabled couldn't see her television and wanted to order a 50"plasma (Yeah me grandma is cool like that) so we decided to go with the"reputable"company sears so we know that everything will go right... Wrong. Anyways, while placing the order online her card kept declining, come to find out she had a max daily limit, so we just used another card, and it declined. So at this point I decided to call their customer service and ask what was going on, he looked up the item, and said that we could place it over the phone, well the price he had was like $100 more than the price I was seeing right in front of my face, I tried to explain to him and he wasn't having none of it, we checked item numbers and everything I even offered to send him a screen shot of what I was seeing to prove it, still he kept saying I was"mistaken"yet it was right on my screen. So anyways, I was like okay she wants it so we'll go ahead, once he actually started the process the order, the price that I was telling him miraculously appeared. I obviously, had to through in a snide remark that clearly he must be"mistaken"as I was. So we finished processing the order, it accepted the card, no problem after that, right? No.
I specifically asked him if sears would be delivering it or ups or how the shipping was going to work, as my grandmother, like I said is disabled and knew that she would not be able to lift and hook up a 50" television. He said yes sears would deliver it and hook it up for her with no problem. Well, 2 weeks later some odd "pilot freight" company calls and says that they will be delivering the package tomorrow. At first I didn't understand, but figured maybe that was what they called sears delivery or something. Well, the package arrives, one delivery driver for a package clearly marked "lift with two people", one of my family members, which always stays with her was luckily my brother, so he helped the guy bring it in. The guy took off in a scurry, did not remove it from the box as promised, certainly did not hook anything up, took a signature and ran. Well, at this point I was called, as I was the person handling the whole thing, and was told that the entire tv screen was cracked all over. I was already fuming that I was lied to about delivery method and installation, and then this. So I call the customer service department again, and first got a rep that said she apologized, blah, blah, blah. I asked to speak to the manager, well about 10 minutes later "michael" (The manager) after informing him of the whole shipping & installation misinformation all he could do is apologize, I then told him that his apology wasn't going to get the tv installed (I haven't even mentioned that the tv is completely shattered yet), and I told him that he would credit the shipping charges at the very least, after demanding it he then said that it was a fair compromise, so he credited the shipping and asked if there was anything else he could help me with. At this point I informed him yes, he could actually send me another tv as this one is completely shattered and inoperable. As if everything wasn't bad enough, this takes the cake... He said that she would have to order another one (Another $1000 dollars) and then they can send the courier back out to get the other one and once they receive it back they will refund the initial $1000 dollars. I explained to him that this wasn't an option at all, and told him that he needed to send a replacement out immediately and they can arrange to pickup the broken one whenever they want to. He said that it wasn't possible, that the only other option is to wait until the broken one is returned, they would refund the money, then she could place a new order for the same tv. My jaw hit the floor, that a multi-million dollar a year company can stay in business for as long as they have with this sort of customer service. So needless to say after a hour of being on the phone, my grandma was with a busted tv and a $1000 out until they could get the tv back to them (Which could take up to 2 weeks). I eventually gave up on trying to make sense of this policy, told him to come and get their tv and give my grandma her money back asap and we would go elsewhere to get a tv. So, again I will repeat never order anything of any value from sears online, because if it's broken they aren't going to fix it. It looks like after she was waiting nearly two weeks for a tv that she paid for she is going to have to wait even longer, until she can get her $1000 dollars back, and I can get some free time to go tv shopping at stores.

I went to the Sears on Front Street in the Kansas City Metro area. The customer service associates were rude, hostile, mean and refused sell to me. The old man that assisted me actually told me to go somewhere else to purchase what I needed, knowing or thinking I had to purchase what I needed there. I found myself talking to him as if I were the sales associate and appologizing for even intruding on his day. I am 53 and in my life time I have never been so abused by a sales associate. Yes his actions and speach was abuse.

A couple of days latter I went to Lowes to search for the product. The associates at Lowes speacial ordered the product. Since then I have had conversations with others and discovered they had experiance simular abuse.

I had a central air conditioner installed by sears 2 yrs ago. This year it caused over $30k in damage to my house. The condensation drain was improperly installed and the drip pan had tiny holes in it caused by the installer. there also was a 3/4 inch gap between the air handler and bottom of the return vent. The condensation had dripped into my attic and saturated the insullation (like a sponge). It then ran down my walls and between my sub floor and wood floor. This caused major mold issues(over $6k). Once the mold was cleaned it took almost 3 months to get my house back to normal. Had to rip up and replace w/w carpeting, wood floor, sub floor. Also had to remove much of my ceiling and several walls. My insurance covered all except the actual repair of the ac, approx 2k.

sears is very difficult to deal with. They don't return calls, they are rude, they are trying to blame everybody but themselves for the bad install and wont commit to reimbursing the 2k. Over 3 months after the damage was discovered and they still won't give me any answers. I think they just hope we will give up and go away.

My husband and I bought a central unit a couple of months ago from sears . We told the sales rep when he came out that we are adding on to our house and he told us that when we were ready to call him and he would come out and create a new contract to put duct work in the new rooms (2 of them) it has been going on 3 weeks and we are unable to contact him he wont return our calls he keeps promising his supervisor that he is coming out and never shows up. Our project is at a standstill because we have to have the ductwork in to get inspected and the contractor can't do anymore until we do. My husband and I is at our wits end and ready to move on and hire someone else to do the ductwork. This is costing us money and time and our sanity. My husband and I are ready to NEVER COME TO SEARS AGAIN after this. We are very dissatisfied with sears.

We had a Sears service rep come to diagnose a problem with our Sears Whirlpool Calypso washing machine on 3/30/2010. He was here for an hour, charged for two hours, and misdiagnosed the problem. We chose to make the repair ourselves, as is always a consumer option, purchased the part he said was the problem, and then discovered that the actual problem was a different part, thus costing us twice the amount, and a lot of time and trouble, as well as the charge for the service call.

When I called Sears customer service to request a refund, they refused to help us in any way, saying that they owe us nothing. According to them, since we elected not to have their diagnostic technician do the actual repair, they bore absolutely no responsibility for his misdiagnosis or for the service call.

The rep told me I had reached "corporate level, " and was adamant that there was absolutely no recourse for us, as they do not guarantee their diagnostic service calls...only their repair service itself. If we had elected to have him do the repair, which would have been the wrong repair and replacement part, then they might have been able to work with us.

We have been loyal Sears customers for most of our lives, having "grown up" with the company. If the washing machine had been irreparable, then we probably would have purchased a new washer from them. As it stands now, we will never do business with Sears again, nor would we recommend them to anyone.

Paula Watson
5172 Hidden Branches Circle
Atlanta, GA 30338
April 21, 2010

Holly Ferguson
Sears Outlet
2301 Mountain Industrial Blvd.
Tucker, GA [protected]

Dear Ms. Ferguson

This past Sunday, April 18, 2010, I visited your store for the first time. Sears Outlet was recommended to me as a good source of slightly damaged appliances that I could purchase for reasonable prices. Sure enough, I found a refrigerator which I photographed with my iPhone and arranged to have delivered today, between 4:15 and 6:00 PM.

This morning, around 7:00 AM, a delivery person from the store called. He wanted to be sure he had the correct refrigerator. What he described to me was clearly not the refrigerator I purchased on Sunday, of which I enclose photographs. Among his questions and statements were, “This really should not be sold to anyone, ” and “Are you aware of the 8 inch gash in front?” and “It’s missing a number of shelves and has no ice maker, ” along with more that clearly indicated the refrigerator he was looking at is not the one you see in these photographs taken Sunday on your warehouse floor: no missing shelves; a slight scratch on the left front, a functioning ice maker, and some minor denting on the side.

As a teacher, I had to schedule a substitute for my afternoon classes today. Now I must spend that time buying a refrigerator from an honest source: one who will deliver what I purchase. I am deeply disappointed in Sears, and I have posted reviews on YELP! and Kudzu that reflect my awful experience in hopes that others won’t have to go through what I have.

Sincerely,

Paula Watson

Cc:
3333 Beverly Road
Hoffman Estates IL 60079

Our 1-1/2 year old Kenmore washer needs a new transmission. No, we didn't purchase the extended warranty thinking Kenmore was a good brand and would last a number of years. We are retired and have no children at home so it isn't as though a family of 5 is using it. Maybe 2-3 loads a week maximum. The people I've talked to at Sears say it's our problem, the machine may fail at any time. They are not interested in keeping us as a customer and apparently don't care that the product is shoddy. I think Kenmore used to be a good brand, but no more. I'll be researching something else for a replacement and will think twice before purchasing other Sears products given the poor service.

I am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau for my Whirlpool Cabrio Washer Model WTW6600SB2, Serial Number CU3270098 that was purchased from Sears on my Sears charge in late September 2007 for $1200 plus the cost of a 5 year extended warranty that is effective on this washer for another 3 years. I have spent countless hours on the phone to more numbers that I can count and all I get is the runaround and another number to call.This washer is a lemon. I reported problems to Whirlpool when it was 10 months old. It has not worked properly since I got it. It has shredded and ripped sheets and clothing and has mechanically not worked correctly since I received it, and the clothes are not coming clean and are disgusting. I am very proud of my laundry and for the first time in over 40 years and 15 Whirlpool Washers I am ashamed of my laundry.I have been a loyal Whirlpool owner for over 40 years and I have never had a problem like this. The control panel has been changed 3 times and the console top had to be replaced. The main control has also been replaced.The left hinge on the lid is broken completely in half and the lid is not attached to the washer on the left side and I am told they won't repair it because they can't get the old hinge out and they will not replace the top. This is a hazardous safety issue. I also have large pieces of metal falling into the washer from inside the top onto the clothes when it is running and staining and ruining the clothes or sheets the pieces land on and when I remove the clothes all the metal pieces are in the bottom of the washer.Today I had yet another service call and the tecnician lifted the top of the washer and the whole top of the inside metal is disintigrating and falling off in large pieces into the washer onto the clothes. I called Whirlpool yet again last week and talked to Supervisor Carol Housley and the number she gave me is [protected], Ext. 3660 and I called the number and it didn't go through, so I called yet another number again and was given a supervisor again and I was not helped again. I actually had the technician here repairing the washer yet again when I called. I had been without the washer since early July and had to wait yet again for parts. I am disgusted and very angry that I have been treated this badly by Whirlpool and also by Sears as I have been a loyal Sears customer since the 1970's.I am very upset about the way I have been treated. Whirlpool should stand by their product. I am a Senior citizen on Disability and I have not been treated fairly.

I purchased some Gabriel automotive shocks with a lifetime warranty from Sears in 2000. I went to replace the shocks due to them being worn out and again, went into our local Sears store to exchange my worn shocks for new using the lifetime warranty that Sears promotes. Little did I know, that a LIFETIME warranty on this particular product has some glitches in it. For one, that particular brand of shock are no longer carried at my local Sears store. 2) In order for me to "utilize" the lifetime warranty...I would have to purchase a different brand of shock AND pay the difference. I guess I am not sure what a LIFETIME warranty is..if I am not able to go back to the original store, with the original receipt.. along with the shocks...and not be able to get a NEW set of shocks using the LIFETIME warranty that Sears promotes. Basically, they provide a LIMITED warranty (unless you are buying Craftsman)...and as the consumer..you have to pay more! This is just another way to gouge the customer...what ever happened to customer service? For example...I purchased brake pads around the same time I purchased these shocks from NAPA auto and I have since replaced the brake pads several times...using their LIFETIME warranty...and I have never had to pay a dime...because they warranty their products and stand behind their word. If you are going to market/promote a warranty on products...then it is the company's responsibility to the American customers, to stand behind that WARRANTY. Otherwise, the "warm, fuzzy feeling" you get once you have agreed to purchasing an item with a "LIFETIME WARRANTY"...if nothing but a salesmans lie. Beware buyer!

It is pretty bad when 99% of all companies will let u pay off a account w/ your bank card... i was told that i had to give them money or give them a check... well i wrote them a check out and paid off my account the bad thing is that they gave me my check back to me... well it may not cost alot of money for a check, but i dont have all this money to waste on handing them a check so i can shread it.. my card could have done the same thing they did w/ my check... if we the people dont start standing up to these companies there going to make us waste more money... just like all these warranties they push on us... if they would stand behind there equipment then it wouldnt cost a arm and leg to purchase it... SEARS U NEED TO START EXCEPTING BANK CARD FOR PAYMENTS... IF U START THEN I WILL START BUYING FROM U AGAIN, BUT UNTIL THEN I WELL BUY WHERE THEY WILL EXCEPT MY CARD... I HOPE I CAN GET OTHERS TO STAND WITH ME ON THIS PROBLEM...

I purchased a refrigerator from Sears retail store in Liberty NY and paid 65.00 to have it delivered 2 miles from your store and 20.00 for replacement. I noticed your website published 10.00. The delivery men came and shoved the old refrigerator out my door and dented the metal door. This is a clear disrespect Sears has.

In addition to the dented back door – the delivery person had a vulgar conversation with his partner on what he wants to do with all the woman he can when he retires.

Sears – I must admit I am quite surprised you allow this kind of vulgar and disrespectful behavior.

I recently had a credit card issue occur with your folks where you took out 40, 000.00 more than what the check was written for(4.000.00) and it took me a month to get this resolved. Not one of your customer service people tried to resolve it after 8 calls and I eventually contacted the bank to get the money back.

I called Sears to come out and adjust my treadmill; was told the service charge was $95.00 but repairs were to be applied towards that price. Much to my surprise, upon arrival, I was informed it would be $214.00 to adjust the treadmill belt. I had to say no; then had to pay the $95.00. Found my manual with full directions how to adjust the belt and within 5 min the problem was resolved. I feel I was taken advantage of and would like some type of restituion for the $95.00 and an explanation why it would have been $214 to repair.

I recieved a KitchenAid Frdige, Sears item [protected], on April 10, 2010. After unpacking we saw the door handle was damaged so called customer service and asked if we need to return the fridge or could they send a new handle. I called [protected] and was told I had called the wrong number but that if I called parts I would recieve a new handle and it had been authorized as it was recieved damaged. Well I spent the next hour being tranfered and given new phone numbers to call. Every person insisted the next number or transfer would be the correct one. I had multiple authorizations and from different numbers and it seemed to be a bouncing game from parts to customer service and from Canada to Phillipines in both these areas. Once I was given direct number for parts in Ontario and they told me it was nothing to do with them. I then wanted to complain as I was getting no where and the gentleman to me he was where all complaints go and I could not make a further complaints. He also said there was no notes on file indicating any of this happened and there was no authorization on file but said you call parts and they send out the part if it is damaged when you recieve it. I called [protected] and [protected] and had over a dozen tranfrers. I think I will just take the fridge back...something simple but is total unsolvable for some reason. I will never buy from Sears again. I tried to purchase from then 2 years ago online and the purchase got lost and things got ugly but I blamed in un immature web purchase web site. I see now there issues run much deeper. Not one of the people I talked to today wanted to help or even stay on the line to see what was happening-they just wanted to transfer me to someone else.

I took my car in to have tires rotated and balanced and for a brake inspection. I heard a noise and wanted the car to be checked over and while I was there get my tires rotated and balanced since I purchased the tires through Sears. Long story short. Tires were never rotated and balanced although they offer free rotation and balance when tires are purchased there. They claimed they didn't need to be...isn't that the point to keep them from "needing to be". Secondly, they claimed the struts were the cause of the noise and that the brakes were fine. I believed them and left. A month passed and I had the car checked over again. It was my brakes pads. They were bad and causing the noise by stripping my rotor. I found out how to tell by looking at the brakes with a flashlight while the car was sitting in my driveway. It's not hard to tell and the so called "brake guy" that said my brakes were fine obviously is just plain LAZY! Thanks for the lack of safety Sears provided me and my family!

Hello my name is Genoris Johnson, I am a customer of Sears in Inland Mall San Bernardino California. My contact number is [protected]. I have a warrenty on my washer until 2/2010. I have made several appointment for service for my washer. the first one was 04/02/2010 at 1-5Pm no one showed up. I am disable and I had to rearrrange my appointment for this appointment. Then on 04/08/2010 I spoke to a Jake at [protected] were I was transferred to the Service Dept, he schedule me for an appointment on 04/08/2010 between 8-12AM no one showed up. This was very inconvenience to me and my in home care provider. Then on 04/08/2008 I spoke to a Super a name Betty at [protected] and she has schedule me an appointment on 04/14/2010 she also gave me an confirmation number [protected]-7108 I truly hope that Sears will uphold their side of the responsibility and come out and service for this overdue service appointment. I would like to Thank You for looking into this matter. I can be reached at the number listed above.

Thanks Again, Genoris Johnson

Dear Sears,
I'm sorry but your in trouble. Customer service has completely escaped you and now as a result I fear your business is on it's death bed. Last week I drove to Humble, Texas Sears at Deerbrook Mall and bought a Dado Blade for my 10" Craftsman Table Saw. When I got it home and started to install it I found the blade with a 5/8" arbor did not fit my saw with a 5/8" shaft. The hole in the Dado blade was smaller than 5/8". I then drove back to the Sears store and returned it, but first asking the sales person to check it.

Sadly they weren't interested and expressed a who cares attitude. Yesterday I called several Sears stores to locate and purchase a small electric garden tiller. The San Jacinto Mall in Baytown, Lawn and Garden Department said they had one in stock. I told the lady I'd be right there to buy it.

When I got to the store, I was told they were holding it for another customer. They had another on the floor and I said that's OK, I'll purchase the one on the floor. The sales lady told me they couldn't sell me that one and that if I wanted one I'd have to order it.

I was very disappointed and told her it was a 40 mile trip to get to the store and asked for the manager. She took me over to a nearby counter where a Gentleman by the name of Clinton said he was the Department Manager. I told Mr. Clinton I wanted to purchase the small electric tiller and he said it was policy not to sell floor samples.

I was very disappointed at their lack of customer service but even more so for when I was walking away, a lady who was standing nearby that heard the conversation, said as I walked by her; "If you were black, they would have sold it to you!" Both the sales lady and the manager were black and needless to say I was white.

Now, I not only feel I was the victim of poor customer service but also a victim of racism.

After leaving the Sears store, I drove down the street and stopped at a Lowes. They had a tiller on display that looked almost identical to the Craftsman model, only it was a Troy-Bilt Model TB154. It was their display model, but they gladly sold it to me, and because it didn't have a box, they knocked off 10%. That made the Troy-Bilt $20 less than the Sears model.

Everything came out OK. I got my small garden tilled, saved money and learned there are other places with better customer service and better prices. My wood shop is filled with about every Craftsman power tool you sell. But now those Craftsman power and hand tools will be slowly phased out in favor of other brands as they wear out. I'm sad about this as I was always proud of my Craftsman tools.

If the service experience at my last two recent visits are typical, YOU are in trouble and will soon be out of business.

I purchased a Jenn-Air downdraft range 2 years ago from Sears--Recently the touchpad went out and I called to schedule a repair appointment. I was also talked in to purchasing a year service warranty, because I was told they were having alot of issues with this particular range. I was scheduled for an appointmnet on April 6th between 8-5. At 4:50 I called to see where my techician was due to the fact it was so close to five. I was told he was running behind--but he had not called to let me know. At 7:15 he called and I asked why he hadn't called, he replied, "This is your call" He came in and immediately knew what the problem was because I had sent them the serial number model number and the problem--He of course did not have the part to fix it--I took a day off of work and accomplished nothing--They want to reschedule for another day for me to sit around from 8-5--which I can not--I have asked to speak with management--apparently, there is none--I have spoken with several Case Managers--they have no boss?
The customer service department has been subpar at best-I have asked to schedule an appointment for after 3 due to my work schedule==This is not their policy--so I continue to be without an oven due to the faulty touch pad--I purchased all of my kitchen appliances from Sears, including washer and dryer--They will never receive one more dime of my hard earned money--The CEO of Sears should be appalled at the lack of customer care his work force offers--I feel comfortable with this comment due to the numerous employees I have spoken with--not one employee was able to offer any help, suggestions etc. Only an apology and the comment I understand this is frustrating--Okay you know it is frustrating so make it right--I was also offered a 50 gift card for Seats--which I refused--I only want my touchpad replaced, without me having to take another day off sitting around from 8-5, not hearing from a tech until 7:15--
Denise M. Skallet
1184 Longpoint Road
Cross, SC 29436