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Sears Shop At Home

Cozette in Greensboro, NC, writes:
The ladies in my office were passing around a HomeVisions catalog and I decided to place an order for nearly $300 worth of bedding. When the bedding finally arrived it was of poor quality and did not fit my bed.

I returned all the items in 1 box (although they shipped it to me in 2 boxes). Nearly a month pasted and they finally credited my debit card but did not give me credit for one of the returned items (ironically, it was the only unopened item).

I called the Customer Service number on Monday after work and they were closed. I rushed home on Tuesday from work and called them. I was on hold for an hour when a customer service person finally picked up. I told her the problem and she said that the returns team had gone home for the day (they left at 4:30) and they would contact me in 3-5 business days and if they thought I was telling the truth, they would credit my card 5-10 business days after that.

I order from mail order a lot and I have never heard of such a thing. I told her that I wouldn't be home from work when they called (I work 8-5) and asked if I could speak to a supervisor, the customer service rep. then put me on hold another 45 minutes.

I finally got sick of it and hung up. I called them right back and this time instead of selecting the option for returns on the automated phone answering system, I picked the "place an order" option and they picked up in less than 3 seconds. Goes to show you they will treat you well to take your money but they treat you like **** when they are suposed to give it back.

The customer service supervisor I talked to said that she couldn't help me because the returns department was gone for the day and to call back when they are in the office. I called them this morning (Wed) from work, spent another 45 minutes on hold and when I finally got through to customer service, they said that they were not allowed to let customers speak to that department and that they would investiagte it based on my call and within 3-10 business days someone from the returns department would call me at the number I gave when I placed the order to discuss the return before a credit could be issued.

I told her that I worked (8-5) and would not be there to take thier call and the rep. told me that if I was not able to be at home when they called, I would not get a credit and that they couldn't call me at work because it was not the number on the order.

When I asked for her name and the name of a Manager that I could write to....she refused to give me a name and only said that I could send a letter to the attention of customer service.

Lisa from New Kensington, PA, writes:
I had ordered a few items through this catalogue in January 1999. A few days I cancelled these items. Then in May 1999, they charged my debit card the full amount of the items that were cancelled. I contacted them right way. they told me no one was available to talk with me about this and that someone would get back to me within 24 hrs.

I've been contacting them everyday for 7 days and no one can help me and no one has ever gotten back to me. The amount was $239.94. Due to this transaction, I have overdraft fees on my account of $ 175.

P.P. of Pemberville, Ohio:
Dear Sears: I ordered a necklace and earrings from your catalog back in February and when I received the earrings I was told that the neacklace was to shipped seperately. Then I received two notices that the necklace was on back order. Each time I called they told me it would be in shortly. As of this date I still do not have this necklace.

I called your customer service department the other day and they informed me it is now been discontinued. I told them I would like to send the earrings back since I ordered them to go with the neacklace and I was told that I could not do that because I only had 30 days to return any merchandise.

I am highly upset and feel that I was misled. Also this was ordered shortly after receiving this catalog so I feel that this necklace was advertised in this catalog falsely. This was to be my VALENTINE'S DAY present from my husband so you can imagine the friction it has caused between us.

We also ordered a bed mattress cover about the same time and have not received it either. So as a result we will no longer order from Sears Shop At Home Service.

Christopher of Fernley, NV: On May 19, I placed an order for a kitchen table and a set of living room tables. The following day, I cancelled the kitchen table from the order. I called back on subsequent days to check on the order and each time, they had no record of the cancellation, but offered to cancel it "again."

On May 29, I came home to find the kitchen table on my doorstep. I called again to complain that they sent me something I had cancelled from my order. Again, there was no record of any cancellation, but they offered to send me a packet of information on how I could sent the table back at their expense, and get a 10% discount on the rest of my order. To this day, no such packet of info has ever arrived (even though on subsequent calls, I was assured that it was sent).

On June 14, I called to ask about the missing packet of return materials and the other item in my order (the living room table set) which still hadn't shown up. This rep said that she would have someone come to my home to pick up the kitchen table, and that she would call me back by Friday (five days later) regarding the living room table set.

Later in the same day, I got my bill from my credit card company, which revealed that I had been charged for the kitchen table on June 6 (over two weeks fom the original cancellation and one week AFTER it had been shipped to me). I called my credit card company and told them the situation, and they agreed to issue a provisional credit for the disputed charge. I also wrote to them, explaining in detail what had happened.

On June 17, I received a call from a rather hostile rep who said that there was no record of any cancellation, nor record of any packet of returns info being sent out, no record that anyone was scheduled to pick up my item, and that if I wanted to return it, I'd have to pay for the shipping myself.

I asked to speak to someone else and was told I couldn't. I told them that my credit card company was now investigating this, and was given the address to write to for complaints.

After this call ended, I was frustrated about how to get this table off my porch. I called UPS (the carrier for this item) and asked if I could simply refuse the item, since I hadn't opened it. They said that I could, and that it would be sent back to where it came from.

I called Sears again to let them know that their table was now on its way back to them. This time, I was transferred to a supervisor who apologized for the earlier call and told me that they would give me a credit thirty days after they received the kitchen table back in their warehouse. I asked about the status of the rest of my order and was told that it as still being looked into.

On June 19, 31 days after placing my order, I got a call regarding the living room table set (still not delivered). They said it would probably ship on June 25. There was no record of any discount being applied to the order. I asked if I could just cancel my order, and they said they could try, but probably not, because orders had to be cancelled within 24 hours of being placed. Even if my order was cancelled, she said, the item still might be sent out, and I would still have to pay for shipping it back.

Basically, I feel trapped. They sent me something I cancelled, they they charged me for it, they wouldn't take it back at their expense, they aren't going to credit me for another thirty days AFTER they get it back, they won't send me the remainder of my order and they won't allow me to cancel it either. There must be some kind of limit on the amount of time they can string you along like this.

I've been living with cardboard boxes for furniture for over a month now, with the hope (until June 19) that my furniture HAS to be somewhere on its way to me.

L.B. of Union City, CA, writes:
On Dec.31,1998 my wife ordered my Xmas gift of a wood lathe, catalog 3#21717N for a total price of $526.05. The lathe was shipped on Jan.13,1999. I have not received it as yet. Between my wife and myself, we have made a total of 5 or 6 phone calls to complain and each time we talk to someone new. They act concerned and put a tracer on it but we have to call back the next week and go thru the same thing.

Last week I called and said I wanted my money back. They said a supervisor would call me back. They didn't. I would appreciate any help you could offer. In the meantime,I am paying interest on $526.05.

I have lost sleep over this knowing I was going to have to call them again and get the same response. It hasn't helped my digestive system either.

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