Sears RIDICULOUS RETURN POLICY--NEVER SHOPPING THERE AGAIN!!
I have been a Sears customer all of my life...every appliance and electronic device(besides cell phones) that I have ever purchased in my adult life has been from Sears. I have encountered problems in the past, but being the loyal *** that I am, I kept returning.
Recently, my great aunt (who lives out of state) bought me a rather large amount of clothing for my birthday and dropped them off during a visit. I had just started a new job, and being the wonderfully giving person that she is, she was trying to help bolster my wardrobe. Unfortunately, I have gained about 25 pounds since she saw me last. Not wanting to hurt the feelings of a 75 year old woman, I told her everything was perfect and thanked her for the gift.
When I went to my local Sears store to exchange the items for a larger size, which stinks enough on its own, I was told by the salesperson that since her store didn't carry the specific line of clothing that I needed to exchange, and because I didn't have the receipt, that I would have to drive 2 hours away from home to go to another store that did carry that particular line. Not having the time or energy to make that kind of trip (I am a single mother who works 65 hours a week), I simply asked to exchange them for any clothes that would fit me. I was told no, which was extremely frustrating, but I accepted it and left the store. A week later I finally made the long drive to a second Sears location (and I called ahead to make sure they carried the particular items).
When I went to the returns counter, the sales person told me that I would have to wait on a manager. I was soon surrounded by SIX employees, with the manager telling me that I could not exchange the items for the exact same things in a different size! He informed me that Sears return policy states that absolutely NO exchanges can be made without a receipt. I was in shock!!
With all other major retail stores flaunting their 'NO HASSLE RETURNS' policies in ads all over the country, I could not believe Sears still maintains such an antiquated policy. I was forced to explain my situation 4 times, with a long line of other customers listening to me admit that I've gained weight, and hearing the store manager tell me that he had no way to PROVE that these clothes were ever actually PURCHASED...what?? Not only did he insinuate that I am a thief, apparently he thinks I am the dumbest thief ever to have stolen clothes for myself that WERE NOT MY SIZE!! I have never been so humiliated, infuriated, and rendered so speechless at a store.
I am talking about over $600 worth of clothes, not sure how I could have stuck that much in my pockets and slipped out unnoticed! I stayed calm and asked him to look her Rewards account up by her phone number (which the salesperson at my local store had done at my original visit, which clearly showed where the items had been purchased by my aunt) but he refused to do so, saying that without the actual, original paper receipt, he had no way to prove the items I had in my possession were actually ever purchased at a store. $600 may not be much to Sears, but it sure is to me.
I will never, ever step foot in a Sears store again, EVER. And to the 35+ people standing behind me that day looking at me like I may as well have been wearing an orange jumpsuit and sporting handcuffs as a summer accessory....the clothes truly were a gift, and I hope none of you ever receive a gift from this store that isn't your size!!!
Monetary Loss: $600.
Location: Huntington, West Virginia
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I have encountered the same thing when I tried to return a Christmas gift that did not fit. Sears would not exchange or offer a store card.
Said they must have receipt or phone number of the person that purchased the item to look up the transaction.
Sears has just lost a customer. No wonder they are going out of business.
I purchase leaf blower it was defective took it back very next day to exchange and they refuse to exchange and told me to contact manufacturer for warranty exchange. Worst customer service. I will never shop from Sears.
As soon as my sears card is paid off, Iโm cutting it up. Period! Never again!
Purchase mattress firm/plush I choose pillow top firm which was on sale, exchange policy 30 days, my body ache so badly called and told I needed the pillow plush...told me I need to keep it for 30 days ..... What I can't sleep on it it hurts my body.....well after sleeping in my spare room mattress for 30 days told them I need to exchange it to the pillow plush instead...well guess what the sale ended I need to pay the regular price...same brand style except plush and firm..... I totally told them to pick it up...was charged pickup fee...salesperson told me when I purchase the mattress I can exchange if the firm was to hard she never told me I would have to pay $1000 more
This type of customer treatment is probably one of the underlying reasons why Sears is shuttering stores as I type!
We purchased a mattress set at Sears. We are Seniors who still belive in integrity.
So when we got told that the display model was 75% off, we believed them. (Could have purchased a Sealy set on line, and had it delivered for less, we found out later).As we would get charged $80 delivery charge, my husband agreed to pick it up the next day. As he was waiting for help to load, he noticed the sign that said free box springs with matress purchase. He pointed it out to the girl who tried to give us a refund, and said she would have to wait for the manager.She would calll us.
A week later,( after 3 attempts to reach her), she called and said our mattress wasn't on the list according to "the district guy". there was no list if ineligable purchases. And the employee has been there long enough to know, that is why she supposedly tried to give us a refund. So then I filed a complaint with BBB.
First thing that came up is a commentthat Sears wishes to try and be contacted first. I tried and no response. So back to BBB I go. It took them 10 days to respond!!
They said they would investigate and get back to me in 2 days. I gave them 6 days and still no response. So I decided that since the incidence took place in a different state that I should post the complaint with that BBB. After all, that is what they are there for right?No, everything has to go to Illinois as that is corporate headquarters.
I am hoping that with all that I have found on-line that there is some legal authority reviewing all these incidents. How sad that people give up their integrity!!
What is Sears becoming I know it's rough these days everybody is shopping online but if you're still shopping at Sears like I have for 35 years also I rely on them don't make us stop shopping with you please
We bought an expensive craftsman lawn mower, it worked for one year and stopped working. Our last mower lasted 10 years.
Apparently if it doesn't stop working within 30 DAYS , you're stuck with it!!
Never again!! No wonder they're closing stores!!!
I bought a huge fluffy Egyptian cotton towel and wanted to wash it before using as it smelled like chemicals. We use scent-free gentle detergent and no bleach.
The beautiful purple turned pink in streaks in some areas of the towel. Although I had the receipt and had just bought it, I was told that they would not accept anything back that had been laundered.
It is defective and now I get to keep it. I was not happy.
My attempts to shop on-line a Sears is frustrating, to say the least. I just tried to make a payment on a layaway and it was just nonsense, even the on-line invoice made no sense.
The post payment blank screen left you questioning if the payment went through. Who is running this joke of a company ?
why would you go try to return $600 worth of clothes with no reciept without first checking their refund policy, ***.
We will NEVER EVER shop at sears in hobbs nm. They dont know their *** from *** in the wall. No one can help me and why cant i just get a refund where i purchased the product instead of going through a long process for a prepaid credit card
I am sure they do know their a.ss from *** in the ground. You used a card.
You get refunded the way you paid. It is not that hard to understand.
Never shop on line. I brought dining room table and chair.
4-chairs came within days, table never did.
I called them and wrote them that i want to return the item, no response yet. Sucks
Sears and Kmart deserve what they are getting! I was shocked I could not return a christmas gift without a receipt.
I asked the store manager where does it state all sales are final.
He didn't find that anywhere. If they need the money that much keep it !!!
Returns are a luxury not a right. No store has to have a written policy. It is not a requirement of law.
A right? Nobody's talking about the law, but about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular business in the free market as compared to other similar businesses.
The return policy at Sears is significantly less consumer-friendly than at competitors' stores. Sears' poor return policy, and in fact their overall poor service, has been resulting in poor numbers and increasing loss of market shares.
Compare this to JC Penney or similar stores, whose sales have been increasing. It should not be surprising that return policies is far more customer-friendly than the likes of Sears and Kmart, which has experienced declining sales similar to Sears, and which has a poor return policy similar to Sears.
While a poor return policy in itself won't cause a business to tank, it is indicative of an immature business philosophy geared toward achieving the immediate returns you can obtain by cutting your production capability, in this case consumer confidence.
It may bolster your numbers for a short time, but will quickly deplete your ability to generate/maintain business over the long term. This idea is well summed up in Stephen Covey's idea of P/PC balance.
Here is an Motley Fool article with some Sears sales numbers and predictions for the future of the company if nothing changes...
https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/26/sears-is-running-out-of-time.aspx
You can all thank CEO Eddie Lampert. He clearly has no clue how to run a brick and mortar retailer in today's environment of competition with the likes of Amazon, Walmart, Macy's, JC Penny, or Bed Bath and Beyond.
He may be a great investor and able to identify cost saving synergies, but that doesn't work in retail where emotions and feelings are such a big factor. The 30 day return policy has alienated countless customers and lost more for Sears (also Kmart).
They lost me over a $10.98 item (water hose for frig). They could have easily resold the item.
30 days is generous. If you can't decide before 30 days is up whether you want something or not, don't buy it.
Returns are a luxury not a right, and NO retailer has to accept them. Maybe without people like you businesses would actually stop with the price increases.
It doesn't matter if you think 30 days is a generous amount of time or not.
Read the stores return policy.
If you don't like it don't shop there.
Real simple!