Sears--Where It Begins Is Acquiring BAD Meanings

Parent Cafe
61

<p>The problem with buying ‘Kenmore’ branded products is you don’t really know who actually makes the item unless you research the specific model number. While Whirlpool used to make a lot of the Kenmore majors appliances they don’t necessarily do so anymore which means you don’t really know what you’re getting. It’s hard to say who actually makes the Kenmore sewing machines, vacuums, and other appliances. I wouldn’t buy a Kenmore - I’d stick with a name brand so you at least know what it is.</p>

<p>Generally speaking, washers, dryers, fridges, DWs, ranges haven’t really changed much in the last 40 years and are fairly simple appliances. They’re surprisingly easy to fix for most of the problems that go wrong with them. Washers and DWs should typically last until some parts rust through. Things like the relays, solenoids, (things that let the water in), motors, timing switch are all fairly easily replaceable for much less than the cost of a new one - especially if you do it yourself like I do. I recently fixed my dryer (a Whirlpool), by replacing a solenoid for $20. The same is true for fridges, dryers, etc. One complication is that some of the more expensive newer models with expensive microprocessor controller circuits rather than the old fashioned knobs and dials that are easier and cheaper to replace. These fancy looking controls don’t actually do anything to clean the clothes better but do make it more expensive to fix the thing.</p>

62

<p>Well, the saga continues. Last night, got a call from the installers. They have confirmed that they DO plan to deliver our dishwasher & install it TODAY. I suggested they call & check with corporate to be sure I’m still allowed to purchase the machine with the terms I thought I purchased it for so I don’t end up with a dishwasher that I shouldn’t have at a price I didn’t agree to. He promised to follow up & get back to me this morning. Will see how this all plays out.
The installer says they’ve been having A LOT of problems with corporate & folks who have purchased orders on-line. He sees this as more of the same and reassured me he’d do what he can to help straighten out this mess. Sheesh!</p>

63

<p>Amazing update:
Just went to our local Sears store and spoke with the salesman I had met with before having so much trouble with Sears.com. He was VERY NICE AND HELPFUL! He did his best to price-match the price I had been promised by Sears.com and the dishwasher will be delivered and installed at our house as early as Saturday! H & I are very pleased and very surprised! </p>

<p>We were prepared to walk and write off Sears but are glad that we got the model we wanted at the price we thought we had purchased it for.</p>

<p>We also got a full refund from Sears.com for trying to purchase the dishwasher with them. The same poor Sears appliance salesman was adjusting another customer’s purchase as well, price matching their Sears.com quote. Will keep my fingers crossed that things go well.</p>

<p>Did charge the dishwasher with my AmEx Costco card, so get free extra year of warranty!</p>

64

<p>For HIMom:</p>

<p>[Sears</a> Holdings Corporation Stock Chart | SHLD Interactive Chart - Yahoo! Finance](<a href=“SHLD Interactive Stock Chart | - Stock - Yahoo Finance”>SHLD Interactive Stock Chart | - Stock - Yahoo Finance)</p>

<p>Ouch, but they earned it!</p>

65

<p>Holy cow!! That’s a huge drop in one day!</p>

66

<p>Christmas morning I was getting food ready and heard a strange noise from my freezer. I have a Kenmore refrigerator, and the ice maker water kept filling, long past the normal time it takes to fill. </p>

<p>I opened it up and sure enough, the entire bottom of the freezer is wet, the entire ice box that normally has ice is filled with a combination of ice and water and the water won’t shut off. I had to turn it off at the water line. It’s still that way, today. (I am only using hot water in my sink until I figure out a solution.) I still have no ice, which is really not fun!</p>

<p>I have always believed in Sears products, and have an refrigerator, dishwasher and washer/dryer that are all Sears products. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I am not sure if I would purchase these products again. </p>

<p>We had a major circuit board go out on our dishwasher, about 1 week out of warranty. It was nearly $500 to repair with the labor. It took two service calls and missed work, because they didn’t bring the part the first day, even though they knew what the problem was.</p>

<p>Another time, they sent me the parts in the mail, but sent them for the wrong dishwasher. Fortunately, the serviceman actually had what he needed on his truck. </p>

<p>After this, I had another quirky thing on my dishwasher. A strange error code came up and it wouldn’t run. I tried googling it and couldn’t find a solution. Misplaced manual, so I called for service. Told the person on the phone what the issue was and she said my sensor was probably out. She sent a repairman out. He actually, physically laughed out loud at me. He said that it was the child lock and hit two sensors at the same time and then promptly charged me full price for the service call. </p>

<p>Our refrigerator’s freezer used to over-freeze and the ice maker stopped working, quite abruptly. The repairman said it was a known defect around the shop, but that Sears hadn’t come up with a fix for it for the customers. He charged us something like $180 for that visit - and one that didn’t resolve the problem. I told a friend about it, and she said the same thing happened on her Kenmore (different model). I was able to fix it - pull off the back piece of the freezer and then pull out the large chunk of ice that was blocking airflow to the fridge.</p>

<p>Later on, when all of my appliances seemed to be flipping out all around the same time and were out of warranty, a very nice agent on the service line told me a little known way around out of warranty repairs. I cannot recall the name of it - but it essentially renewed the warranty for a period of time and covered up to $500 in parts and the labor for that item. That actually saved us some money. </p>

<p>I don’t even know what product I would use now, once these appliances go out. It’s been frustrating and expensive and I don’t honestly have the same respect for the Sears name as I used to. Maybe I just get crappy appliances because I am cursed. I don’t always buy the cheapest ones, either!</p>

67

<p>Sears announced this morning that they are closing 100 stores.</p>

68

<p>I would be incensed by such a rude repairman–would also contest paying full price for the repair person who laughed & just pushed the 2 buttons to repair. </p>

<p>So far, our dishwasher seems to be OK & we won’t be limited to having Sears do repairs or maintenance, since we bought a Bosch rather than a Kenmore. In fact, we own only brand name appliances and SO FAR, they have been behaving. Have no icemaker because I have never trusted them & we don’t use ice much at all in this household, so that’s just one less thing to go wrong.</p>

<p>Am happy to have fewer issues to deal with.</p>

<p>Have had a tough time figuring out how to spend a Sears gift card I’ve had for over a year, finding merchandise I/we like at a reasonable price at Sears. When I’ve been there, there is very little customer service most of the time & there are often very long lines at the register, even though there aren’t all that many customers, since there are so few registers. The quality of their luggage is quite poor.</p>

69

<br>

<br>

<p>That’s why we didn’t get an icemaker as well - just another thing to potentially go wrong.</p>

<p>We keep a gallon of water in the refrigerator (2 Nalgene liter bottles, 1 glass quart bottle, and 3-4 16 ounce glass bottles) - if someone wants a cold drink, then can get a glass of cold water.</p>

70

<p>I can’t imagine not having ice in the house. I can survive without an ice maker - I will just pull out the old ice trays and fill them. However, the sole purpose of ice is not just for chilling drinks, but even so a chilled ice water isn’t the same thing as chilled water with ice in it. </p>

<p>Cold water, and water with ice cubes taste very, very different. </p>

<p>Or for iced tea, or when you have a headache/backache, or a sprained ankle…</p>

71

<br>

<br>

<p>95% of what I drink is chilled or room-temperature water. The rest is hot tea or hot coffee and a little Gatorade if I am doing 2-3 hour workouts. I’ve gotten rid of sodas and juices and it was a good time to prioritize health over taste.</p>

<p>For headaches (rare), backache or sprained ankle, I just take aspirin.</p>

72

<p>We mostly drink tap water, from tap to cup in our household too. The chilled beverages are rice milk, dairy milk and seasonally eggnog. Sometimes we also have a chilled fruit drink OR a room temperature fruit drink. No iced tea drinkers in this household.</p>

73

<p>We don’t have an ice maker either( in fact we have only a chest freezer & a bar size fridge)
We use cold packs for compresses, works much better than ice.</p>

74

<p>“It took two service calls … because they didn’t bring the part the first day, even though they knew what the problem was.”</p>

<p>This sort of behavior isn’t limited to Sears/Kenmore (even though it did help “push” me to other brands). I had a peculiar failure of one component on a non-Sears fridge. I called the brand’s repair hotline and told them specifically what was needed. “We don’t work that way Sir. We send out a repairman to diagnose the problem. That’s $250. Once the diagnosis is done we’ll schedule a repairman.” I was quoted $175 for the second guy, plus $625 for the part “if it turns out you’re right.” I bought the part on eBay ($115 including shipping) and installed it myself.</p>

75

<p>HiMom- Do you like any of the stuff from LandsEnd? Sears carries it, and I would expect you could use the gift card for some of their items.</p>

76

<p>I’m currently very happy with Sears. I called about our dishwasher (turned out string had gotten caught in the motor). They came the same day, fixed it in no time and didn’t charge me anything. (We apparently had a service contract.)</p>

77

<p>Over the years we have purchased all of our appliances from Sears and have been happy overall…what are we going to do from here on out?? However, H and I wondered into Sears from the mall entrance a few weeks ago (to buy vacuum cleaner belts) and were appalled. With a crew of helpers, I could have redone the entire clothing section to look a LOT more appealing - and I know very little about merchandising. If they make it look pretty, people will look at those scarves and mittens. The problem with Sears is clearly at the top.</p>

78

<p>We have a Sears and a Sears/KMart locally. The Sears, in the upscale mall, does a fine job presenting merchandise. The Sears/KMart, in a strip mall does a terrible job. I can only conclude that local management is a factor too.</p>

<p>The overall leadership (at the top) appears to be of the variety that we can buy out any company in any industry and make it work.</p>

79

<p>I’ve noticed a great disparity between Sears stores here in CT. I was shocked when I walked into one in an older mall … terrible, even though the mall was located in a wealthy town!</p>

<p>As for parts for appliances (like vacuum cleaner filters), the floor staff invariably directs me to the internet.</p>

80

<p>It takes work, but I’m sure I’ll be able to find something if I put my mind to it. Just hadn’t expected it to be difficult to spend a gift card that had just over $100 on it (from when we had our fridge installed Oct 2010). It has taken over a year to whittle down the balance. Maybe will be able to find some 100% cotton linens or some pyrex/corningware.</p>