Sears dishonest representation, dismissive uncomunnicative manager queensbury New York

 I am writing to register my disgust with Sears for the misleading and downright dishonest service contracts they sell on appliances. I recently took a Kenmore vacuum in for repair/maintenance. According to the salesperson who sold me a 5 year comprehensive maintenance agreement on my vacuum the appliance was to be covered for anything that went wrong with it during the five year term of the contract at no further cost to me. During the time it was "in the shop" I would be provided with a loaner of simiar quality. If the appliance failed competely (the example cited was a women who vacuumed her cats litter box and burned out the motor) I would receive a "brand new current model vacuum" to replace the one I'd burned out. I was also led to believe that repairs were to be done in house and that following any preventive mainentance or repair services my machine would be returned in pristine condition.

Not suprisingly the latch which holds the cleaning wand upright on the head of my canister vac snapped withing the first year. Also as is typical, I waited and lived with the inconvenience for another year before finally making time to take the thing in for repair and maintenance.

On arriving at the local stores service center I apologized  for not "cleaning" it before hand since I knew that a cleaning would be part of the maintence service. I was immediately informed that "The vacuum will not be cleaned" and any "replacement parts" would be billable to me. This is definitely not what the salesman had said would happen. Next I was told that I would not receive a loaner although the repairs would take a minimum of 3 weeks. They ship the appliances to a different state to a repair center.

I began to express some anger and frustration. I was told by the decent and honest manager at the local repair center drop off that I was not the first and would not be the last customer to complain about the contracts. I asked to speak to a store manager and attempts were made to reach one for me to speak to directly. After two transfers, each of which had long "hold' times between answering and being connected the service center manager finally was connected to a manager of the small appliance section of the store. My concerns and protests were registered and after considerable back and forth I was begrudgingly offered a loaner which would require my returning to my car and driving to the main store to pick it up at the small appliance desk. The appliance manager refused to speak to me directly this was all relayed through the service desk personnel.

I made sure that I had clearly signed a request to be notified before any billable repairs, replacements were completed on my vac and traveled to pick up the loaner. The small appliance manager made it clear she was not interested in anything I might have to say and offered me a choice of two old vacuums which had been drastically reduced for clearance.  I was livid by now but had appointments to get to and knew I wouldn't get any further with anyone at the local store so I didn't even try. I chose what appeared to be the better of the two offerings (mistake, it is a generic brand windtunnel upright with no suction...will clean hard surfaces with repeated strokes but totally ineffective on carpeting). I am so totally disillusioned with Sears. Over the past 50 years I have spent literally tens of thousands at Sears on small and large appliances for my self, my children and some rental properties. Most recently, as within weeks prior to taking the vacuum in, I purchased a Kenmore Elite refrigerator. I had stupidly purchased the maintenance contract on that too. I immediately cancelled the maintenance contract on the fridge. Sears still markets some excellent products but after this experience I believe I will be making my purchases of similar products elsewhere. We are fortunate to still have a couple of Mom and Pop local appliance stores in the area...they will be getting all of my future business.

Sears is reportedly in serious financial straits and may be going the way of Montgomery Wards in the future. I can understand why.  Sears built its reputation on honesty and customer satisfaction. Obviously the board of directors is long past putting value on such "dated" considerations. I will be sorry to see them go but I see it as an inevitability.